John E. Halbruner, PE, RA
Stephen B. Griffith
Paul W. Kellerman, CSI
Thomas A Pendergast, PLS
Michael W. Hyland, PE,RA,LS,PP
Gary Rizzolo March 5, 2008
Osborn Island Residents Association
Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087
Re: Dredging Feasibility
Osborn Island
Little Egg Harbor Twp., Ocean County, NJ
Our Project No. 5375
Dear Gary,
We have substantially completed the feasibility study regarding the proposed dredging of a portion of the Osborn Island lagoon system. This study focused on dredging methodologies, location and means of dredge material disposal and potential for obtaining required permitting from the NJDEP and US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE).
The following summarizes our research and the results of our subsequent meeting on February 19, 2008 with Mark Davis of the NJDEP Office of Dredging and Sediment Technology.
The project site is unique in that not all waterfront lots are bulk headed and small areas of wetlands and intertidal and sub tidal shallows, known as "Special Areas" per the Coastal Zone Management Rules, are present within the lagoons. Although these special areas may affect the proposed dredging, it is not anticipated that they will prohibit the activity. According to Mr. Davis, we should be able to demonstrate the navigational hazards associated with the wetlands and shallows to justify the need to dredge them; however, any impact to these special areas will need to be the minimum necessary for safe navigation and in the case of wetlands may require mitigation.
Generally the Department requires 2 acres of wetland created (from upland) for every 1 acre of wetland destroyed. Due to the limited upland associated with Osborn Island, designing a mitigation plan for disturbed or destroyed wetlands as required under the Coastal Zone Management Rules may be particularly difficult to comply with.
The Army Corps of Engineers under State issued General Permit SPGP 17, permits maintenance dredging within substantially developed man-made lagoons and the access channels with no separate application and/or fees to the ACOE. In a telephone conversation with Sam Reynolds of the Army Corps of Engineers, it was indicated that although the dredging may be permitted under a General Permit, the dredging of any wetlands and the placement of the dredge material in any wetland area and/or waters of the United States will require an ACOE Individual Permit for all aspects of the dredging project. This involves a separate application package to the ACOE with additional application fees and processing costs.
As mentioned in our meeting with Mark Davis of the NJDEP, it is likely the Bureau of Tidelands Management (BTM) will require a temporary license to dredge. We do not anticipate a problem with obtaining this license however, it too will involve a separate application package with additional application fees and processing costs. Generally, most fees and costs associated with a dredging project are often dependent upon the volume of material to be dredged and the ultimate placement of the dredge material. As these two variables become constant, estimating fees and costs will become more practical.
With this dredging project as with all dredging projects, the more difficult process to obtain approval for involves the ultimate placement of the dredge material. Often, the ultimate placement (or disposal) of dredge material requires an interim step which involves placing the dredge material temporarily in an area where it can dewater. The following highlights different locations and options for the dewatering and/or ultimate placement of material associated with the proposed dredging of Osborn Island lagoons.
Initially we looked into the use of existing confined disposal facilities (CDF) in the area of Great Bay. Hydraulically pumping dredge material to an established CDF may often be the easiest way to dispose of dredge material from a permitting standpoint and can usually be completed in one phase. Unfortunately, there are no CDFs within the Great Bay and the two closest facilities, Story Island and Shad Island, are several miles away.
Story Island is approximately 5 to 6 miles east of Osborn Island in the westerly portion of Little Egg Harbor. It is owned by NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife and services dredging projects associated with federal channels. Shad Island is approximately 5 to 6 miles south of Osborn Island in the westerly portion of Little Bay. The federal government owns this CDF which also services dredging projects associated with federal channels.
In order to utilize either of these CDFs, we would need to obtain permission from the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife or the federal government. In addition, a 5 to 6 mile long hydraulic pipe would need to be placed from the lagoons at Osborn Island to the CDF with another line returning the excess water to the Osborn Island lagoons or a water area of the same classification for shellfish harvesting (prohibited). As indicated by Mark Davis of the NJDEP, hydraulically pumping dredge material this distance may be possible however the cost associated with this activity is likely prohibitive.
The following three options, also discussed with Mr. Davis, may be potentially more cost-effective but from a permitting standpoint, more problematic.
Option #1 involves the placement of dredged material via clamshell dredge to barge method on the bay front, generally southeast of the residential development located on Iowa Court and/or Ohio Drive. Because this option could possibly be completed in one phase and eliminates the need to dewater the dredge material and truck it inland or hydraulically pump to a CDF, it may potentially be less costly.
