New Jersey Off-Road Park NEWS!!!!

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.app.com/article/20090714/NEWS/907140357/1277/LOCAL01/DEP+sees+park+as+an+off-road+alternative

NJDEP sees park as an off-road alternative
Pair of grants would acquire a facility site
BY KIRK MOORE • ASBURY PARK PRESS STAFF WRITER • JULY 14, 2009

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — Besieged by illegal off-road vehicle use on public lands, the state Department of Environmental Protection sees the proposed Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park here and its $2.3 million in state funding as one way out, a state parks administrator said at a second zoning board hearing on the plan.

"We are trying something we have not tried before . . . financing a nonprofit group to do the demonstration," said John Flynn of the state Green Acres program, who testified Tuesday night before the township Board of Adjustment.

Flynn described a pair of $1.15 million grants through the DEP that would acquire the Shoreline Materials sand mine site off Thomas Avenue from owner Joseph Filloon so the Atlantic Off-Highway group can develop a riding facility there.

Skeptical board members asked why existing Green Acres land elsewhere simply cannot be converted — as has been proposed by other riding groups. Green Acres purchased a sand mine site in Monroe in Gloucester County for $1.2 million to use as a riding site, but that plan has been stymied by local opposition and environmental groups.

"It's a very difficult issue for the department," Flynn said, noting that environmental groups "are very much opposed to using state land."

One issue for the zoning board is a previous approval for the sand mine from years ago that stipulated the property must be restored and reforested once mining ceases.

"I'd be surprised to learn that," Flynn told Joseph Coronado, the board's acting attorney.

"Instead of restoring it . . . the state is giving ($2.3 million) and relieves that person from having to restore it," Coronado said.

He asked if the DEP would tolerate "spillover" of riders from the proposed park onto neighboring Bass River State Forest land.

"At this point, we would not," Flynn replied.

Park sponsors say they are not seeking use of forest land but that continued to draw questions at Tuesday's hearing, a continuation of proceedings from June 30, when park director Dale Freitas presented plans for converting the 120-acre Shoreline Materials sand mine property.

If successful, the Atlantic Off-Highway proposal would become the first fully dedicated riding facility since the New Jersey Off-Road Vehicle Park near Chatsworth closed its gates last summer after 10 years of operation. "There's at least a 1,000-foot buffer between this area and any properties that are not state land," said Leah Furey, a professional planner with Bach Associates in Haddon Heights who is working for park organizers.

That is among the factors that make it an ideal location, she told board members.

Some in the audience questioned if that is enough. Some riders at the Chatsworth facility complained it was too small, "and that's one of the concerns I'd have," said Julie Akers of Atlantic County, who with her husband, Fred, has been a critic of the Gloucester County Green Acres site.

The off-road group is seeking a variance to operate in a residential zone, just the first in a series of approvals the park needs. Organizers would need to return to the township for site plan approval and submit their plan for an environmental review under the state Coastal Area Facility Review Act.

Board members and members of the public pressed questions about possible future expansion of trails onto nearby state land — an option that Freitas last month said is no longer being considered. Documents from the Atlantic group's early trails grant application mentioned the possibility of using 300 acres of neighboring state land, but "that plan is no longer on the table," said Cecilia Byrne Schmidt, a landscape architect developing the conceptual plan for the park.

Township police Capt. Richard Buzby, who last month questioned Freitas on that same issue, gave the board more internal documents he obtained from the state Department of Environmental Protection. Those documents show the Green Acres program looked into allowing riders access, and potential impacts on threatened and endangered plant and animal species, Buzby said.

Wildlife roadkill was on the mind of Margit Jackson, a Sierra Club member from neighboring Eagleswood. "How are you going to educate these people?" she said. "How many miles per hour do they have to be going to see a snake? Let's be realistic."

Training riders to operate their machines in an environmentally responsible manner is one goal of the park, according to Freitas and his professionals. A planned reception center at the park would have an exhibit on Pine Barrens ecology, and riders would learn about it as part of their first visit to the facility, Freitas says.

"How long do you think you'll need to put this project together and get it done, so people around here can start to enjoy it?" asked Lindsey Pirie of Port Republic, an off-road motorcycle rider and one of the original organizers of the Chatsworth park.

Site work to convert the Shoreline Materials site should take just six months, Schmidt said. But there is no telling how long it will take to get other state and local approvals, she added.

The debate in the township is having repercussions in Trenton, where advocates for environmental and riders groups had agreed to cooperate on proposed new enforcement measures for illegal off-road riding, in exchange for support from the state Department of Environmental Protection in locating three sites to become off-road parks.

The DEP's trail council has worked on locating those sites since former DEP commissioner Bradley Campbell promised that support in 2005, Flynn said. The Atlantic Off-Highway proposal came in from left field outside that process, and it has moved forward with the help of a Federal Highways Administration grant for motorized recreation.

"The agreement, I guess you could say, is still in force," said Jaclyn Rhoads of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. The DEP is setting up a meeting with the interest groups to discuss potential locations she said.

One tract, a state Green Acres property in Gloucester County, has run into opposition from neighbors and environmental groups. When it comes to winning local approvals for off-road parks, "we've always said that's not our problem," Rhoads said.

But riders say their support for stricter enforcement rules is entirely contingent on having more legal places to ride.

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/ocean/article_e3f5aba8-70ef-11de-a599-001cc4c002e0.html

No decision yet in LEHT on off-road vehicle park

By DONNA WEAVER Staff Writer Press Of Atlantic City | Posted: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

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.

[Dale@AGP]

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj260/1ecearacer/SPohvparkp1.jpg

[Dale@AGP]

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj260/1ecearacer/SPohvparkp2.jpg

[drchoicey]

dale,
thank you so very much for your continuing efforts
to give us a place to ride. i can only imagine how stressfull
dealing with this must be on you. you must have the patience of a saint. thanks again!!!

