Belmar runs from the Shark River to Lake Como and from the boardwalk west to the Wall Township line, and its blocks hold everything from small beach cottages to large year-round homes and summer rental duplexes. Dan The Paver builds and replaces asphalt driveways across this Monmouth County borough and paves asphalt parking lots for the restaurants, marina-area businesses, churches and multi-family buildings that keep the town busy year-round.
Belmar homes and how they park
Parking is a constant topic in Belmar. Many homes sit on narrow lots on the numbered avenues between Ocean Avenue and Main Street (Route 71), with a single-width driveway along one side and sometimes a second space carved out in front. West of Main Street, and around Silver Lake, the lots open up a little and two-car drives are more common. The Shark River side of town has its own mix of homes near the marina and the river.
What we hear most often from Belmar owners:
- The drive has sunk or cracked because it was laid on loose sand with little base.
- The apron at the sidewalk is broken from years of cars and trash trucks.
- A summer rental needs a clean, durable surface before the season starts.
Ground conditions near the inlet
Belmar sits on sandy coastal soil with a shallow water table, especially close to the Shark River, the inlet and the town’s lakes. Sand drains quickly but moves under load if it is not compacted in thin lifts. We excavate to firm ground, place a compacted aggregate base, and grade the asphalt so runoff moves to the street rather than toward the house or a neighbor’s foundation. When an old drive has a sound base, milling and repaving can work. When it does not, a full asphalt driveway replacement is the better choice.
Main Street and the marina
Restaurants and shops along Main Street, the businesses around the Belmar Marina, churches and apartment buildings all need lots that stand up to heavy summer traffic. We offer asphalt parking lot paving, including milling and base repair. Scheduling in the off-season keeps customers and tenants moving.
Permits
Belmar’s small lots come with coverage and parking rules. Contact the borough’s construction and zoning office before you widen a drive, add a space, or change a curb cut. Neighboring Lake Como and Avon-by-the-Sea have their own pages, and our Monmouth County hub covers the rest of the shore.
Belmar paving questions
Our Belmar rental has a driveway and a gravel strip next to it for extra cars. Can you pave both together?
Often, yes, if the borough allows the added coverage. Turning a gravel strip into asphalt means digging out the loose material, building a proper compacted base, and paving it in the same pass as the main drive so there is no weak joint between them. Check with Belmar's zoning office first, since off-street parking and lot coverage are closely reviewed on small shore lots.
We live on the Shark River side of Belmar. Is there anything special about building a driveway there?
The blocks near the river and marina sit lower, with a water table that rises during storms and high tides. We pay close attention to pitch so water leaves the drive quickly, and we use a well-draining, well-compacted aggregate base so the asphalt is not resting on wet sand. The lowest corner of the drive usually gets extra base depth.
