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Bill

A 2293

Requires certain municipalities to include certain information concerning beach costs and revenues in municipality's public access plan.

2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires municipalities with municipally owned beaches that charge beach tags to include detailed annual costs, revenues, and surplus use in the public access plan.

Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · A 2293

Overview

A 2293 (NJ, Session 222) would require municipalities that own and charge beach tag fees for beaches to include specific information about beach costs and revenues in their public access plan under the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL). The bill adds an explicit public-access-financial component to the plan for municipally owned beaches.

Main purpose and intent

  • To improve transparency and planning around the operation of municipally owned beaches that charge beach tag fees.
  • To ensure public access planning accounts for the financial performance of these beaches, including costs, revenues, and allocation of any excess revenue.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amends MLUL Section 19 (C.40:55D-28) to include a new requirement within the public access plan element.
  • For municipalities with municipally owned beaches that charge beach tag fees, the public access plan must incorporate:
    1. An itemized budget of actual costs for each municipally owned beach for the previous beach season.
    2. The revenues generated by each municipally owned beach for the previous beach season.
    3. An itemized projection of costs for the upcoming beach season.
    4. If revenues exceed costs, an explanation of how any excess revenue will be expended.
  • The public access plan must still include other standard elements (maps, inventory of access points, parking, boats marinas, access strategies, etc.) and continue to align with the broader master plan requirements under MLUL.
  • The bill retains existing MLUL framework, including integration with regional plans and, where applicable, Highlands Region policies.

Who/what would be affected

  • municipalities in New Jersey that own beaches and charge beach tag fees.
  • These municipalities would need to update or create their public access plan to incorporate the new financial information for each municipally owned beach.
  • Beach-goers and residents may benefit from greater transparency about beach operations and how revenues are used.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.
  • The requirement is tied to the preparation of the municipality’s public access plan under MLUL. Municipalities would need to compile and include:
    • Last season’s cost and revenue data per beach.
    • Next season’s projected costs.
    • Allocation plan for any surplus revenues.
  • This builds on existing master plan and public access planning processes, requiring additional financial detail in the plan.

Practical implications

  • Administrative: Municipal staff will need to track and document annual cost/revenue data for each municipally owned beach and prepare budget projections for upcoming seasons.
  • Fiscal transparency: Enhanced public reporting of how beach revenues are used if revenues exceed costs.
  • Planning integration: Financial data becomes part of the public access planning framework, potentially informing decisions on beach operations, facilities, and access improvements.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary for a policy brief or provide a comparison with prior public access plan requirements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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