[Dale@AGP]

rl="http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990728062"]http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990728062[/url]

Council eyes higher ATV fines, registration program
BY PAULA SCULLY • STAFF WRITER • JULY 28, 2009

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — The Pinelands Municipal Council will tomorrow consider a resolution calling for off-road vehicle legislation.

The resolution states that it places an unfair burden on taxpayers to pay to repair damage done to public areas and on private property owners who have their land damaged by off-road vehicle trespassers.

The resolution asks the state legislature to pass legislation allowing municipalities to issue higher fines and penalties for illegal off-road vehicle riding and establish a tagging and registration program.

An all-terrain vehicle park is proposed in the township on Thomas Avenue by Dale Freitas, director of the nonprofit Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park. The Little Egg Harbor Zoning Board of Adjustment has scheduled a continued hearing of the application for the proposed ATV park at its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at the township building.

The Pinelands Municipal Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. July 29 at the Little Egg Harbor Municipal Building, 665 Radio Road, Little Egg Harbor.
[/quote]

[Dale@AGP]

Myself and about 10 other OHV enthusiast attended the Pinelands Municipal Council's meeting Wednesday night.

The meeting was uneventful, one mayor stood up and spoke out that there has to be riding opportunities for those that choose to operate ATVs and Dirt bikes.

Ray from Sport Honda in Matuchen NJ was also there and spoke on behalf of the dealers and their customers.

I spoke on behalf of the 250,000+ OHV users in the state and I believe the mayor of Buena Vista is interested in meeting with us to discuss their towns issues with ATVs.

What I'd like is a sit down meeting with the local riders so that we can discuss a strategy and from there schedule a meeting with the mayor.

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907310353

Towns look to better control ATVs
BY PAULA SCULLY • ASBURY PARK PRESS MANAHAWKIN BUREAU • JULY 31, 2009

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — The Pinelands Municipal Council has endorsed legislation requiring registration, a license plate and insurance for all-terrain vehicles, and also a surcharge to create legal places to ride.

The council, an advisory panel to state Pinelands Commision, is considered a sounding board for 53 municipalities in the Pinelands and meets in member communities.

On Wednesday night, it convened in Little Egg Harbor, where an ATV park is proposed. On the agenda was a resolution to urge passage of legislation that would give municipalities more control over off-road vehicle use.

The legislation is stalled at the state level.

Council Chairman Chuck Chiarello, mayor of Buena Vista Township, said the council first had to decide whether or not to endorse the version of legislation that includes a surcharge for ATV parks.

The legislation came out of the Senate Environmental Committee in May with a provision for an off-vehicle recreational fund to be supported by a $10 surcharge. But the bill was not voted on before the Legislature recessed in June.

By voice vote, the council on Wednesday backed the version of the bill that includes a surcharge for a fund to establish legal places to ride.

The resolution states there is a need for safety training and also states that current law places an unfair burden on taxpayers to pay to repair damage done to public areas and on property owners to repair damage done to their land by off-road vehicle trespassers.

The council's resolution asks the state Legislature to pass a law allowing municipalities to issue higher fines and penalties for illegal off-road vehicle riding and establish a tagging and registration program.

The council's support of the legislation will be sent to the state Assembly, Senate, Department of Environmental Protection and Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

Chiarello acknowledged that many off-road vehicle riders believe that public ATV parks ought to be established before violations are issued for not riding in a public ATV park.

Anthony R. Mazzella, secretary of the council, said an individual who owns an ATV should be treated no differently than someone who owns a personal watercraft and should be required to have insurance, vehicle registration, approved safety training and an operator's certificate.

After the meeting, Dale Freitas, director of the nonprofit Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park, said he supports strong legislation in the state with emphasis on the safety measures. He has proposed an ATV park on Thomas Avenue in Little Egg Harbor and his application is before the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

"Our big issue is that education is a major component of this," Freitas said.

Bass River Township Deputy Mayor T. Richard Bethea said he has supported the legislation in the past.

"I think they should be registered and insured," he said, "I think that's a good start and I think education should be mandated."

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps....qYs8%3D (http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009908010312&GID=oDBuV/Zll3+w6lTZvfhycnjLt742dv3DEtF8kowqYs8%3D)

Buena Vista losing patience with ATV delay
BY JOSEPH P. SMITH • STAFF WRITER The Daily Journal • AUGUST 1, 2009

BUENA VISTA -- A push for new rules on owning and riding all-terrain vehicles and other off-road rides still is finding conditions slow and bumpy in Trenton.

Buena Vista is among rural communities that want the kind of crackdown proposed legislation would bring on issues like under-18 drivers, registration, insurance and fines for outlaw riders that chew up public and private property.

In November 2007, the township revised its ordinance to allow state police to impound ATVs in cases involving violations of regulations on public property.

That's one of the changes in state law Buena Vista wants to see, and there is impatience with the Legislature, which let a similar proposal die a year ago.

Earlier this week, the Township Committee voted 5-0 to again petition the legislature, the state Department of Environmental Protection and Gov. Jon S. Corzine to act.

Mayor Chuck Chiarello, who still hopes for something to get done later this year, also criticized an amendment made in May to the ATV legislation.

The amendment links the bill to another bill, which also is related to ATV use and requires the DEP to designate one site, in either a state park or forest, where off-road vehicles can be ridden.

The linkage means the first bill can't take effect until the second bill becomes law, too.

"Under the budget crisis right now, it doesn't sound like a practical strategy," Chiarello said.

State Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-1, who represents the township, sought the amendment and defended the move.

"This is a tax-and-fee issue for me," Van Drew said. "This state has been taxed, tolled and fee-ed to death.

"Philosophically, I agree there should be a responsibility for these vehicles and that owners should register them," he said. "But I also believe the registration fees should be used for the purpose intended, and we have a history in this state of diverting fees and using them for anything but the original purposes."

Van Drew ticked off decisions to divert money collected specifically for programs like buying body armor for law enforcement, the unemployment insurance fund and training emergency medical technicians.

"So before I'm going to tax or fee people, I want to make sure it goes for the purposes intended," Van Drew said.

