ATV park funding draws ire
11/30/05
For many, Green Acres is a state-run program typically associated with, well,
green acres.
But in May, the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spent $1.2
million in Green Acres money to purchase a 212-acre, former sand mining
operation to potentially turn it into a park for all-terrain vehicles (ATV).
Environmentalists have cried foul, accusing the state of misusing money that
they say should go toward preserving open space and developing "passive"
recreation.
"There are so many other projects in the Gloucester County area that need
money for preservation, to spend it on an ATV park makes no sense," said Jeff
Tittel, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club. "I
think it violates the public trust."
However, John Flynn, administrator for Green Acres, said the state is keeping
in line with the program's goals.
"Our mission is to provide for outdoor recreation, and there are a lot of
(residents) in the state that are using off-highway vehicles as their recreation
form," Flynn said.
The Green Acres program was started in 1961, according to information on the
DEP's Web site. The state paid for the program with $1.4 million in bonds until
voters approved referendum in 1998 that established a stable source of funding
for it.
To date, Green Acres has acquired more than 588,000 acres of open space, with
more than 30,000 in 2005 alone. The program, under the umbrella of the DEP, also
provides funding to local governments to develop parks.
But Green Acres money has also sponsored recreational activities less reliant
on pristine land. In 1993, a $1 million Green Acres grant helped the county
purchase the Pitman Golf Course in Mantua Township. The program has regularly
helped local towns like Glassboro and Woodbury develop sports fields.
The state is now studying whether the land purchased off Jackson Road in
Monroe is suitable for an ATV park.
Citing the many forms recreation can take, Flynn said "we don't know where to
draw the line" when it comes to the recreational activities Green Acres can
fund. In this instance, the DEP has set ATV parks as a priority, according to
Flynn.
State officials have noted that numerous ATV enthusiasts now tread illegally
on state land due to few other places to ride.
"(DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell) has determined that as a part of a
comprehensive response to that problem, we need to provide legal and safe places
to ride," Flynn said.
But Tittel argues that the $1.2 million spent to buy the land should have
instead supported open space and passive recreation like hiking, fishing and
biking.
Rather than preserve the property, the emissions and noise generated by the
four-wheeled vehicles would be disruptive for the local environment -- home to
several endangered species, Tittel said.
The DEP will likely need an approval from the State House Commission -- which
oversees state property -- before moving forward with an ATV park since it's not
a permitted use under Green Acres, according to Tittel.
He said his organization would fight it there and potentially sue to block
the project.
"It sets a very bad precedent for the state of New Jersey," Tittel said.
"We're a strong believer in not only preserving open space but protecting it
once it's bought."
Ed Knorr, chairman of the Monroe-based Green Action Alliance, agreed with
Tittel.
"I think they're violating the intent and the spirit of Green Acres
legislation, which is to preserve and not destroy," Knorr said.
According to Flynn, some of the concerns stem from Green Acre's dual purpose
of providing for recreation and protecting the natural environment. Depending on
their interest, groups often want the state to use Green Acres funds to pursue
one goal over the other.
"The DEP is in the middle, trying to meet the needs of both," Flynn said.
Officials have said a public hearing would precede any final decision on the
ATV park.
There will also be a review process by the state Pinelands Commission,
according to DEP Spokeswoman Karen Hershey. She added that there could be other
approval processes of which she was not immediately aware.
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Buena
Vista buys final piece of Richland Village puzzle 11/29/05
BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP-It's like fitting the final piece of a
year-and-a-half-long puzzle.
Since last summer, the township has acquired six parcels of land that will be
used for the main stretch of the Richland redevelopment project. The final piece
was purchased Monday.
The land ensures that the central 16 acres of Richland Village will have a
streamlined railroad theme similar to small tourist areas such as Smithville in
Galloway Township.
The Buena Vista Township paid about $275,000 for the nearly 2-acre parcel that
borders the southeast corner of the railroad and Route 40 intersection. Included
is a post office, feed mill, antique store, empty house and deli on the
premises, township Administrator Ron Trebing said.
"Some of it will be refurbished," Trebing said. "It all depends on the money we
get."
Chairello said the post office and feed mill will definitely remain. The rest
may stay or go, depending on final schematics.
The township hopes the final plans for Richland Village will be complete by
early next year, after normal issues relating to Pinelands restrictions, such as
water runoff, are resolved.
