ASBURY PARK —An oceanfront lot slated for development in Asbury Park over surfers' objections could be preserved as open space with a $1.1 million grant recently approved by the state, city officials said.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced the grant from its Open Space Preservation program on Wednesday, coincidentally hours before the city council discussed hiring appraisers to determine the fair market value for the site, dubbed Bradley Cove, councilwoman Amy Quinn said on Thursday.

The state approval now gives the city the green light to apply for more money from Monmouth County to help with the acquisition, Quinn said.

"The hundreds of people who came out to the protests and wrote letters to preserve this piece of land should be patting themselves on the back today," Quinn said.

A group of local surfers led the charge last year to convince city and county officials, as well as property owner iStar Financial to keep the half-acre lot on the city's northernmost oceanfront undeveloped.

During their protests, they complained building townhouses, as iStar planned, on one of the last pieces of open space on the oceanfront would cut off access to a prime surfing spot, fishing site and dog beach. They argued anything built in that area would eventually be damaged or destroyed by a storm because part of that area is in a high-velocity flood zone.

The backlash from surfers against iStar grew even stronger after the company used surfboards last summer in its campaign to highlight development spots in the city, including one posted at Bradley Cove, a strip between Deal Lake Drive and the city's wastewater treatment plant.

Before joining the city council this year, Joe Woerner, past president of the New Jersey Surfrider Foundation, was one of the organizing protestors.

On Thursday, Woerner called the grant notice "very exciting."

"It was an important victory for the movement. We've affirmed what we've known all along - it's a very special spot and should be preserved," he said. "The state obviously agrees this is a special place that needs to be preserved."

Laura Kirkpatrick, spokeswoman for the county, said city officials have until Sept. 16 to apply for up to $250,000 in open space funding from the county to be added to the $1.1 million state grant.

Brian Cheripka, vice president of land for iStar Residential, could not be reached for comment.

Woerner and Quinn said iStar has agreed to sell the property as long as it can receive fair market value.

The next step, Woerner said, is for the city to get two appraisals, a requirement of the Green Acres program. Quinn said that topic could come up for a vote at the next council meeting in two weeks.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.