Van Drew said Pennsylvania does make ATV riders register, but it also provides for trails.

"Without a place for them to ride, illegal ridership is going to continue," he said.

State police based here enforce the township's ordinance on all-terrain vehicle use. They also cover Folsom, Weymouth, Estell Manor and Corbin City.

State police Lt. Joseph Shanahan, commander of the Buena barracks, attended Monday night's committee meeting and said complaints about ATVs are up sharply in 2009.

The barracks handled 22 complaints in 2008 versus 47 so far this year. There are no statistics broken down to the township level, he said.

"I look at the whole area we have responsibility for and basically the issues are the same for all of them," Shanahan said before the meeting.

"Our experience here is, for the most part, it's local riders," Shanahan said. "You don't have anyplace to run, so you use these pits. Unfortunately, most of the time you are on private property."

[quadracer85st]

great info dale. anyone that wants an atv park to happen in this state should attend the meeting on aug 12, 7 pm

we all need to rally together to make a showing of force for this to be possible, so theirs more legal choices other than atco.

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/letters/article_50a6a8d4-2d65-54df-bd58-94b499a0ea08.html

Editorial on ATV riding did not go far enough
Press of Atlantic City | Monday, August 3, 2009

The use of all-terrain vehicles degrades nearby property values, says James Sherman, of South Dennis.

The July 27 editorial, "ATVs ... Again/Unreasonable demands," was on point. I agree that all-terrain vehicles are a completely unnecessary nuisance and pose significant problems for the community. Your invitation to buy one and "tear up your own backyard," however, was myopic.

Beyond issues of noise, dirt, accidents, public health and damage to public lands, has anyone considered the issue of property values? Who wants to buy a house in such a neighborhood of torn-up backyards? The situation bespeaks of Wild West lawlessness, pervasive lack of regard for the rights of others, arrogant self-indulgence and misplaced educational priorities for children. It's another example of the decline of common sense.

I live in a residential neighborhood of acre-plus lots including eight properties on which the owners have constructed ATV "tracks." My neighbor at the rear of my property has had several ATVs in frequent use on a track circumnavigating his property, built with grading equipment and including jumps and hills. The loud, unmuffled engine noise is quite annoying, as is the dust cloud that drifts off his property and coats everything nearby depending on air currents.

Another neighbor has multiple high-powered quads that are occasionally used on his property but are normally driven on the streets, presumably to the nearby Beaver Dam Wildlife Management Area, which is honeycombed with quad trails.

Enforcement of zoning regulations and traffic laws regarding ATVs is non-existent. Your editorial should have posited that ATVs are completely unsuitable for urban and suburban use and should be totally prohibited in that context.

Let the merchants who sell ATVs and the people who buy them get together and fund and build facilities and stop imposing on the goodwill of neighbors and the public.

JAMES SHERMAN
South Dennis

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.d...D=2009908040344 (http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009908040344)

Troopers crack down on illegal ATV use
BY TIM ZATZARINY JR. • STAFF WRITER • AUGUST 4, 2009

BUENA VISTA -- State police here spent the weekend trying to put the brakes on illegal all-terrain vehicle use.

Between Saturday and Sunday, state police issued a total of six summonses, as well as several warnings, for illegal ATV operation at various locations in Buena Vista and neighboring Folsom. Troopers also passed out more than 30 pamphlets containing information explaining proper ATV use.

The crackdown included troopers on ATVs, and a state police helicopter for aerial surveillance, said Lt. Joseph Shanahan of the Buena Vista barracks.

During the detail, police recovered a stolen bicycle and charged one person with marijuana possession, Shanahan said.

He said the crackdown was in response to numerous complaints from area residents about loud noise, trespassing and property damage from ATVs.

Buena Vista is among rural communities across New Jersey pushing for state regulations that would cover ATV riding on public and private property, as well as establishing a legal area for ATV enthusiasts to ride.

[outlawjeff]

I think this guy is the one with no commen sense or education. ATV riding is very popular across the us. this guy is a compleate idiot thinking atv riders are not educated well i have news for this guy, I am a very educated cisco network engineer and my brother is a very successful Pharmacist so i dont think this guy has a right to jude atv riders because we like to get dirty riding our atvs with friends and families.
I think this is a typical tree Hugger that hates anything that relates to anything off road.
I cant stand people like this and they really make my blood pressure go up!!!!!!

Lets have this state open up the state forests and make atv riders buy a permit and well see how this state and all the towns change there mind when they see the revenue potental.

I think hatfield mccoy posted about 4 million in permit sales, this is no chumpo change for people wanting to go atv riding.

Wake up State of New Jersey and all the towns like Buena.

thank you
jeff from the collingswood area.



Originally posted by Dale@AGP
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/letters/article_50a6a8d4-2d65-54df-bd58-94b499a0ea08.html

Editorial on ATV riding did not go far enough
Press of Atlantic City | Monday, August 3, 2009

The use of all-terrain vehicles degrades nearby property values, says James Sherman, of South Dennis.

The July 27 editorial, "ATVs ... Again/Unreasonable demands," was on point. I agree that all-terrain vehicles are a completely unnecessary nuisance and pose significant problems for the community. Your invitation to buy one and "tear up your own backyard," however, was myopic.

Beyond issues of noise, dirt, accidents, public health and damage to public lands, has anyone considered the issue of property values? Who wants to buy a house in such a neighborhood of torn-up backyards? The situation bespeaks of Wild West lawlessness, pervasive lack of regard for the rights of others, arrogant self-indulgence and misplaced educational priorities for children. It's another example of the decline of common sense.

I live in a residential neighborhood of acre-plus lots including eight properties on which the owners have constructed ATV "tracks." My neighbor at the rear of my property has had several ATVs in frequent use on a track circumnavigating his property, built with grading equipment and including jumps and hills. The loud, unmuffled engine noise is quite annoying, as is the dust cloud that drifts off his property and coats everything nearby depending on air currents.