Richland's redevelopment is Buena Vista Township's most ambitious project in
decades. Officials hope the main stretch, which is on Route 40 between Cedar and
Greenbriar avenues, will attract commercial businesses including restaurants,
shops and tourist attractions that could improve the amount of economic ratables
in the area.
The township has more than $7 million in revenue, according to the Census
Bureau.
"We are trying to get the 25,000 people a day who drive down Route 40 to stop
and stay a while," Chiarello said.
The area is also relying heavily on the success of the resurrected Cape May
Seashore Line, which currently runs from Tuckahoe in Cape May County to
Richland.
Rail line owner Tony Macrie hopes the train will link up with NJ Transit's
Atlantic City Line.
Chiarello said the project has received $2 million in grants so far, and he
hopes to receive another $1 million in the next year.
The land was purchased from Ed Condon, who does not live in the township and did
not return two messages for this article.
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Township
purchases key property for Richland Village 11/29/05
Buena Vista Township purchased a key property in the
redevelopment plan for historic Richland Village. This was the final piece
of property necessary to start the next phase of Richland's transformation plan.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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ATV park should need Monore OK
11/28/05
Sales of all-terrain vehicles are on a roll, reaching close to a million
units a year.
So, there's no question that all those riders have to have places to ride
their ATVs. But why is it the state Department of Environmental Protection's job
to provide those places?
The DEP has just paid $1.2 million to buy a 212-acre former Monroe Township
sand mine for exactly that purpose. Plans for an ATV park there caught neighbors
off guard. They were under the strange assumption that when the DEP goes out and
buys a big tract, it wants to preserve it -- or wants to offer less-intense,
less-noisy, less-polluting recreation, such as hiking, swimming or fishing.
ATV park opponents jammed a Monroe Township Council meeting last week. Most
of them simply do not want to live next to what would be a concentrated ATV
compound. The council has not taken an official position, but it is still not
clear what -- if anything -- the council, mayor or township planning board could
do about the DEP's plans.
That comes straight from the DEP's mouth. Said John Flynn, administrator of
the DEP's Green Acres Program: "I don't know who will make the final decision
about this, or whether the township will have veto power. But they will have a
say."
Of course, if an ATV facility were provided by a private firm or a nonprofit
riding club, the township's "say" would not be limited to offering
perhaps-disregarded statements at a hearing in Trenton. But the state does not
have to follow the everyone else's rules.
There may be good reasons for the state to provide off-road parks. ATV
owners, despite what dealers and enthusiasts try to suggest, are not all model
citizens. They ride the things on private property and ruin farmers' crops. They
ride them illegally in parks where they disturb animals or campers. And, if it
were made absolutely clear to potential buyers how few places there are where
ATVs can be used legally -- the manufacturers and dealers might not have moved
900,000 units last year.
So, having legal places where ATVs can be enjoyed to the fullest extent make
sense, though we still question why it is the DEP's role to "sponsor" off-road
sites for loud, dust-causing, fossil-fuel-consuming vehicles.
If that is to happen in Monroe Township, however, the township needs more
than Flynn's statement that the DEP will be "sensitive" to neighbors. The
township needs the DEP to commit to taking this proposal through the full local
planning and zoning process.
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Bumpy ride in
store for ATV track in Monroe 11/28/05
Residents from two counties and several townships are showing immense
resistance to a proposed all-terrain vehicle park that would be built in the
southwestern corner of Monroe Township, Gloucester County.
They're worried about property values, noise, congestion and safety.
Many riders think the proposed track could act as a replacement for the New
Jersey Off Road Vehicle Park in Chatsworth, Burlington County, whose lease is up
in 2008. Spending some time at the park showed that some Atlantic and Gloucester
County residents' fears may become reality, and some may not.
The state Department of Environmental Protection bought the Sahara Sand Mine in
Monroe Township - which is located near Buena Vista Township and Franklin
Township - for $1.2 million in May with money from the Green Acres program, the
department said.
Janice and David Miller have lived across from the Chatsworth park on Savoy Road
since it opened. Janice Miller said she was naturally hesitant about the park's
location at the beginning - after all, she said she only found out about it
after grand opening signs were hung.
