New Atv Park In New Jersey?

[Dale@AGP]

No decision by planners on ORV park in Little Egg

By DONNA WEAVER, Staff Writer
Posted: Thursday, June 11, 2009 7:45 am

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - The room was packed, but there was no decision during Wednesday night's Zoning Board meeting about the future of the Atlantic Off Highway Vehicle Park.

Attorney Howard Butensky and Planning Board attorney Joseph D. Coronato bantered about the status of an access road at the Shoreline Materials sand pits off Thomas Avenue, which will be the site of the off-road vehicle, or ORV, park if it is approved.

"I wanted to find out what kind of access this was to find out if the public has been properly noticed," Coronato said.

Tom Keck, assistant superintendent of state parks, said his predecessors told him that the gated, padlocked road was public.

"We treat it as if it's a state-owned road. We asked (the state Department of Environmental Protection's) Green Acres in the past if it was state-owned. To my knowledge, they haven't gotten back to us," Keck said.

Keck said locks have been cut and removed from the gate over the years.
Joseph Filoon, owner of Shoreline, is one person who has locked the gate since owning the property. Coronato pressed Filoon, asking why, if the road is public, he locks the gate and hangs a "private property" sign.

Filoon said that years ago, the Planning Board asked him to padlock the gate and hang the sign.

"I've given out a lot of keys: police, the fire department, emergency workers," Filoon said.

The issue will carry over until the next Zoning Board meeting July 8.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/ocean/article_1f781134-79cd-5bf9-b4e8-6fe958be2a4c.html

[Dale@AGP]

Zoning delay could set back consensus on off-road sports sites
BY KIRK MOORE • TOMS RIVER BUREAU • JUNE 11, 2009

The delay this week in a zoning board application for a proposed off-road vehicle park in southern Ocean County could set back a statewide consensus on providing off-road sports facilities until the Legislature's fall session, according to advocates for riders and environmental groups.

"This is one of those rare occasions where the environmental community and our community tried to work together," said Dale Freitas of the non-profit Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park group, which learned late Wednesday that Little Egg Harbor Township zoning officials will insist on a new round of public notices before they consider granting a variance for the park.

The Atlantic group proposes using 120 acres of the Shoreline Materials sand mine, located in the woods between Thomas Avenue and the northbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway, as a regional facility for supervised, legal riding of dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

Environmental groups prefer that location to other proposals for using public lands to create off-road trail and track facilities, said Jeff Tittel of the Sierra Club, which is pushing for stricter enforcement efforts against illegal riding.

"Some of the off-road folks tried to tie free ATV parks" to legislation that would toughen penalties for illegal riding on public land and posted private property, Tittel said. "We think it's a diversion (of state Green Acres property) and they would have to go to the State House Commission" to get permission, he said.

Off-road advocates have insisted it's unrealistic to crack down on riders without more legal opportunities. More recently "the ATV guys have tried to come up with three non-Green Acres sites around the state," Tittel said.

"Our position has always been . . . that we need to get these bills passed before there's parks, said Jaclyn Rhoads of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance.

The legislation includes provisions for funding three off-road facilities, and dedicating fees from off-road vehicle registration to developing more future parks, she said.

But it's up to riding groups to find the locations, she added: "'They need to come up with sites that are reasonable based on noise levels and environmental considerations."

The Little Egg Harbor site could be a replacement for the popular New Jersey Off-Road Vehicle Park near Chatsworth, Woodland Township, which closed its gates last September when the state Pinelands Commission refused to allow an extension of the group's 10-year lease agreement with the landowner, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

Foundation science director Emile DeVito was on hand Wednesday night to testify before the township Board of Adjustment about his group's experience working with off-road volunteers, who helped reforest and restore the Chatsworth tract during their tenure.

But if the enforcement bills don't progress through the Legislature in the next few weeks, the mutual agreement among off-road and environmental groups could be in jeopardy, he warned.

The zoning board's next scheduled meeting is July 8, but township officials said they will try to schedule a special meeting to hear the Atlantic Off-Highway application as soon as a new round of public notices have gone out to neighboring property owners.