Another neighbor has multiple high-powered quads that are occasionally used on his property but are normally driven on the streets, presumably to the nearby Beaver Dam Wildlife Management Area, which is honeycombed with quad trails.

Enforcement of zoning regulations and traffic laws regarding ATVs is non-existent. Your editorial should have posited that ATVs are completely unsuitable for urban and suburban use and should be totally prohibited in that context.

Let the merchants who sell ATVs and the people who buy them get together and fund and build facilities and stop imposing on the goodwill of neighbors and the public.

JAMES SHERMAN
South Dennis

[Dale@AGP]

Originally posted by outlawjeff
I think this guy is the one with no commen sense or education. ATV riding is very popular across the us. this guy is a compleate idiot thinking atv riders are not educated well i have news for this guy, I am a very educated cisco network engineer and my brother is a very successful Pharmacist so i dont think this guy has a right to jude atv riders because we like to get dirty riding our atvs with friends and families.
I think this is a typical tree Hugger that hates anything that relates to anything off road.
I cant stand people like this and they really make my blood pressure go up!!!!!!

Lets have this state open up the state forests and make atv riders buy a permit and well see how this state and all the towns change there mind when they see the revenue potental.

I think hatfield mccoy posted about 4 million in permit sales, this is no chumpo change for people wanting to go atv riding.

Wake up State of New Jersey and all the towns like Buena.

thank you
jeff from the collingswood area.

Jeff, if you could please respond to the Newspaper Article in the above link. Let the Newspaper and their readers know how you feel.:D

[outlawjeff]

i will for sure do that.
i cant thank you enough for all the hard work you are doing to help us get some leagal areas to ride in this state.

[quadracer85st]

Originally posted by outlawjeff
i will for sure do that.
i cant thank you enough for all the hard work you are doing to help us get some leagal areas to ride in this state.

x2, any nj rider that wants this, should copy and paste what is written and branch it out to other sites or spread the word at your local track or trail on whats going on. i think im going to post this info on thumper talk if it has already not been done. might as well get the two wheelers involved to. the more to our cause the better.

but atleast we have one thing going for us. the state and most of the people that live here. HATE atvs, dirtbikes etc. in a way thats an advantage and maybe since they realized that we are not just going to disappear or go away it might sway them to give us a place to go. if it came to the point of them paying troopers on atvs, helicopters, etc just to catch atv riders is pretty ridiculous. that money could be spent else where, like towards an orv park.

if they continue to keep spending our tax dollars on tracking down riders it would be cheaper for a park in the long run.

[Dale@AGP]

The point is.... it's one thing to talk and post here on Off-Road forums... but if you want those that don't understand what we do to except us...you have to go where they get their news... and let them know we're a responsible user group just like boaters and hunters... and the state as well as the local communities have a responsibility to provide us with places to ride if they want to collect fees from us.

spread the word

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20090805/OPINION03/908050371

Tougher laws needed to stop illegal riders
AUGUST 5, 2009 | The Daily Journal

As the New Jersey state Legislature moves to protect the public from rampant illegal all-terrain vehicle riding, Sen. Jeff Van Drew is working hard to protect his special interests in the off-road vehicle industry by voting against a desperately needed registration and enforcement program that would protect taxpayers and save them money.

His lame argument against registration and increased ORV enforcement is that the registration will require a fee to administer the program, which he is calling a tax, and he is now saying he is against taxes because the state is being taxed to death.

However, adding more taxes to the state was not a problem for Mr. Van Drew when he sponsored a bill in 2006 to require a new special sales tax for the public to subsidize motorsports park developments.

So, Van Drew is for a tax if it will help his special motorized industry interests, and then he is against even a registration fee if it might hurt his special motorized industry interests.

Meanwhile, the public costs of the rampant illegal use of ATVs is well over $3 million annually, and the fact that the nonriding public has to cover these increasing costs each year is the real tax that Van Drew chooses to keep in place to support his special interests, instead of voting for increased law enforcement to stop illegal ORV riders.

So if you want private and public property and public safety protected from an industry built on illegal ORV riding, you will have to find a state senator outside of the 1st Legislative District who will represent you.

For real leadership to protect the public from rampant illegal ATV riders, please contact the following sponsors of the ORV Registration and Enforcement Bills A823/S2055: Assembly members Reed Gusciora (D-15),, Paul Moriarty (D-4), John Wisniewski (D-19), Ruben Ramos (D-33), Caridad Rodriguez (D-33), and Sens. Robert Gordon (D-38) and Brian Stack (D-33).

Fred Akers

Newtonville

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/pr...2cda7350c7.html (http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/article_133f28a0-8f0f-5807-b073-372cda7350c7.html)

Hammonton set to tighten ATV limits on private property

By ROB SPAHR, Staff Writer Press Of Atlantic City | Posted: Wednesday, August 5, 2009

HAMMONTON - Off-road vehicle riders could soon face tougher restrictions on how they operate the vehicles on their own properties.

The Town Council is expected to introduce an ordinance at its Aug. 24 meeting that will amend an existing ordinance regulating the operation of off-road vehicles - such as ATVs, go-carts, and dirt bikes - to decrease the impact these vehicles have on neighboring properties.

The ordinance is the product of two years of work by an ad hoc committee to address a problem that many town residents reported with their neighbors' use of off-road vehicles.

"We've had enough different people from enough different parts of town come to us about this that we felt it was time that we addressed it," town Solicitor Brian Howell said.

The new ordinance likely would prevent off-road vehicles from being operated on any lot that is less than two acres. For every two acres of land exceeding that minimum, one additional user would be permitted. The maximum number of off-road vehicles that could be operated on any single lot at one time would be three.

There could be a loophole, however, that would allow property owners to increase the number of vehicles that can be driven on their lot if they agree to build a six-foot high fence and plant 12-foot-high coniferous trees.

Other potential new rules include the prohibition of alcoholic beverages at any location where off-road vehicles are in operation, requiring anyone under the age of 16 to be accompanied by an adult when riding an off-road vehicle, and requiring all off-road vehicles to be equipped with a factory-installed muffler or its equivalent and a federally approved spark arrester.