However, the property located along the bay front is owned by the NJ Natural Lands Trust and any activity involving their property will require their approval. In addition, to obtain the necessary permits for this proposed use of dredge material, approval from the ACOE as well as the Department of Marine Water Monitoring will be required. It is also likely that a mitigation plan for the loss of tidal wetlands, intertidal shallows and sub tidal shallows will need to be provided which may negate the cost-effectiveness of this proposed option.
Option #2 involves hydraulically pumping the dredge material to geotubes located near the lagoons where it can dewater back into the lagoons before trucking it over land for ultimate placement at the Little Egg Harbor Landfill and/or Charlie’s Auto Body. Because this option, unlike option #1, involves the ultimate placement of dredge material in an upland facility, approval may be more easily obtained from a permitting standpoint. The primary obstacles associated with this method include permission from a landowner and procedures related to the temporary placement of the dredge material during the dewatering phase. Due to limited available upland for dewatering, the dredging will need to be completed in phases and it is likely that wetlands will be temporarily disturbed during this process which will require a mitigation plan to restore them. Mitigation, mobilizing dredging equipment multiple times due to phasing the project and hauling fees will impact the cost-effectiveness of this option.
Option #3 involves transporting the dredge material via barge approximately 2 to 3 miles southeast of Osborn Island to Fish Island (owned by NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife) where it will be used as fill for the abandoned fish factory. This option is dependent almost entirely on the Division of Fish and Wildlife obtaining a permit to place fill on Fish Island. Mark Davis of the NJDEP is in the process of checking with the Division of Fish and Wildlife to see if there is a permit in process or a timeline suggested for removal of the fish factory and placement of fill.
To summarize, there is potential to obtain a permit to dredge the lagoons at Osborn Island. It appears that the more restrictive obstacles arise with the methods associated with the disposal or reuse of the dredge material. Specifically, impacts to wetlands and/or open waters during the placement or dewatering and transporting phases of the process will likely be the most difficult from a permitting standpoint. Although it appears the potential for ultimate disposal at an inland facility is promising, property ownership issues and potential adverse environmental impacts with possible staging areas needed for the dewatering and hauling phases of the activity are likely to be problematic and costly.
It is our opinion that the next step in obtaining a permit to dredge involves contacting the NJ Natural Lands Trust regarding the possibility of enhancing and protecting the bay front property or temporarily using the area for a dewatering and hauling staging site. The key, we believe at this point, is finding a property owner that will consider allowing the temporary placement of dredge material for a dewatering site or the permanent placement of dredge material for protection of waterfront property. The following table lists vacant lots in the Osborn Island area that may potentially be utilized during the dredging process. We have also included names and mailing information for the property owners should you choose to contact them.
I trust this has been helpful with your preliminary investigation regarding the potential dredging of the Osborn Island lagoons. We consider that the scope of the feasibility study as described in our proposal is complete. If you would like our assistance in reaching out to the NJ Natural Lands Trust and/or other possible property owners regarding the temporary and/or permanent placement of dredge material, do not hesitate to contact us. In addition, we will be happy to provide a proposal for any survey work and application preparation when you are ready.
It has been a pleasure working with you and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely yours,
Stephen B. Griffith
Engineering Manager
The Osborn Island Dredging Committee would like to thank the following residents for their continued support for the feasibility study for the dredging of our lagoons.
