back on the beach next
summer up to state
Whether tiki hut goes
back on the beach next
summer up to state
By Sherry conohan
Staff Writer
SEA BRIGHT — The tiki hut bar at Donovan’s Reef has been removed from the beach.
It was picked up off the sand by a huge crane and lifted over the seawall and a bar patio to the parking lot on Nov. 15. There it will spend the winter.
Whether the tiki hut goes back on the beach next summer is up to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The DEP has assessed a $20,000 fine on the owner of Donovan’s Reef, LBP Corp., for building an unauthorized structure in the coastal zone.
It threatened to fine the company an additional $25,000 a day for each day the violation continued.
LBP is appealing that ruling, contending the tiki hut is a temporary structure and, as such, should be permitted.
"We took it off (the beach) last year and it’s off again. It’s temporary," said Chris Bowler, speaking for Donovan’s Reef.
The tiki hut bar was moved by Wellauer Construction Inc., Freehold.
The latest move was the third for the bar, which was braced with supports before the crane picked it up.
It was moved the first time when it was taken off the beach at this time a year ago, and it was moved the second time when it was put back on the beach three days before Memorial Day this year for the summer.
Mark Wellauer said it took 45 minutes to actually lift the bar over the seawall.
It had been braced in preparation for the move the day before.
"It’s time-consuming but not difficult," Wellauer said of the job.
Bowler and employees of Donovan’s Reef removed the other items associated with the tiki hut bar from the beach.
These included the stage, which was built in sections and could be easily moved, Bowler said.
Teresa Bowler, who manages Donovan’s Reef, said the problem with the DEP was that the agency contended that the tiki hut was permanent.
"We took out the concrete pad, but they never came back to see it," she said.
The DEP order said LBP was found in violation as a result of compliance "evaluations" conducted on Aug. 20, 1999, and again on Sept. 10 of this year.