Riders also will likely be confined to operating their vehicles more than 150 feet from an adjoining residence and between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

"The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the adjoining homeowner," said Councilman Jerry Barberio, who sits on the ad hoc committee.

Violating these rules could result in a written warning for the first offense, a $250 to $1,000 fine and court costs for the second offense, and a $1,500 fine plus court costs and imprisonment of as long as 90 days for the third offense and thereafter. The adult supervisors and property owners could be subject to the same penalties, and police could impound any vehicle in violation of the ordinance.

"These riders are finally going to realize that the town means business because it is doing something to address the safety issues (these vehicles) create," said Jerry Vitalo, a member of the ad hoc committee. "ATV riding is the same as hunting. Hunting requires certain qualifications, as should ATV riding. Because driving an ATV is like carrying a gun that someone could hurt themselves with or even someone else."

[drchoicey]

would all this work if we bought the land ourselves?
or would they still try to keep us out?
is the main problem them hating atv's
or is it us getting to use "state land"

[Dale@AGP]

Originally posted by drchoicey
would all this work if we bought the land ourselves?
or would they still try to keep us out?
is the main problem them hating atv's
or is it us getting to use "state land"

That's a good question! You would still need to get the required permits from the local municipality and that means a use variance for motorized recreation.

I'm going through it now and it is not pretty!

[Dale@AGP]

Please respond to this article: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/pr...1826a45d7f.html (http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/cumberland/article_9d801954-1c6e-5b6a-819d-bf1826a45d7f.html)

State Police warn, ticket ATV riders

By EDWARD VAN EMBDEN, Staff Writer, 856-649-2072 | Posted: Thursday, August 6, 2009 | 1 comment

BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP - Addressing recent requests from the local governing body, troopers from the State Police's Buena Vista barracks have stepped up patrols of hotspots for illegally riding all-terrain vehicles throughout the area.

Calling it a process of education, Station Commander Lt. Joseph Shanahan informed township Mayor Chuck Chiarello that troopers are conducting ATV-specific enforcement details across the township.

Shanahan said the goal is not to write tickets - although that can happen - but to inform riders that they are breaking the law even by riding in places that may seem remote. Trails and sandpits in the township are attractive to riders but are often private property or part of nature preserves, he said.

On July 25, the Buena Vista Township Committee approved a resolution encouraging state legislators to pass laws requiring ATV riders to register their vehicles. Chiarello said the township already has such laws on the books, and that state laws would help with enforcement.

Over the weekend, troopers visited well-known ATV trails and pits and distributed copies of the township's laws as well as additional literature on illegal riding. While most riders were given warnings, Shanahan said six citations were written up over the two days.

"The troopers have discretion," Shanahan said about giving tickets. "(The six) weren't fully cooperative. They may have been a little evasive with their answers and may not have immediately responded to the troopers."

Shanahan said he knows it's frustrating for enthusiasts, who have no public trails on which to ride. The pits and trails make the township a good place to ride. Some of the riders were local, he said, while others came with trailers from out of town. Shanahan said the township has shown up on ATV blogs as a great place to ride in southern New Jersey.

Enforcement is not solely based on the township's pressure. Shanahan said there have been calls from residents concerning loud noise, trespassing and property damage from ATVs.

For the most part, he said, riders are not looking to cause trouble. That's why troopers are willing to give them a warning, at least the first time.

"We tell them we're sorry," Shanahan said simply. "And we're not in the business of saying sorry. But we kind of understand where they're coming from.

"Our main thrust was to educate people, let them know that they are riding on private property. We're just getting the word out."

ATV riders are generally understanding about the situation. Those who are not - like the six this past weekend - walk away with tickets.

While not providing specific dates, Shanahan said troopers plan more ATV details throughout the summer and fall.

E-mail Edward Van Embden:

[deathman53]

it already is required to have atv registered and insured , atleast for use on state owned land, parks, wma's and crossing roads. Funny thing, it says further later on the book, atv's aren't allowed to be used on any state owned, public land or wma's. I'm sure more will register them, if there was a place to ride them and got something back from the money. Right now those who are registered are taking it hard, but not getting the jar of Vaseline they paid for.

[outlawjeff]

you are 100% correct. i am fully registerd and have full coverage on my atv and the damb greenwood conservation officer still game a ticket for riding in the brendon t byrne forest. He told me atv riders are the scum of new jersey. So is this what we have to deal with in the law enforcment people? And why is it dual sports can run whearever they want in the forest just because they have blinkers? well i can put blinkers on my atv just as easily. They tear the roads up just as much as atvs, and have the same motors in them as atvs. Has anyone brought this up to the state or county/township people?

[deathman53]

The reason why its because they are motorcycles and supposed to be fully street rideable, alot aren't. You are wrong with they can go where they want. All enduro and dual sport rides have to be approved be the park dept. Generally, for all enduro/dual sport rides, a gps track has the be made, projected on a map of the park and pictures taken and decided on. This has been increasingly hard in places. I am a memeber of a enduro club and our event was shut down, because we cut some trails around potentially dangerous stuff. Rangers got word of this and stopped it. Its being re-scheduled for november, new plans aren't finished yet or have been approved. The enduro clubs have it hard to keep good relations. We have bi-yearly trail and park cleanup, clubs remove and trim stuff blocking walking paths, also jump through hoops to run out events. Its not easy. The reason why atv's don't get it, is simple- not organized and not street plated. We aren't allowed on everything legally, legally only allowed on wide path(enough for a truck) and improved roads, both with a 25mph speed limit. The becoming new rules of enduro/dual sport events is existing trails and firecuts, nothing new cut!!!!! BB is changing the director of the forest and depending who comes in, they will be in the same boat as whom I belong to, a greenie with new and harder rules.

[quadracer85st]

thats what i dont understand. they want us to pay to register. but then again, we are not allowed to ride anywhere. we should not have to register anything unless an atv park is available. not being debated, or built, but done and ready for access.