Sincerely & Thank You, Gary V. Rizzolo
| Kitty & Tom Alessi | Edward Andrew | Gena & Dominic Antignano |
| Jean & Ronald Ashley | George Baker & Jane McCracken | Stephen & Susan-Jane Bligh |
| Nancy & Sam Bonacci | Marian & Jim Cairoli | Patricia & Robert Callahan |
| Alicia & Michael Cantelmi | Annette & Ernest Carbone | Janice & Bill Cheyne |
| Theresa & Frank Ciollo | Lorraine & Mark Consorte | Dolores & Robert Dalton |
| Karen & Al Dellinger | Stephanie & Daniel DeLucia | Gail & George Denow |
| Dr. Beatrice DiDomenico | Sharon & Don DiMarzio | Vivian & Bill Dixon |
| Kathleen & Anthony Donadio | Dennis & Alison Duryea | Stanley & Anne Dworak |
| Michele Ferraro | Joan & John Fiorella | Janet & David Fuller |
| Ray Gabrish | Adrienne & Edward Gautier | Barbara & Robert Gill |
| Barbara & Michael Ginesi | Ray & Annette Glebocki | Dr. Daniel & Beverly Green |
| Linda & William Gruss | Mitch & Barb Hakoun | Richard & Patricia Halasz |
| John Hann | Mary & Robert Hartig | Marian & James Incognito |
| Lydia & Lester Jargowsky | Rosemary & Philip Kaplan | Erin & Fred Kopp |
| Robert & Theresa Korzik | Carolyn & Michael Kudela | Linda & Dennis Lauer |
| Frances & Ramon Lijó | Lawrence Loughlin | Richard Maas |
| Margaret & Patrick Madison | Guy & Mary Lynn Malaby | John Manginelli & JoEllen Popola |
| John Mason | Betsy & Dennis Maza | Genevieve McAteer |
| Ellie & Jack McHugh | Anna Mae & Ronald McQuaid | Giovina & Dennis McSpirit |
| Bruce & Terry Michaels | Linda & George Mitchell | Linda & John Mocko |
| Moira & Joseph Modica, Jr. | John & Katherine Mortimer | Jeffrey & Ruthie Muraski |
| Don Olszewski | Theresa & Francis O'Shea | Sonia & Robert Pereda |
| Kathryn & Victor Perretti | Fred & Linda Pirkle | Marie & Robert Portway |
| Chris Randazza | Gary & Roseann Rizzolo | Susan Rodgers & Peter Tatro |
| Alfred & Faith Rotelle | Michael & Janet Ruane | Elaine & Herbert Rudolph |
| Ann Marie & Edward Scala | Joseph & Pina Scaturro | Robert & Vicki Schmidt |
| Patricia Schwartz & Kevin Muldowney | Michael & Karin Shinkunas | Sophia & Joe Smeraglia |
| Daniel Smith & Victoria Simon | Joseph & Carol Somers | Linda & Tom Spanfelner |
| Michael & Jennie Stanbro | Ivar & Audrey Steen | Lona & Gary Stengel |
| Catherine & Dennis Sweeney | Eileen & Peter Terlecky | Raymond Tierney & Joanne Lauria |
| Richard & Toni Tumas | Steve & Carolyn Vanata | Marguerite & Leonard Wisser |
| Carole & Joseph Yurko |
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the Osborn Island Residents Association, we are a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to preserving the unique environmental, historical and geographic characteristics of Osborn Island as well as enhancing the quality of life for both part time and full time residents of the island.
Our endeavors include semi-annual beach cleanups, maintaining the street signs and Osborn Island welcome sign, working with municipal, county, state and federal authorities to protect the unique environmental characteristic features of the island, and efforts to discourage overdevelopment on the island. Most recently, we are pleased to announce that significant progress has been made in preserving a large tract of land referred to as "the old golf course" which had been slated to be developed for up to 74 single family homes on the island. Working tirelessly over a two year period with various land trust organizations, we are hopeful to announce shortly that this tract of land will be preserved.
All of the above efforts are provided solely by the members of the Osborn Island Residents Association and all related expenditures are derived from both Association dues and donations from Association members, to the benefit of all residents, whether Association members or otherwise.
We are currently undertaking perhaps our most challenging task to date; we are attempting to have the ingress/egress to Great Bay dredged as the need for this effort is well known to all residents, whether boaters or not. In short, the dredging would be in a cross shaped area extending from Great Bay partially down the Kentucky, Ohio, and Iowa lagoons. Unfortunately the accumulation of sediment over the years has made this area increasingly impassable by boat especially at low tide, but increasingly even at high tide.
This unfortunate circumstance has lead to a degradation of the quality of life on the island as it has become a significant detriment to the boating activities for which we've been accustomed.
Additionally, the values of our properties are at significant risk as our waterways become less and less navigable. Our neighborhood will become increasingly less desirable to those whom are looking to purchase a home in a boating community. Our most valuable asset is our waterfront location and easy access to Great Bay and it is imperative that this is maintained and preserved. Speaking to several residents who have recently sold their homes, many have mentioned the difficulty in finding buyers once it was became known of the difficulty navigating the ingress/egress to Great Bay. It would be most unfortunate for any of us to endure the same fate in the future, but unless this situation is remedied, it will be unavoidable.
