Shark fishing from shore restricted — Manalapan town commissioners passed a new ordinance — designed to reduce shark fishing from shore — that prohibits fishing activities that “may endanger the health and safety of swimmers or other beachgoers.”
While the state preempts local governments from regulating saltwater fishing, Manalapan officials went after the activities that attract sharks, such as chumming or blood baiting, because of the safety risk the sharks would pose to people in the water. They expect the ordinance to stand up legally because it ties the restrictions to health, safety and welfare concerns — not to fishing itself.
Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Palm Beach also have targeted restrictions seeking to limit shark-attracting activities while attempting to stay within the boundaries of what the state will allow. The Manalapan commission approved the ordinance at its May 12 meeting.
Dancing the night away — People looking to beef up their moves on the ballroom dance floor will be able to get their lessons in Manalapan if they want. The Town Commission on May 12 approved allowing a Fred Astaire Dance Studio at the Plaza del Mar shopping center.
While some commissioners questioned if noise from the dance studio could affect nearby businesses and offices, town officials said those concerns were for the center’s management to consider when leasing the space, not the town.
The dance studio will take the place of a former dry cleaner at the plaza. A special exception was needed because a dance studio is not among the permitted businesses at the center.
Road-widening moving forward — The town is preparing to widen a portion of Lands End Road to improve safety there.
The stretch, near Audubon Road, is narrower than the rest of the street and can create bottlenecks, Town Manager Eric Marmer said. While Marmer said he was unaware of any reported accidents, officials have heard of close calls, including some involving bicyclists.
The project, which will cost about $30,000, is expected to take place before the end of June and should take three to five days at most to complete, Marmer said. Residents will be notified ahead of the work, he said.
Meanwhile, officials are still finalizing the details of the new guardhouse on Lands End Road and hope to begin construction before the end of the summer. Final commission approval will be needed once the construction plans are finalized.
Manalapan’s own ZIP code? — Marmer said he will give it the old college try, but he’s making no promises regarding the commission’s desire for Manalapan to get its own personal ZIP code.
The town’s 33462 ZIP code typically carries the designation of Lantana or Lake Worth and is shared with Hypoluxo and Atlantis, too. Commissioners said the Lake Worth or Lantana designation might pop up at the FedEx office or when getting a driver’s license, causing confusion, but they also admitted it seems everyone in town is getting the mail and deliveries coming to them.
Septic-to-sewer grants and loans sought — The town has applied for low-rate funding through the State Revolving Loan Fund to reduce the cost of its planned conversion from septic tanks to sewers. It is also applying for state grants to cover some of the cost, which is expected to run between $14 million and $16 million, Marmer said. Though it could be a half-year or more before the town learns if it will receive any grants or low-rate loans, he told commissioners the project could realistically start in about a year.
— Larry Barszewski
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