Meanwhile, "I don't think the ATV bill is going to move before the fall," Tittel said Thursday. Off-road activists, he said, "have enough juice in the Legislature to block it until then."

http://www.app.com/article/20090611/NEWS03...ad+sports+sites (http://www.app.com/article/20090611/NEWS03/906110358/1007/Zoning+delay+could+set+back+consensus+on+off-road+sports+sites)

[deathman53]

'Foundation science director Emile DeVito was on hand Wednesday night to testify before the township Board of Adjustment about his group's experience working with off-road volunteers, who helped reforest and restore the Chatsworth tract during their tenure."


What the hell!!!! Have any of you guys seen what they called restore the property???? Dropping trees everywhere, not planting any new growth, its seams they threw a bunch of used tires around and the place looks like b-52's dropped bombs over it.


http://s491.photobucket.com/albums/rr275/njorvp2009/?action=view&current=100_1265.jpg

this is restored?? my foot, restored means more like leveled smooth and trees planted every ~10 feet and allowing nature to cover over everything, How in the world is nature gonna cover over 2'-3' diameter dumped trees??? and a whole field of them, not just one.

[drchoicey]

deathman you are getting to be a real drag.
they are talking about a new park in jersey!!!
and all you can think to say is how bad a job
we did cleaning up the old one????
why so bitter dude???
all you do is complain now
i think them two wheelers is gettin you uptight

[deathman53]

sorry, I just see things as it is. The state doesn't care about anything off-road. The enduro clubs they are just as bad with the state, except they are more organized, same BS happens with them. The thing that boils my blood about the old njorvp site is the fact that the enviro-nuts are using the "clean-up" of the old site as ammo against us. I give Dale alot of credit for fighting this battle for over 5 years, I really hope his plans go through. Trust me, I would love to ride my atv's more than twice, tops 3 times a month. I'm don't mean come-on like a jerk-off, I'm seeing the big picture here and being blunt with it.

Another atv park or should I say the 5 that was promised by the state by the end of 2005, would be awesome. It just seams that everytime a new park is proposed, there is a band of people against it and these people have so much power that they stop anything on it from happening. Its like a traveling circus.

The place in Monroe, mostly abandoned sand strip mine, 2% is wetlands, mostly land that is un-cleanable and destroyed forever. First, it was some plants and animals, then it was some tire tracks(from trucks) in the marshes and next it was the traveling circus preaching to the local about their lies. That was the end of fit after that. Dale has had alot of permit and "state" issues with the Agp series, effectively shutting it down. The Enduro clubs aren't having it much better, the last one was postponed because of state issues with trail use, there was several others that were very close to being shutdown, days before the event. The forest manager of BB is retiring next year, nobody is happy about it and hoping a green-freak doesn't come in, that will put the final nails in the coffin for 1/2 of the enduro/dual sport events. The state is at enduro's and dual sports now checking plates against the VIN's and they have a list of plates to pull on the spot. Its just BS across the board with everyone. The old parks and issues have a big part on anything new, it stains the image of atv's. You don't think that they will see what the old place was left like and use that to base on how the new place will be?? Its just ammo to shoot us down!!!

I liked when njorvp had that park, I stopped going there because of how bad it became. For years that was the primary place I rode. I grew sick of the same track that went un-groomed all weekend, over-watered and left huge puddles and tamed down untill it was like a badly groomed tt track with steep jump faces and no landings. The thing I liked about there at the end was the trails and that was primary what I rode. I rode one of the Agp's, I liked it, run good, my quad was alittle wide for it, but finished.

Part of the problem is how divided the dirtbike and quad people are and the state is using that to its full. Notice, there is tracks that ONLY allow dirtbikes, E-town has the dirtbike practice open almost every weekend, no quads. Atco is the only place(in NJ) that gives quads a good track on a regular basis. It even applies to out of state. Blue Diamond, the MX track is awesome, NOT the quad track. Its all the way in the back and nowhere near as good or even groomed. Rausch Creek had a awesome MX track, the atv wasn't bad, but could have been better. I go and ride my atv's when I can, its just not possible all that often, atleast legally. With my dirtbikes its far cheaper and many more places to ride. A new park that was open often and good, would see me almost every weekend on my atv's. If the example of how Dale runs the Agp's goes, the new park will be awesome.

[Dale@AGP]

Actually I'm optimistic.

[drchoicey]

THAT's what i want to hear!
Thank you sir,for all your hard work.
We really do appreciate it.