The Association has been for two years researching this issue and unfortunately there is no availability of municipal or state assistance.
The Association has recently received a proposal from an engineering firm to provide for us the necessary engineering information to move the dredging project forward to the issuance of D.E.P. permits for dredging. We are currently soliciting contributions from all Osborn Island waterfront residents to pay the engineering costs of this project. To date, all the effort and expenditures on this behalf have been provided by the Osborn Island Association members. Today, we are asking for a $100.00 contribution from all waterfront property owners to pay for the associated engineering costs of this critical matter. For the benefit of Osborn Island, your neighbors and friends and to ensure the value of your property in the future, won't you make a contribution today? Please use the lower portion of this page and the enclosed self addressed envelope to make your contribution today!
If you are not currently an Osborn Island Residents Association member, we welcome you to join us today. Please visit http://osbornisland.googlepages
Very Truly Yours,
Richard J. Maas
Association President8/15/07
Dear friends and neighbors,
Bob Bieda, “Bob the Mailman” has been kind enough to provide us with his cell phone number in the event that you wish to speak to him concerning significant problems in the delivery of the mail. Bob’s cell phone number is 609-713-0920. Please use discretion in contacting him as we’re all aware of how busy he is providing his usual excellent service.
11/17/06
Property Tax Reimbursement Eligibility Requirements(Updated 11/01/2006)
The Property Tax Reimbursement Program reimburses eligible senior citizens and disabled persons for property tax increases. The amount of the reimbursement is the difference between the amount of property taxes that were due and paid in the "base year" (the first year that you met all the eligibility requirements) and the amount due and paid in the current year for which you are claiming the reimbursement, provided the amount paid in the current year was greater. You must meet all the eligibility requirements for the base year and for each succeeding year, up to and including the current year to qualify for the reimbursement.
You may be eligible for a reimbursement of the difference between the amount of property taxes you paid in the base year (the year you first became eligible) and the amount paid in the year for which you are applying for a reimbursement if you met all the following requirements for the base year and for each succeeding year, up to and including the year for which you are claiming the reimbursement.
- You are age 65 or older or receiving Federal Social Security disability benefits; and
- You have lived in New Jersey continuously for at least the last 10 years, as either a homeowner or a renter; and
- You have owned and lived in your home (or have leased a site in a mobile home park on which you have placed a manufactured or mobile home that you own) for at least the last 3 years; and
- You have paid the full amount of property taxes (or site fees if you are a mobile home owner) that were due on your home for the base year and for each succeeding year, up to and including the year for which you are claiming the reimbursement; and
- You meet the income limits for the base year and for each succeeding year, up to and including the year for which you are claiming the reimbursement.
Residents applying for the 2005 reimbursement must have total income for 2004 that is less than $40,869 for single applicants and $50,113 (combined income) for married couples, and total income for 2005 that is less than $41,972 for single applicants and $51,466 (combined income) for married couples.
If your residence is in a multiple-unit building that you own, and the building has more than four units, you are not eligible for a property tax reimbursement. You are also not eligible if the building has four units or less but more than one commercial unit.
| 2005 Eligibility Requirements for First-Time Filers |
Residents applying for a reimbursement of the difference between the amount of property taxes paid in 2004 and the amount paid in 2005 must:
- Have been age 65 or older or receiving Federal Social Security disability benefits as of December 31, 2004. (If receiving disability benefits, applicant must have continued to receive benefits on their own behalf through December 31, 2005); and
- Have lived in New Jersey continuously since before January 1, 1995, as either a homeowner or a renter; and
- Have owned and lived in the home for which the reimbursement is being claimed since before January 1, 2002; and
- Have total income for 2004 that is less than $40,869 for single applicants and $50,113 (combined income) for married couples, and total income for 2005 that is less than $41,972 for single applicants and $51,466 (combined income) for married couples; and
- Have paid the full amount of the property taxes (or mobile home park site fees) due on the home for both 2004 and 2005.
Download the NJ Property Tax Info
11/10/06
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 11/9/06
BY SHRUTI L. MATHUR
STAFF WRITER
The view through the windshield of Tom Sharkey's car is breathtaking. Gentle waves wash up onto the shore, over discarded clam shells. Small islands of grass wave against the background of Long Beach Island stretching into the ocean in the distance.
