It's a beautiful day in Beach Haven West.
It's a beautiful day in Beach Haven West.
It's a beautiful day in Beach Haven West.
It's a beautiful day in Beach Haven West.
Beach Haven West is a beautiful community of lagoon and bayfront properties. It is the gateway to Long Beach Island, and is the largest waterfront community in New Jersey.
The Beach Haven West Civic Association is dedicated to advancing the quality of life in our waterfront community. At our meetings, held at 7:00 pm on the third Friday of each month in the Bay Avenue Community Center, we identify and address community issues of interest and concern of residents.
For years, the Association has proudly contributed to civic projects, such as the township's Arbor Day and Founders Day observances, and to school projects, including Project Graduation. At Southern Regional High School Awards Night, the BHWCA presents scholarships to Beach Haven West seniors who will continue their education after graduating from the high school.
The Association has hosted guest speakers such as NJ Senator Christopher Connors, and National Wildlife Refuge Representative Virginia Rettig, to name just two.
By joining our Association, you will help us to demonstrate that we are a united community of full-time and seasonal/weekend residents that share a common interest - respecting our unique and beautiful section of Stafford Township.
The annual dues to join are $20.00 per household.
BEACH HAVEN WEST NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDE:
Beach Haven West is the largest man-made lagoon community in New Jersey, consisting of
approximately 24 miles of waterways in 102 lagoons. The lagoon community is bordered on the south
by Mill Creek, which is a natural waterway, and the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
The first section was opened in 1957, and various additional sections were opened until the Wetlands
Protection Act of 1970 prevented the community from expanding farther into the wetlands to the south.
According to the 2010 Census, 4,571 housing units make up the lagoon community.
Over time, major weather events have impacted the community, most recently, Superstorm Sandy in
2012. In addition to weather events, the natural flow of tides continues to impact the waterways,
causing silting and shoaling. In addition, the abrupt ending of the development during the 1970s may
have caused poor water flushing in the areas farthest from Barnegat Bay.
The newest section of Beach Haven West is approximately 38 years old, while the oldest section is
approximately 66 years old. Until the Bathymetric Survey was conducted in 2020, no efforts had been
made in BHW’s six decades to maintain the lagoons. That statement is based on multiple attempts to
find documentation of efforts to address the overall health and navigability of the lagoons, as they are
an asset not just to Beach Haven West but to the entire Stafford community.
Although much of the waterway network is navigable today, there are areas that need - or will need –
attention to maintain healthy as well as navigable status.
The Bathymetric Survey was a very encouraging sign that the township realized the value of our
waterways. It is not the only sign, however, as it has endorsed other related studies and developed
relationships with regional, state and federal agencies. This is especially noteworthy in that postSuperstorm Sandy, researchers have determined that clean sediment is an asset to environmental
efforts to restore declining marshlands and bay islands, as well as to maintain waterways.
In a recent presentation before the BHW Civic Association, an Army Corps of Engineers official noted
that clean dredge material is “currency” in this new approach. We also have been advised that the
Bathymetric Survey revealed BHW has “high quality” dredge material can be used to support the health
of Barnegat Bay.
With firm resolve that Stafford’s waterways be treated as part of the township’s infrastructure, the BHW
Civic Association will continue to vigorously support these efforts that we believe have placed Stafford in
the forefront of this advancing state and national approach to waterway maintenance.
###
Frances Kosa, President
Open, Vice President
Open, Secretary
Denise Peters, Treasurer
Ziggy Bomba, Sergeant at Arms
BEACH HAVEN WEST CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC.
Click for: BYLAWS - Amended June 2022