[sunco]

I have my stuff registered in pa since NJ is not ATV friendly. I do have them insured in NJ but thats because I have history w/ Rider, otherwise I'd do that in PA to. I ride in PA & spend my $ over there.
I think we all have valid reasons for our beliefs. It just that ours is more correct :blah:

[Dale@AGP]

I saw this on another web forum, Is anyone following this story?

You have to read the comments and respond in a nice way to hylaandersonii2 and his real name is Russell Juelg he's the Director for Outreach for the Pinelands Preservation Alliance PPA

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/editorials/article_3b6f328d-24c1-553c-82f6-ce99d4f8d97c.html

[sunco]

I know its crazy. Instead of complaining that every where there is land we will ruin it. How about putting us somewhere? It has always been there right before your very eyes.

Ya want food ? - go to the land the store is on

Ya need a doctor ? - Go to the land its on

Want ride off road ? - go to that land.

We just want some land like everything else in our life

Want to go somewhere ?- go to the land w/ asphalt on it

KNOCK KNOCK :)

Let us all enjoy GODS gift - THE LAND

[quadracer85st]

im following it now, i left a comment. as well as on several other topics. ive never realized all this has been going on until you brought it to my attention. once again thanks for all the hard work dale.

quite a debate they got there. so is russel one of the main people we need to convince that moving foward for legal riding areas is a good idea?

[Dale@AGP]

Originally posted by quadracer85st
im following it now, i left a comment. as well as on several other topics. ive never realized all this has been going on until you brought it to my attention. once again thanks for all the hard work dale.

quite a debate they got there. so is russel one of the main people we need to convince that moving foward for legal riding areas is a good idea?

I don't know... I've just been following the threads and watching what's being posted as are many regional and state politicians.

[Dale@AGP]

Little Egg Harbor ATV Park Meeting
CANCELED FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 12TH!!!!!!

The Little Egg Harbor ATV Park Meeting scheduled for tomorrow night August 12, 2009 @ 7:00 PM is CANCELED!!!!!

The reason being is the professionals scheduled to provide testimony at that meeting will not be available and the ATV park has asked that it be moved to the September Little Egg Harbor Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting.

So again THERE IS NO ATV PARK MEETING tomorrow night in Little Egg Harbor.

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/ocean/article_a96eb5d4-a92c-5f41-9c48-8d1c63f41cc9.html

LEHT Zoning Board delays off-road vehicle park hearing

By DONNA WEAVER, Press of Atlantic Staff Writer, | Posted: Friday, August 14,

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - A Zoning Board meeting to consider a use variance for the Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park has been delayed.
The application was scheduled to be heard at a meeting Wednesday evening but now is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Dale Freitas, director of Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park, has been before the board regarding his application three times already, amounting to hours of testimony from a handful of planning and land-use experts, along with tens of thousands of dollars from the state to pay those experts.

Freitas said he submits invoices to the DEP, which then writes checks to the professionals who are testifying on behalf of the application.

"We've spent about $80,000 on professionals. The town knows the state is paying for this, and they're hoping to burn me out of money," he said.

Freitas wants to transform 120 acres owned by Shoreline Materials off Thomas Avenue into a riding area for off-road vehicles. The state Green Acres and federal grants and economic-development funding would pay for the project. According to John Flynn, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection's Green Acres Program, Green Acres will provide $1.15 million for a conservation easement on the property, and the Recreational Trails Program will provide another $1.15 million.

Freitas said Thursday that the Zoning Board meeting was delayed because one of the professionals he needed to testify was on vacation. Freitas' attorney Howard Butensky also had a scheduling conflict, Freitas said.

"We've asked for a special meeting because these meetings generally consume a lot of time. I kind of feel like I stepped into a minefield in this township. It's extremely frustrating because we're trying to do a good thing," he said.

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/pr...ef88fb3722.html (http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/article_9c272a08-0642-5262-b106-8bef88fb3722.html)

Folsom Council ordinance to put brakes on ATV and Dirt Bike riders

By ROB SPAHR, Press of Atlantic City Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, August 14, 2009 | 1 comment

FOLSOM - All-terrain vehicle riders could soon face tighter restrictions on where and how they ride in the borough.

The Borough Council introduced an ordinance Wednesday night that will prohibit the use of all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles and dirt bikes on public property, limited access highways and public streets.

Under the ordinance, ATV riders will be prohibited from:
"It seems like it's just getting out of hand with people riding on private property without permission and doing damage without any consideration to anyone else," Councilman George Eckhardt said.
Eckhardt said his wife was once riding a horse on one of the family's hay farms when a group of ATV riders came out of the woods and nearly knocked her off her horse.

"If she hadn't been such a good rider, she could've been thrown off and seriously hurt," Eckhardt said.

But there have been several serious ATV-related injuries in the borough in recent years, Eckhardt said.

"This (ordinance) is not only to keep the public safe," he said. "It's also to protect those who ride from themselves."

While a special ad hoc committee in neighboring Hammonton is in the processes of drafting an ordinance to regulate the use of off-road vehicles on private property, Borough Solicitor Michael Fitzgerald said Folsom's ordinance is much broader.

"This has been a common source of irritation for property owners here for many years, depending on their location," said Fitzgerald, adding the new restrictions are similar to those in effect in Buena Vista Township. "But the issue of operation of private property is not being affected here, other than by enforcing safety regulations (already in existence)."

Riders who violate the ordinance could be fined as much as $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for subsequent offenses. The ordinance also gives police the power to impound any vehicle being operated illegally.

"Enforcement is going to be the big thing here," Eckhardt said. "I would hope that the people who are riding improperly will be apprehended, and hopefully it will be a message to the others to be less destructive, more responsible and more respective of other people's property."

The ordinance is scheduled for public hearing and final adoption at the Borough Council's Sept. 9 meeting.

[CJM]

I refuse to register or insure mine, got a nice trail system that NO one bothers you on nearby my house. Otherwise nowhere else to ride it locally nearby.