"I've been coming here for 20 years,'' said Sharkey, 57, a resident of the Mystic Island section of Little Egg Harbor, who said he drives to this spot, or another spot on Great Bay Boulevard, once a week to enjoy his reading. "It could be pouring rain, could be snowing. It's just a beautiful area."'
Great Bay Boulevard, which starts in downtown Tuckerton and runs through Little Egg Harbor, is also known as Seven Bridges Road. The approximately 10-mile road starts with rows of new townhouses and ends with the Rutgers University Marine Field Station. In between stretches the Great Bay Wildlife Management Area, where state regulations limit development, safeguard water supplies and provide a habitat for animals and plants.
The original plan for the road was to link Tuckerton to the southern tip of Long Beach Island, according to Barb Bolton, with the Tuckerton Historical Society. But they were unable to create the road because they could not make a bottom for the road through the water.
Bolton said the road was built by young men from urban areas through the Civilian Conservation Corps., as part of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal plan. The same project created park areas in Bass River State Forest.
The area looks very similar to the way it did when the road was originally built, Bolton said. The land remains undeveloped, except for an occasional marina renting out motorboats or kayaks.
"Thank God, no one can build here,'' said Jay Masterson, 70. "It'd be horrible.''
Masterson had ridden his bike up and down the road every dry day in the 10 years since he retired. He lives in Little Egg Harbor, in a home near the start of the road.
He rides to the end of the road, where a pedestrians-only wooden causeway leads to the Rutgers Marine Field Station, which is in an old Coast Guard building. There, researchers study the ecology of local wildlife and habitats. The station is open once a year to visitors during an annual fall open house.
To get to the end of the road, cars must go through two lights that control traffic on two narrow wooden bridges. The bridges are so narrow, only cars going in the same direction are allowed at a time.
Vehicles, bikers and joggers share the skinny bridges with fisherman like Wayne Williams, 60, and Tom Cotz, 51. The two Pennsylvania men both stay seasonally at the Scrubbie Pines Campground in Barnegat, and have been fishing in the area for
the past eight years. They like the "one-horse bridges,'' as Williams calls them, because of the fish they can catch in the area.
A narrow path, through a tunnel of tall trees, starts beyond a metal barrier at another point at the end of the road. A small beach at the end has views of Atlantic City, Long Beach Island and the field station.
The ruins of a large building off the road can also be seen. An old fish factory, called "The Stinkhouse'' by locals for its fragrance when the wind was right, sits on Crab Island. The factory, which made fertilizer from fish, closed in the late 1970s.
No road leads out to the abandoned factory, just a row of old power line poles. The company used to boat their workers to and from the plant, Bolton said.
The road also has a view of a piece of national history. The remains of an 800-foot communications tower, built by the French on Radio Road in 1912, can be seen from Seven Bridges Road. The tower, rivaled in height by only the Eiffel tower
at the time, allowed the first trans-Atlantic communication, using Morse code.
Oh and as for the number of road's namesakes? "I've only been able to count five of them,'' laughs Sharkey. Bolton said at one point there were seven bridges on the road, but now there are only five.
11/10/06
Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton remain close-knit
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 11/9/06
BY SHRUTI L. MATHUR
MANAHAWKIN BUREAU
When Diana McCrack-en, Little Egg Harbor's township clerk, needed support the most, her community provided it.
Not only did the township give her time off to care for her teenage son after he was in a bad car accident, residents also were compassionate.
"People who I didn't even know knew me would call me," she said. "Even now, people will come up to me and ask me how my son is doing."
McCrack-en said the small-town, close-knit, community feel is what made her stay in the Little Egg and Tuckerton area. And the area's growth spurt hasn't changed that feeling, residents said.
But growth is an issue for both the township and the smaller borough it surrounds on three sides. In Tuesday's election, all four candidates for the Little Egg Harbor Township Committee said growth needs to be slowed and controlled.
Little Egg Harbor's population grew by 20 percent — or 3,248 residents — between 2000 and 2004, to 19,334, making it the second-fastest-growing community in Ocean County during that time, behind Barnegat. Estimates put the 2005 population at 19,834.
Tuckerton's population has grown more slowly, rising 11 percent since 1990 to an estimated 3,780, compared to 47 percent during that time in Little Egg.
In July, some residents of Osborn Island in Little Egg Harbor complained when a developer applied to bring more than 70 homes to a 47-acre parcel. The residents asserted the area was home to many species of plants and animals, including the black-crowned night heron, a protected species in New Jersey.