"It does get a lot of the illegal riders off our street," she said. "I don't
hear them buzzing down the street as much and they're not parking on our
property. But the locals still illegally ride, so it doesn't solve everything."
Miller said that overall, there haven't been any problems.
This is good news for Phil Foti, who was riding at the Chatsworth park with his
family, two pre-teen sons and his wife. He had just finished launching his
4-wheel Yamaha Raptor about five feet into the air when he pulled over, and
removed his multi-colored helmet.
"Lots of people don't think that places like these have a family atmosphere,"
said Foti, 43, who works in sales for Sprint. "But they're strict. You have to
wear the protective gear and keep with the driving and noise regulations. If
not, they'll kick you out."
That's one of the issues that worries Monroe Township residents: they believe
that people who are kicked out of the parks, or won't pay the membership fees -
which could be a few hundred dollars per year - may decide to take their ATV's
into environmentally protected land, or even their backyards.
Tom Thompson, a 34-year-old rider from Williamstown who was riding with a
friend, said he'd go to the park in Monroe Township if it were built. Foti
agreed.
"People fear the unknown," said Guy Stryker, 48, about the people opposed to the
Monroe Township park. He works maintenance at the Chatsworth park and was on his
way in a blue pickup truck to groom the sands on the two-wheel track. "If people
want to ride illegally, they're going to do it if there's a park there or not. A
park isn't the solution or problem."
At a recent Monroe Township Committee meeting, dozens of residents turned out
for and against the park even though no formal action was being taken on the
proposal. One petition signed by about 370 people was submitted opposing it.
The DEP has yet to show Monroe Township any formal plans, said Green Acres
Program Administrator John Flynn, although the department hopes to open the park
within a year's time.
When asked about the outpouring of resistance to the park, Flynn said there
would be ample time for public debate. He added that he is not sure how the park
could affect illegal riding in the area, which has been an ongoing problem for
years.
"These arguments for the parks are all nice on paper," Buena Vista Mayor Chuck
Chiarello said. "But until I see the illegal riding down in our area, I can't
see how a park would help."
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DEP should study
effects of ATV park 11/26/05
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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ATV park plan
pits residents against riders 11/24/05
Residents and off-road vehicles riders packed the Monroe Township Council
meeting on Tuesday. Joan Stahl brought a petition signed by nearly 370
people from the area who are against a ATV park on Jackson Road.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Off-road riders
are responsible, respectful 11/24/05
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Off-road
rider should get their fair share, too 11/19/05
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Buena Vista, Cape women
win awards 11/19/05
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Buena Regional
student recovering from crash 11/16/05
A sixteen year old Williamstown boy was struck by a car in the Buena Regional
High School parking lot. He underwent facial surgery Monday.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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The Minotola Merger - Mainstay in neighborhood to undergo changes 11/16/05
The 93-year-old company and Susquehanna Banchshares Inc. announced they have
signed a merger agreement. It would give Minotola's customers access to
more branches and new financial options.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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African American Heritage Museum features artwork by five area women 11/11/05
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Buena Reg. Bus/Car Crash ~ Teen awake but still hurt, friend says 11/10/05
Excessive speed may have played a role in the incident,
which also involved a school bus.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Buena Regional
student remains hospitalized 11/10/05
BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP-A junior from Buena Regional High School remained in
critical but stable condition at Cooper Health System in Camden on Wednesday
after he was struck by a car in the school's parking lot Tuesday afternoon,
family and authorities said.
Tyler Spohn, 16, was struck at 2:20 p.m. as he made his way back across the
parking lot from a friend's car at the end of the school day, State Police Sgt.
Stephen Jones said.
Jones said the teen, who was taken by helicopter to Cooper, suffered severe head
injuries and a broken leg when he was thrown into the air and landed underneath
a parked school bus.
"As of this morning, he's in critical but stable condition," Spohn's uncle, Jay
Spohn, said Wednesday. "He took a pretty hard shot to the head."
State Police said the car's driver, Eric Elliott, 18, of Mays Landing, swerved
to avoid hitting Spohn but struck the teen anyway before slamming into a parked
school bus and coming to rest on the sidewalk.
Jones said no criminal charges were filed against Elliott, but he added that
police expected to issue a motor vehicle summons by the end of Wednesday.
Elliott is not a student at Buena Regional, but was picking up his cousins and a
friend.