Everywhere else you try to ride-even privately owned lands, someone complains it seems. You can never make them happy, hell my neighbor called the cops b/c I was tuning my atv in the driveway. Of course he seems to ignore the guys who own motorcycles with pipes so loud they rattle our windows.

Bottom line is that the people in NJ who are running the show want 3 things: you to pay for your atv by registering and insuring it, you to ride only in one area for the entire state (even if you like 2 hours north or south of it) and 3. they dont want you riding at all actually and all of the above is just to make money it seems.

[sunco]

Thanx for keeping us updated Dale. If there's no where to ride - what do they expect. If you give the riders a place to ride then those that do what other say are going on then its understandable. I know you already know this , I'm talking out loud:)

[sunco]

Living in NJ - you will always offend someone (no matter who u are or what ur doing)

Taxing the people on every & anything is best.

An we live here why?

God has a plan - we just don't know what is yet. Keep the faith.

Its just like those that spoke up about health care - now we are the MOB.

Heaven forbid is you speak up.

The things that make our country great are the same things that gonna tear it down.

[deathman53]

this is where its messed up

"The Borough Council introduced an ordinance Wednesday night that will The Borough Council introduced an ordinance Wednesday night that will prohibit the use of all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles and dirt bikes on public property, limited access highways and public streets.

"

1. prohibit the use of all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles and dirt bikes on public property.............atv are already illegal for use there as well as NON-registered dirtbikes.

2. limited access highways and public streets...............this is also already illegal, unless motorcycles are registered.

READ THE LAW BOOKS and they will find there already is a law for everything they want to do. Why do people have to make new laws to enforce laws that are already in effect??? If you have a registered dirtbike, you are allowed to be on the street and public propery, of course depending on how the land is labeled is a big factor on the legal use. No motor-vehicles, means NO, it doesn't matter what you are driving/riding. I wonder how these people will see that?

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.app.com/article/20090818/NEWS/908180345/-1/FRONTTABS01/Time+restriction+for+off-roading+in+Brick+pulled+from+books

Time restriction for off-roading in Brick pulled from books
Council unanimously approves change
BY MATTHEW MCGRATH • TOMS RIVER BUREAU • AUGUST 18, 2009

BRICK — Off-roading is now permitted at all hours here.

The Township Council unanimously eliminated a time restriction on off-road motorized driving after a public hearing Tuesday during which no one spoke.

Where it is allowed, off-roading was permitted between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. That restriction was pulled from the books.

Off-roading is a term used to mean driving a specialized vehicle on unpaved, natural terrains.

State administrative court officials mandated that the time restriction be eliminated from the regulations, or they would prevent the rest of the off-roading rules from being enforced in the township, said Jean Cipriani, the township's attorney.

Off-roading is banned completely on public land, and it is permitted on private property only with written consent. It also cannot impact quality of life.

Whether taking an ATV or a dirt bike off road in the middle of the night will negatively impact the quality of life is a question for police, Cipriani said.

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20090819/NEWS01/90819004/MILLVILLE++Motorsports+park+releases+noise+study+r esults

MILLVILLE: Motorsports park releases noise study results
BY JOEL LANDAU • STAFF WRITER • AUGUST 19, 2009

MILLVILLE – The New Jersey Motorsports Park has submitted a noise study to city commissioners that says it has met the city’s noise requirements for its first year of operation.

The park submitted the study on July 29, which provides sound readings for the park’s first calendar year from multiple residential locations. The study noted weather was a variable in the readings but all sound measured from the park was between 40 and 60 decibels.

Shropshire Associates in Lumberton conducted the study. Racetracks are exempt from noise statutes due to state law, but the city passed a law that said noise from the park cannot exceed 80 decibels foe 20 continuous minutes.

Public Works director Dale Finch said the commissioners just received the study Tuesday and will reveiew the document. The city will compare the Shropshire study with numbers from its own readings and will proceed with the matter by October.

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/200..._norris_st.html (http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2009/08/state_police_at_port_norris_st.html)

State police at Port Norris station continue ATV crackdown
by The News of Cumberland County
Monday August 24, 2009, 4:47 PM

By JEAN JONES
jeanjones@fast.net

COMMERCIAL TWP. - State police are continuing their crackdown on illegal off-road riding by conducting sweeps and responding with their own ATVs.

Sgt. Gerald Kuhar, the new commander at the Port Norris station, told the Commercial Township Committee last week that on two weekends police "hit the sand plants" in Maurice River and Commercial townships and issued 20 summonses.

He repeated the message a short time later to the Maurice River Township Committee.
Kuhar said almost all the illegal riders are coming in from out of state. They learn about the opportunities the abandoned sand mines provide for exciting rides via the Internet and most are not aware it is illegal.

Kuhar said ATVs are a problem in every township state police cover. They are a liability to the township, he said. Many are young riders.

"There is no legal area to ride unless you have written permission from the property owner. People are buying their kids ATVs when they know there is no legal place to ride," he said.

He said police issue warnings the first time. If the same person shows up again, they are charged.

Riders bring in their off-road vehicles on trailers or in trucks. "No trespassing" signs are repeatedly torn down and some owners of the sand mines have even paid for security on weekends. The presence of uninvited riders poses a liability threat for property owners, who usually are sued if a rider is injured -- or killed -- on their property.

A couple of years ago, police placed large, orange barrels at the entrance to Hunters Mill Road, which accesses the area once known as "100-foot hill," with signs saying the road was closed. Then watched a long string of riders move the barrels and head for the hill. They were stopped just around a bend in the road, their vehicles impounded and summonses issued. The hill never was 100 feet high and the owners subsequently reduced the height by quite a bit to discourage riders.

Township prosecutor Ed Duffy said he shows no leniency when these folks show up in court.

"Most are from out of state. They found out about this place on the Internet and most are surprised and shocked when they are stopped by state police," he said.

Duffy said every one is fined $350 plus court costs of $33.

"Most say they never hope to see the township or me again," he said. "I have had no repeaters."