[drchoicey]

And deathman, we're cool.
I just remember racing you on your 3-wheeler.
And have nothing but fun all day.
You were crazy man!
I want to do it again,and in jersey sand!

[deathman53]

I really want to do it again. I don't have any operating 3 wheelers right now, no motors for them. My next one will be something else. Motors are in the works for them. My next one is gonna be a hybrid trike, 05 crf450r motor, gas tank, radiators, radiator shrouds, cr250r forks, custom tripples, trx450r rear suspension, 250r axle setup, trx450r rear fender and seat. Some of the details aren't worked out yet, flip-top seat, airbox and brake stuff. Its getting close to final fab on the frame. Its getting a frame custom made for it, I had to get one from my atc250r, I think 3 shattered frames was enough of a hint. The same guy who built my atc250r frame is doing the atc450r.

What trikes did I race you with?? atc250r or atc200x?

[Dale@AGP]

Get off-road park on track
ASBURY PARK PRESS EDITORIAL • JUNE 14, 2009

A molehill in the road must not be allowed to become a mountain along the way to turning the 120-acre Shoreline Materials sand mine in Little Egg Harbor into an off-road vehicle park. Nor should that same molehill deter the state Legislature from passing legislation that would increase penalties on the ATV riders who insist on tearing around the state illegally.

But time is of the essence in order to keep the fragile peace between the environmentalists and off-road enthusiasts. This proposed park would be the first of several planned throughout the state. The township Zoning Board should call a special meeting to keep the project moving forward.

Wednesday night's zoning board meeting threw a monkey wrench into the process of getting the park going: It was decided that the Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park group needs to mail even more notices of its plan than it already has.

This oversight seems to have been nobody's fault, but rather resulted from a difference of opinion over the legal status of an access road from Thomas Avenue into the Shoreline Materials property. The next scheduled meeting of the board is July 8.

A delay now may derail the momentum in Trenton to pass a piece of compromise legislation which would increase penalties for illegal riding provided there is a legal place for enthusiasts to enjoy their hobby.

This is one of those issues where both sides — hobbyists and environmentalists — have a case to make, and where a reasonable compromise upon which both sides agree is not only possible but nearly a done deal.

Environmentalists correctly point out that off-road vehicles can be loud and do damage to local flora and fauna. Riders are right when they say that since these vehicles are legal to buy and own in the state, they should have a place to ride.

The nexus here is the old sand mine. And if a special meeting of the Zoning Board is necessary to reassure Trenton and dot some final "I"s and cross final "T"s, the zoners should call the meeting and get the deal done.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906140357

[Dale@AGP]

LITTLE EGG HARBOR: HEARING PLANNED FOR PROPOSED ATV PARK

ASBURY PARK PRESS 6/24/2009

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — A special Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting for a proposed ATV park in Little Egg Harbor has been scheduled for 7 p.m. June 30 at the Little Egg Harbor municipal building, 665 Radio Road, Little Egg Harbor.

Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park group has proposed using 120 acres of the Shoreline Materials' sand mine, located in the woods between Thomas Avenue and the northbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway, as a regional facility for supervised, legal riding of dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

The Little Egg Harbor site could be a replacement for the popular New Jersey Off-Road Vehicle Park near Chatsworth, Woodland Township, which closed its gates last September when the state Pinelands Commission refused to allow an extension of the group's 10-year lease agreement with the landowner, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

Pending state legislation includes provisions for funding three off-road facilities, and dedicating fees from off-road vehicle registration to developing more future parks.

For information about the upcoming meeting, call (609) 296-7241.

Asbury Park Press Story: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906250306



LITTLE EGG HARBOR: SPECIAL MEETING PLANNED FOR PROPOSED ATV PARK,
THIS TUESDAY JUNE 30TH, 7:00 PM LEH MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
Little Egg Harbor Zoning Board of Adjustment
Location: Little Egg Harbor Municipal Complex (Courtroom)
665 Radio Road, Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08087
Date: Tuesday June 30, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM in the evening.
Room: The courtroom

Google Map Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=665+Radio+Road,+Little+Egg+Harbor+Township,+NJ+0 8087&sll=39.575892,-74.363966&sspn=0.012305,0.016758&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=A

[Dale@AGP]

Proponent: ATV park will curb illegal riding
BY KIRK MOORE • ASBURY PARK PRESS STAFF WRITER • JUNE 30, 2009

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — A proposed park for riding dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles will help solve local problems with noise and illegal riding, said Dale Freitas, director of the nonprofit Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park, as zoning officials and local residents grilled him in a special Board of Adjustment meeting Tuesday night dedicated to the proposed facility off Thomas Avenue.

