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No decision yet in LEHT on off-road vehicle park
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LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - Township officials expressed bafflement at a special Zoning Board meeting Tuesday night, when it was revealed that $2.3 million from the state for the purchase of an off-road vehicle park site was for private property that was supposed to be restored once mining operations stopped.
There had been no decision by presstime on the future of the park.
"After mining operations stopped, that property has to be restored. The state is now giving $2.3 million and that alleviates that person from having to restore the site, and you didn't know that?" township Zoning Board attorney Joseph Coronato asked Commissioner John Flynn of the state Department of Environmental Protection's Green Acres Program.
Flynn said he had no knowledge of the stipulation on the property, although he said he was not surprised. This is the first time the state is financing such as a project. He added that $1.15 million will come from Green Acres Program for a conservation easement on the property and $1.15 from the Recreational Trails Program. The state currently owns 28 percent of the property.
"I'm confused as to why in an economic time like this, the state is giving money to buy privately owned property instead of giving away state land," said Robert Hart, vice chairman of the board.
Dale Freitas, director of the Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park, wants to turn 120 acres, currently home to the Shoreline Materials sand mine off Thomas Avenue, into a riding area for off-road vehicles. The multimillion-dollar project would be funded through state Green Acres funding, federal grants, and economic development funding.
Flynn said it is possible that state-owned land would be used for some of these properties. It's a very difficult controversial issue for the department, he said.
He said the state also will have to face the question of off-road vehicle riders going into nearby state property.
"We don't (know) if there would be spillage into state property. We haven't had discussion with the applicant on how to police illegal riding on the state land. The use is there now and we all know it and we look at this as a positive step," Flynn said.
He added that the department's experience at the now defunct Woodland Township track and the lack of such illegal riding there made him comfortable.
Another four hours of testimony came from a certified planner, landscape architect and Flynn, but there was still no decision on the future of an off-road vehicle park in the township. Members of the Zoning Board were mostly quiet, sitting and listening to the testimony and questions from the public.
Experts told the board surveys and several impact studies have on the site have not been conducted, so they were relying tax maps, aerial maps, and visits to the site.
Freitas said the reason for the lack of information was because he is seeking a use variance and not a site plan variance.
"I'm tired of going back. This is a conceptual thing. We're only asking for a use variance, and we're being asked questions as if we were seeking a site plan variance," Freitas said.
Freitas and his team of experts who testified Tuesday said the park would curb the problem of illegal off-road riding.
Planner Cecilia Byrne-Schmidt told the board this is the first ORV park the company she works for has designed. She said no survey work has been done to determine trails.
"Trails out there have been created by riders, but they will have to be groomed. Safety will be No. 1 in grooming and widening these trails. There will be regular maintenance of the trails," she said.
When asked by Fred Akers, of the Little Egg Harbor Watershed Association, whether the wetland buffer acreage had been determined, Schmidt said no - Freitas has no plans to expand the park onto state forest land. She said when the CAFRA application process begins, if the application is approved at the local level, the applicant will have to comply with some rules.
"We do know there are wetlands out there and we have done some preliminary work with the mapping. On paper and online there is the presence of wetlands, and we want to stress we are limiting our footprint to the area that is disturbed," she said.
Schmidt also said she was unaware of the 2007 Ocean County wildfire and fire plans have not been taken into consideration in the operation of the site. Schmidt added that the site will be a recreational facility that will hold no special events, unless they are requested by a group in the community. Races will not be held on the site, Schmidt said.
Professional Planner Leah Furey Bruder told the Board and the public the site is particularly suitable for the park because it is surrounded by three sides of state land that create a buffer.
"There's clearly a demand for it in this area because there are a lot of people who participate in the activity but have nowhere to ride legally. It's conveniently located near the Parkway so it will be easy to access for people traveling from other areas," Bruder said.
Bruder dismissed concerns from the public about the park being the only designated site in the state.
"The intent of this park is not serve the entire state. This is just the first one, and with anything there will be firsts. The entire state will not come to this park to satisfy their needs," she said.
Testimony will resume Aug. 12.
E-mail Donna Weaver:
Posted in OCEAN on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 11:25 pm Updated: 1:50 pm.
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