A group of residents from the Leesburg area complained about motorcyclists along Railroad Avenue, who use the former railroad right-of-way to access places to ride in the woods. They trespass on people's yards on the way and damage property, they said.

One resident said the riders are local young people and many of the vehicles are marked with numbers or are identifiable by paint colors or patterns. The group was told to get descriptions and, where known, identities of the offenders and police will pay them a visit.

Mayor Andy Sarclette said most of these young people are not bad, just irresponsible.

"That's how they get their kicks," he said.

[Dale@AGP]

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj260/1ecearacer/AtlanticHeader.jpg

Little Egg Harbor New Jersey Atlantic Off-Road Park Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting!

WHEN: This Wednesday evening Sept. 9, 2009 @ 7:00 PM!!!!

This is another very important meeting and WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!

This is going to be meeting #4 on the proposed Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park at Thomas Avenue in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey and yes it's taken a lot longer than we thought it would, but you have to come to the meeting to see why.

Please spread the word to responsible adults and if they would like have them bring their kids and families to the meeting.

Let the board members know you support the OHV park!

LITTLE EGG HARBOR: SPECIAL MEETING PLANNED FOR PROPOSED ATV PARK,
THIS WEDNESDAY September 9, 2009, 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: WEDNESDAY September 9, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM in the evening.
Room: The courtroom

Again thanks for your support.
Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park

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)

[drchoicey]

GUYS!!!!
this is it!
GO!!!
and more importantly
DRESS SHARP and
ACT COOL!
Unfortunately i'm on night shift these days
and can't go.
GO!
and like Dale said,
bring your cute little kids and mom and dad too
THANKS DALE!

[Dale@AGP]

http://www.app.com/article/20090908/NEWS/90908124/1277/LOCAL01/Critic+has+conflict++off-road+group+says+

Critic has conflict, off-road group says

BY KIRK MOORE • STAFF WRITER • SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — Backers of the proposed Atlantic Off-Highway Vehicle Park are pushing back against one of their most outspoken critics, claiming that police Capt. Richard Buzby has a conflict because he owns land nearby.

"He's utilizing his position as a police officer" to oppose the project, said Dale Freitas, president of the group that plans to use federal and state grant money to create a 120-acre motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle tract off Thomas Avenue.

Township police Chief Mark Siino defended Buzby's work looking into the park plans, saying, "There are considerable public safety issues here." Siino said the township has received a letter from Howard Butensky, the lawyer who represents the off-road park, objecting to Buzby addressing the board while wearing his police uniform.

Buzby is at zoning board meetings "on behalf of the Police Department to present all the facts as we know them, so the board can know all the issues," Siino said Friday. "He owns land in a lot of different areas. I know that . . . if it was personal, I would tell him to go there in blue jeans on his own time."

Park backers and their critics will face off for the third time Wednesday, when the Board of Adjustment reconvenes a hearing into whether it should grant a variance to convert the Shoreline Materials sand mine off Thomas Avenue into a riding facility.

Buzby, who has acknowledged his land holdings near unpaved Province Road, says his concerns center on potential burdens an off-road park would place on local emergency services. In the zoning board hearings, Buzby has challenged the sponsors' assertion that they can take care of first-aid needs with their own on-site crew.

The last off-road vehicle park to operate in the region near Chatsworth had more than 300 first-aid calls in 2004-2008, Buzby told the board in June.

"It is a conflict of interest to be representing the township in that capacity. Any officer could have done it," Freitas said Friday. Buzby declined to comment.

Freitas said Buzby's properties are closer to the park site than the "more than a quarter-mile away" that Buzby asserted in a letter to the editor that was published July 22 in the Asbury Park Press.

Local tax maps cited by Freitas show 28 woodland acres that Buzby owns in Eagleswood east of the Shoreline property, which extends into that neighboring township. (The off-road park proposal must come before Eagleswood land-use officials for approval at a later date.) One edge of the Shoreline property lies within 380 feet of the Province Road property line of the Buzby tract, Freitas said.

"He's not acting on his own," Siino said. "We have an interest in bringing these issues to the board. . . . These people are making a quality of life decision for the entire township, after all.

"We do not make that decision; I understand that. But the board should have all the facts."

The off-road group is working with the state Green Acres program and grants totaling $2.3 million to obtain the Shoreline site and convert its 120 acres into riding trails, a parking area, training facility and an environmental education center.

At a July 14 zoning board session, Green Acres administrator John Flynn said the state Department of Environmental Protection sees the Shoreline site as a partial solution to its statewide headaches with illegal off-road riding on state land.

Amid an earlier crackdown in this decade on illegal riders, then-DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell pledged state support to create legal public riding parks. But the progress has been slow, with objections from neighbors and environmental activists blocking one project on a Green Acres tract in Gloucester County.

Freitas said he is concerned that the lengthy local zoning approval process is setting the project back and bleeding its funds. It's costing backers about $1,200 an hour at meetings to employ their professional planners and engineers, he said.

"My big concern is to keep the budget under control," he said.

[deathman53]

I read that article on sunday's paper, I wanted to puke in disgust. WOW "Chatsworth had more than 300 first-aid calls in 2004-2008", how many first aid calls regarding bike/skateboard/rollerblade(roller skate)/ice skate calls were there in the same time? I bet is 3-4 times as much. This question should be asked to them, I should be at this meeting, I'm gonna at school a hour away that gets out 4pm.

[Dale@AGP]

In the last Zoning Board meeting Capt Buzby said the LEH township emergency squad is called to Frenchies Pit in his township once a week for ATV and Dirt Bike accidents.

That's about the same number of calls as what he said Chatsworth had. I'm kind of confused, but is he saying his illegal pit is safer or more dangerous?

This isn't about public safety, it's about his property and he's using the towns money and resources to protect his own interest.

[exrider44]

People know that they can get hurt riding off road vehicles. Its bs if you ask me. Of course there is going to be accidents. Just another reason to stop us from having anywhere legal to ride.