The questioning extended late into the evening, as police Capt. Richard Buzby challenged Freitas' contention that the proposed park can be self-sustaining with minimal demands on police and emergency services.

The now-closed New Jersey Off-road Vehicle Park near Chatsworth saw more than 300 first aid calls in the four years before it closed its 10-year run in 2008, Buzby said. But that's because the park's design was limited by state Pinelands Commission restrictions that prevented volunteer staffers from modifying the courses, said Freitas, a longtime rider and off-road event organizer from Burlington who was involved in starting the Chatsworth facility.

Freitas now is closely involved with lobbying in Trenton between the off-road community and environmental groups, who have an understanding to support legislation to tighten enforcement on illegal riding in exchange for new, legal public riding facilities.

"If you're going to regulate something, you need to find solutions where there's a legal outlet for this kind of recreation," Freitas said. Without a new off-road park, "it would be very hard to get this problem under control," he added.

The proposed park would be funded through the state Green Acres program, grants for motorized recreation from the Federal highway Administration and the state Economic Development Authority, he said.

Location called ideal

Southern Ocean County "is ground zero for this kind of use," between the local popularity of all-terrain vehicles or ATVs, and the access the Garden State Parkway affords for riders from other parts of New Jersey who are looking for trails in the Pine Barrens, he said.

The 120-acre site off Thomas Avenue is now owned by Shoreline Materials, a sand and gravel supplier operated by area businessman Joseph Filloon. Freitas explained the proposed layout to board members, referring to color graphic plans prepared by engineers Taylor, Wiseman and Taylor of Mount Laurel.

"This isn't a motocross track or a racetrack. . . . It's a recreational park," Freitas said. It will be "a combination of trails and a what might be called a motocross-style track," Freitas said. He likened the facility to the groomed trails at a ski resort, with similar safety procedures and staff to keep riders safe.

"This won't be a seven-days-a-week operation," he said. Riding trails would be open Friday through Sunday until around 4 p.m., with some safety training by appointment for groups during the week. Residents of Little Egg Harbor, Eagleswood and Tuckerton would be able to register for a reduced user fee, similar to the smaller Police Athletic League riding facility in Egg Harbor Township in Atlantic County, he said.

A first step for users will be to check in at a visitor center, paying the fee and undergoing a training session on safety and environmental issues associated with off-road riding, Freitas said.

"A lot of times they people who operate these things don't understand their impact on the environment or their communities. They buy an ATV from a dealer and go out and ride it," he said. "Basically everyone who comes to this facility is going to be required to take this course."

From parking areas to be built on an old unpaved airstrip, riders would check in and have their machines inspected by a staffer to ensure the engine noise meets 94- to 96-decibel limits, Freitas said.

Townspeople sound off

Noise was much on the mind of several residents at the hearing. Gary Chavan said dirt bike riders use an old sand pit near his Stage Road home: "From a mile away I can hear it, and it's the most annoying thing."

Freitas proposed that having a park in town would help overall noise problems, because local riders would have a reason to keep their machines within the park's limits. Closest to the parking areas would be trails for youth minicycles and novice ATV riders, who use smaller displacement engines that are quieter, Freitas said. More advanced riders with bigger machines would ride trails deeper inside the property, he said. For a three-mile trail loop, probably 20 to 30 riders could be accommodated at a time, he estimated.

The very youngest riders would use a "peewee" course on an open sand pit area, he said.

Resident Debra Versheck questioned "what's to keep someone from driving off the trails?" At the Chatsworth park, Freitas said, "there very very few excursions from the park. . . . The penalty for that would be banishment from the facility."

Fred Akers of the Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association questioned if off-road parks reduce illegal riding. Akers has been a critic of another proposed new park on Green Acres land in Gloucester County.