"Excessive speed is considered to be a contributing factor," Jones said of the
accident.
Witnesses to the accident initially reported Spohn was riding a skateboard;
police said Wednesday Spohn was only carrying his skateboard as he emerged into
the path of Elliott's car.
Buena Regional High School Principal Kenneth Soboloski said officials planned to
meet next week to discuss safety procedures in the parking lot of the Weymouth
Road school.
"We like to be proactive, not reactive, but we're definitely going to react to
this," Soboloski said. "It was an accident, but who knows if it could have been
avoided or not?"
Soboloski said counselors were available to meet with students Wednesday. He
said several of Spohn's friends went to visit him at Cooper Health System during
the afternoon.
"I spoke to his father and just told him if there's anything we can do, we
will," Soboloski said.
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Teen hurt in Buena
Regional Parking lot 11/9/05
Car hits student, crashes into bus in Buena Regional lot ~ One boy is critical,
several treated after chain reaction wreck 11/9/05
A student of Buena Regional High School was critically
injured in a crash involving a car and a bus in the school parking lot.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
(Return To Top Of Page)
Neighbors protest proposed
ATV park 11/9/05
The land directly behind John DiThomas' home could be anything.
It was a sand mine, until it was sold five months ago. Now it could be the home
for wildlife game, which he wouldn't mind. Or it could be an all-terrain vehicle
park, which he and more than 250 other neighbors would resist.
Residents who live in the southwestern corner of Monroe Township, Gloucester
County, which borders Buena Vista and Franklin townships, said they found out by
word of mouth that the Department of Environmental Protection bought the Sahara
Sand mine for $1.2 million and was thinking of turning it into an ATV park.
Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello said the township was never formally
notified.
Resident Joan Stahl, who lives on Jackson Road near what could be the entrance
to the park, said the neighbors will make their intentions known.
More than 250 people signed a petition to keep the park out of their community,
which consists of dirt roads and homes built deep into the woods for privacy.
They plan on presenting the names and speaking against the park at the Monroe
Township Committee meeting on Nov. 22.
"I'd be a fool not to go," said DiThomas, who bought his home in July. What
bothers him and many other neighbors is the questions that surround how the park
will be used. Some people heard it could be used for hunting, others for
off-road vehicles.
Calls to the state Environmental Protection Agency, the mayor of Monroe Township
and the City Council president on Tuesday were not returned.
The resident's concerns span from traffic to dust problems and from noise to
policing issues.
Supporters of the park said it would keep ATV riders from destroying
environmentally sensitive areas, which are abundant in Pinelands communities.
Both Stahl and DiThomas said they made significant investments in their homes,
upgrading utilities where necessary and in some instances adding rooms.
"It was my dream home," said Stahl, who has lived in her house for eight years
with her two teenage children and husband. "We just put in a pool. We would feed
the deer at night. It seems almost impossible to enjoy those things with the
noise those motors are going to make."
Chiarello said there's already little law enforcement can do about ATV riders
that zip though township roads. He's worried that people waiting to get in to
the park may simply take to the nearby terrain. A similar park in Chatsworth,
Burlington County, only allows 300 riders in at a time, forming lines outside
the entrance for hours.
Rebecca Lindstrom, who has lived in her house on Dutch Mill Road for 45 years,
said that although she and her husband aren't against an ATV park, they don't
understand the logic of having one in the area.
"It's hard enough to get a home built in the Pinelands," said Bob Lindstrom,
referring to strict environmental restrictions in the area. "But they can decide
to have a park here that quickly?"
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Coming
Soon? Park delay stems from skyrocketing bids 11/9/05
Work on the new Sawmill Park in Richland Village has been delayed
temporarily. Due to bids for the project coming in too high. The
Township will reopen bidding by the end of the week.
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All aboard to
discover local beauty and fun 11/3/05
The Cape May Seashore Lines opened train service between Richland and
Tuckahoe. The train runs on Saturdays through December 17. Check out
the special train excursions such as the Fall Foliage Tours, Santa Express Tours
and An Afternoon Wine Expreience.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
(Return To Top Of Page)
Abusive Richland nurse won't work in health care ever again 11/01/05
Chanel McRae of Railroad Boulevard a nursing home
employee who abused a patient under her care is prohibited from ever holding
another job in the health care profession.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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