The application is yet to go before the Planning Board. It may be heard as early as next month.
Tuckerton Mayor Kevin Quinlan said the borough works well with its larger neighbor on many issues but is concerned about growth changing the character of the area. Little Egg Mayor Barbara Jo Crea gets together for breakfast weekly with Quinlan and the mayors of nearby Eagleswood and Bass River, he said.
Quinlan said he would like to see a rubber-wheel trolley bringing tourists from Long Beach Island next summer. In the future, he envisions a ferry service between Tuckerton and the island.
But first Tuckerton needs to address some infrastructure problems, he said. Route 9, which Quinlan calls "both a curse and a blessing," goes right through the downtown, bringing commuters through the community. But the width is restricted, said Quinlan, by existing buildings close to the road, including some historic properties.
Retirement communities
The area is attractive to senior citizens looking to downsize. Little Egg has several age-restricted adult communities, including Mystic Shores, Cranberry Creek, Sea Oaks, Sunrise Bay and Atlantis.
But the average age in Little Egg Harbor is 40, and more and more young families are moving into the area.
Donna Wilson, a real estate agent in Little Egg Harbor, grew up in the area after her family moved from Queens for a life where "children can play in the front yard," she said.
"I like that the kids can still play outside," she said. "It's a quiet, quaint community."
Little Egg Harbor, intent on maintaining that character, planned to legally challenge a proposed strip club in the township, off Garden State Parkway Exit 58, before the developer abandoned the proposal in July.
The same feel Wilson likes attracted Dani Mickiewicz, 25, to Tuckerton.
"It's got an old-town feel but it's up and coming with more things to do," said Mickiewicz, who moved to the area three weeks ago from North Jersey.
Mickiewicz works at a cafe in the Tuckerton Emporium, a converted grocery building that operates as a co-op.
New businesses
Lorraine Cilluffo, 68, runs Limited Editions, a pottery, candle and jewelry shop in the Emporium. Cilluffo said Tuckerton "has grown, but it's becoming more sophisticated."
"Tuckerton retains its old-fashioned charm and wants to remain that way," she said.
Wilson said a lot more homes have been built since she grew up in the township in the 1980s. Much of the woods she used to hike in are now homes and shopping plazas.
McCracken, the Little Egg clerk, said that while development is good for tax revenue, "people don't have to go out of town to get the stuff they need."
Debra O'Donnell, who runs Debra's Daydream Cafe in Tuckerton, said she hopes the area doesn't start getting big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart, which she said would ruin the town, bringing traffic and threatening mom-and-pop shopping.
But O'Donnell does endorse some growth, such as rehabilitating old buildings downtown to use as small stores. She said change is necessary to keep the borough improving and active.
11/04/06
Rep. Saxton Assists in Forsythe FundingASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton (NJ-3rd) today announced that the final conference bill for the U.S. Dept. of the Interior’s 2006 appropriations budget includes $300,000 for land acquisition efforts for the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, located in Ocean, Burlington and Atlantic counties.
"This funding will support land acquisition for the wildlife refuge," Saxton said. "The Ocean County Freeholders had the foresight to help finance a purchase a few years ago, and I am pleased to have found some funding to support that purchase."
The Osborn Island property was acquired by the Refuge in 1999 with the financial support of the Ocean County Board of Freeholders and its Open Space Program. Refuge officials agreed at the time to reimburse the County at a later time. Steve Atzert, director of Forsythe, sought assistance from Congressman Saxton to repay the County. The remaining obligation to the county is about $500,000, and the $300,000 will reduce that obligation. (In May, the Refuge received a portion of a settlement between the U.S. Justice Department and a polluter, which cut the obligation from about $967,000 to $500,000.)
"Although this is a tight budget year, we must strive to set aside some funding to preserve open space that can be used as wildlife habitat," Saxton said. "The land available for preservation is shrinking. There is a lot of pressure from development all along areas of the Jersey Shore. Land acquisition efforts for the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge are more critical today than ever before."
Saxton asked the House Appropriations Committee to allocate the funding. The funds were obtained in a conference agreement between the House and Senate completed today, and which passed tonight at 410-10. Passage is also expected in the Senate in the near future.