But Freitas said the proof was apparent around the Chatsworth park; once heavily used trails along Route 72 have since regrown with native vegetation, he said.

Several residents questioned why the plan does not show complete fencing around the property. Freitas said the extent of fencing still needs to be determined as part of the site plan, but as a Green Acres property there has to be enough open public access to the tract.

Other uses possible

Planners originally discussed operating the Thomas Avenue tract as a joint-use facility that would also accommodate hikers, horseback riders and mountain bicycles, but they realized "that would be problematical" from a safety and insurance perspective to have all those users using the same trails at the same time.

When there's no vehicle use ongoing, the property will be open for other recreational uses, and it will be open during the fall and winter hunting season, Freitas said.

Board vice chairman Robert Hart asked about safety during deer season. "If a hunter doesn't see a fence or a sign . . . what's to stop him from taking that shot?" he asked.

Freitas said he does not think that would be a hazard because the noise from vehicles would alert hunters that riders are in the woods.

"Because it's Green Acres funding, it is open for recreational use," he added. "We're not encouraging hunting on the property."

Board members and acting board attorney Joseph Coronado questioned Freitas closely about security and safety issues. He said the park would employ a night watchman to protect the facilities; to guard against fire and polluting groundwater, riders would need to refuel their machines in designated areas with fire extinguishers and catch mats to capture any spills.

The group will have paid and volunteer safety workers to stand by on the site during weekend riding.

"We have a very good safety record," Freitas said. At events the group held at the nearby Sahara Sands pits in Eagleswood, there was one injury among almost 700 riders competing in 14 events, he said.

"At this time I don't have all the answers," Freitas said. "We have to work with the community and do what the community wants."

http://www.app.com/article/20090630/NEWS/906300353/1070/NEWS02/Proponent++ATV+park+will+curb+illegal+riding

[8my_Cash]

Hey Dale, will this be similar to chattsworth with restriction to where ATV's can ride? For example is there going to be only places where dirtbikes can ride and only places for quad or is there going to be shared equal use?

Because with chattsworth the ATV track was terrible.


Also what is going on with the green acres act in gloucester county with the proposal for a OHV park there? Is it a rumor, did it fall through, or did is there headway?

And I salute you for fighting this fight!

-Thanks

[Dale@AGP]

It's going to have shared access to all trails and tracks.

Is it going to be like Chatsworth?

Yes and NO... but more like no!

this is going to be a permanent facility where Chatsworth was only temporary. In other words this facility should be a lot nicer for the user.

Gloucester county I really don't know what the status is on that facility, because the state is mum on that one.

[Dale@AGP]

Hearing on Little Egg off-road park continues in two weeks
BY KIRK MOORE • ASBURY PARK PRESS STAFF WRITER • JULY 1, 2009

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — The public hearing on Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park's proposal for a riding facility off Thomas Avenue will be reconvened when the township Board of Adjustment holds a second special session at 6 p.m. July 14, said Robin Schilling, the township's director of community development.

At a special meeting Tuesday evening, park director Dale Freitas presented the plan for converting the 120-acre Shoreline Materials sand mine property into a series of off-road tracks and training and education center for riders. The $3 million-plus project would be financed with state Green Acres and economic development funding, and federal grants for motorized recreation.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990701120

[Dale@AGP]

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT IF YOU WANT A SAFE LEGAL PLACE FOR YOUR KIDS TO RIDE IN NEW JERSEY!

The meeting is this Tuesday evening July 14th 2009 at 6:00PM @ the Little Egg Harbor Municipal Complex.
Please spread the word we need responsible adults and their kids in the meeting, families would be great.
If possible please speak up and say something in support of the project.

LITTLE EGG HARBOR: SPECIAL MEETING PLANNED FOR PROPOSED ATV PARK,
THIS TUESDAY JULY 14TH, 6:00 PM LEH MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
Little Egg Harbor Zoning Board of Adjustment
Location: Little Egg Harbor Municipal Complex (Courtroom)
665 Radio Road, Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08087
Date: Tuesday July 14, 2009
Time: 6:00 PM in the evening.
Room: The courtroom

Google Map Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...=16&iwloc=A (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=665+Radio+Road,+Little+Egg+Harbor+Township,+NJ+0 8087&sll=39.575892,-74.363966&sspn=0.012305,0.016758&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=A)