A damaged bulkhead in the Mantoloking Shores section of Brick Township. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
Docks and bulkheads in poor condition in Brick can be dangerous and detrimental to neighborhoods, and township officials will be taking steps to better enforce its code pertaining to dock maintenance under an ordinance revision.
The township council last week introduced a revised ordinance that would give the township engineer, construction code official or a designee power to enforce the chapter of the township code that requires docks and bulkheads to be kept in safe condition. Right now, only police officers can enforce the code.
“Nothing against our police department, but our engineer or construction code official might be better suited to check on this and explain to the homeowner what might be wrong,” said Council President Susan Lydecker.
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The language of the ordinance will otherwise stay the same, said Lydecker. The code calls for docks and bulkheads that “become unsafe, constitute a hazard to human life or the public welfare” to be declared a nuisance. After that declaration, a homeowner is to be notified of what repairs need to be made and plans must be made to either make the repairs or remove the dock, bulkhead or the affected portion of it.
The ordinance will need to be approved on second reading after a public hearing before it is enacted into law. That hearing and vote will take place at the Sept. 23 council meeting.
Brick Life
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