Saxton is the Vice Chairman of the Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee. In recent years Saxton was able to add $4.3 million to the Interior budget for the Forsythe Refuge. He is a longtime supporter of the refuge system, and authored the National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Act of 2000 which recognized the vital importance of the nation’s refuge system and authorized its 100th anniversary celebration in 2003.
Osborn Island tract is a 128-acre tract in Little Egg Harbor Township. The Forsythe Refuge is southwest of Long Beach Island. Established in 1939, it has grown to 43,000 acres. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the refuge every year to see migration of birds of prey, songbirds and waterfowl.
11/2/06
Osborn Island in the Atlantic City Press!
Osborn Islanders press township to dredge Residents: Silted lagoons threaten ocean access and property values
DiMarzio took a couple extra days away from his job as a pathologist in Pennsylvania last weekend to get four good days of fishing in. On Monday he was on his boat by 7 a.m.
Before DiMarzio could get out on the open water he had to wait 4 hours for the tide to come back in enough to get his 23-foot boat out of the mud, which had snagged him on his way out of the lagoon.
“I've been fishing these waters since 1999 and I've never gotten stuck before,” said DiMarzio, 56, who owned a weekend home in Manahawkin before buying his current home in Osborn Island because it was in what he proudly called “more of a fisherman's area.”
The day didn't end all bad for DiMarzio because he caught 36-inch and 28-inch stripers, which were two of his biggest catches ever, after he made it out of the mud.
10/29/06
Beautiful sunny Sunday. For those of you who couldn't be here this weekend, there were heavy rains Friday night and high winds all day yesterday. The good news is that I didn't see any damage and the tides, while high, were not as high as a couple of weeks ago.As an aside, this morning's low tide was REALLY low!
10/24/06
There have been some questions about residents putting up signs on their properties advertising businesses. Signs, as a rule, are not permitted without applying for and receiving a variance from the Zoning Board. This is a quality of life issue. Following are comments from OIRA member Ed Gautier: "The intent of the Twp ordinance is to keep control of signs throughout the town.The last thing we want in our town is uncontrolled signs all over. As you may have noticed the individual signs in the WAWA shopping center for Tanning, Nails, Clothing, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Phila Steaks Etc., have ALL been removed. NO ONE individual or Business has been singled out for Selective enforcement of the the ordinance. O.I.R.A. can help by reporting illegal signs to the Code Enforcement Officer at 294-9072 his name is John DeLucia. You ONLY have to report the violation you DO NOT have to identify yourself if you choose not to. The only information required is the Street address and the suspected violation.
9
9/19/06
"New "No Dogs"Ordinance:
"There is an issue that concerns me along with quite a number of other dog owners. About a month ago, the town posted a No Dogs Allowed on Beach sign, we're trying to have the ordinance amended because we feel it's extreme to ban dogs all year round. Off-season, there's no one around. As responsible dog owners, we support strict enforcement of the pooper scooper ordinance." Tom Caprio
This ordinance obviously wasn't thoroughly discussed. A simple"Dogs on leash at all times" or, at worst, "No dogs on beach from May 1 to September 1 between 9am and 4pm" would suffice. If you want to have a voice in this matter, I suggest you send a short email to Little Egg Harbor Mayor BarbaraJo Crea (crea@leht.com). Scott
"I was curious if you could tell me if the "No Dogs Allowed" at the Graveling Point Beaches has been discussed at any of the recent OIRA meetings? I myself have two dogs and know how much they enjoy going down there and I can tell you of at least twenty other residents who do the same. On any morning as you drive/walk down Radio Rd. towards Graveling Point on O.I. you'll see at least two walkers with their dogs, and inside many of the parked cars at the end you'll see a dog or two with their head out the window. It is just a shame that we no longer are permitted to enjoy the beach with our pets. "
"Now I know that many of the summer residents are probably to blame either for their complaints of dogs on the beach or for their lack of cleaning up after their own dogs, but for us perminant residents Graveling Point was a main focus of the area which brought us here, and we are the ones responsible for its care. Now, I know that during the summer months there are bathers at the beach but in the fall and winter months the beach and the point are almost decolate. Island Beach State Park allows dogs, why can't the Township Beach allow them so we can go to Graveling Point, also a State Park? I thank you for your time and hope that the residents here of O.I. can get our beaches back for to enjoy with our pets."
William Dutton (email: wpd6881@hotmail.com)
(Ed. Note: Perhaps one of the OIRA officers could respond to William. I also suggest everyone concerned send an email to our mayor as mentioned above.)