Chamber Urges Opposition To Pinelands Plan

COURT-HOUSE — The inclusion of Cape May county in a proposed plan to preserve the state's Pinelands would have serious detrimental effects on the county’s development, according to the county Chamber of Commerce In a prepared statement issued this week the Chamber "urges all members to take personal action in opposing these unnecessary regulations in a already overregulated society.” ■

The Chamber’s opposition is based on three main points of contention. Leo Sternberg, Chairman of the Chamber’s Environmental Committee said Monday. First, the Chamber foes not feel that more open space is needed in a county already comprised of largely open and protected areas; second, existing county zoning and other planning standard .arc voluntarily and third, inclusion in the plan would mean a cut in tax ratable property and. therefore

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- mm IIOKSKSIIOES BY THE SEA. A day al the beach for visitors at the Helen L. Oilier Vacation Home for the Blind can mean a fierce game of horseshoes with the resident counselors or a quiet sunbath.

progress for the county. "We’re very concerned about our environment. but we’re very concerned about the human element too." Sternberg said. According to the Interim Standards and Regulations for land use of the proposed plan. Lower Township is the only area in Cape May that would he exempt from preservation status. About 3(M0 percent of the county’s land area is already under preservation programs such as the Wetlands Act. the Green Acres Program, the Coastline Area Facilities Review Act <CAFRA> the Land Use Act or Farm preservation. Lands appropriated under such acts may not be used or developed but individual property owners whose land is absorbed in the preservation program must still pay taxes on the land. Land bought by state or federal government for preservation is tax exempt thereby reducing the tax ratables on the county's rolls and shifting the tax burden onto remaining tax property owners, Sternberg said. "They (property owners included in preservation areas) can’t use it (their land), they can't build, they can’t develop, but they still have to pay taxes." Sternberg said. "Near confiscation of private lands by the State of N.J. without renumeration has already been allowed to occur under the Wetlands Act and the CAFRA Act." the 7 Chamber’s release said.

"Our major industry is tourism." Sternberg said. “If we can't go ahead and promote the area it keeps our progress down." he said. In addition, when lands are included in a preservation act the county and municipalities affected receive no compensation. Sternberg said. ^ . ' Aside.from the threat to progress and development, there is the aspect of uri;essary outside interference in the inty's planning organization. Sternberg

f If- Cape May County is included in the pftgram zoning, laws will have to be reworked. * We have pretty stringent regulations In our zoning ordinance." VWe’re right on the ball as far as the environment is.concerned, and we don’t need anyone coming in and telling us what to do." Sternberg added. Cape May County was one of the first, if not the first county in the state to establish a county planning board headed by a professional planner and the' first to establish a well organized County Department of Health. Sternberg pointed out ( "We, as residents, have been and are concerned about our county, about the environment, about its social problems and its. economic problems." Sternberg said in a position paper submitted bv the Chamber's Environmental Affairs (Page 19 Please)

Helen L. Diller Home

Vacation Home For Blind An Oasis

by Kathleen Cox Schaeffer AVALON - Sea gulls wheeling and screeching, the soothing crash of the waves, the sparkle of the sun on the water — though perhaps not seen or heard they are felt vividly through every pore by 20 contented children at the Helen L. Diller vacation Home in Avalon each week. The children, who have visual or hearing impairments or both, often have their first exhiliarating experience at the shore as visitors to the Diller home. Sponsored by the STone Harbor Lion's and Sea Lion’s Auxiliary, most of the children are from a city environment where the ocean is no more tangible than a dream. The children come from the tristate area of New Jersey-Pennsylvania-De la ware, but many are from the Logan School for the Blind of the Overbrook Home for the Blind in Philadelphia. The vacation home was founded in 1971. It is named for Helen L. Diller, an activist in many youth-oriented charitable organizations before her death. Her husband made a large donation for a project to benefit youth. Henoe. the Diller home. \ Children, aged 8-14, enjoy week long vacations from June 25-Labor Day. They are supervised by nine full-time, six parttime counselors, all of who Are college students majoring in handicapped education fields, Pam Lavery. director of the home said.

Holiday Deadline Because of the July 4th holiday, the deadline for Herald and Lantern news items and advertising for the July 5 issue has been move forward to I p.m. Friday. June ». The newspapers will be distributed on Thursday, July 5.

Lavery, from Allentown, Pa., is in her third year of counselin^esidence at the home. Lavery teaches a^a school for the hearing impaired in Allen\wn during the remainder of the year. * "This is usually their first experience at the shore." Lavery said. The results are abundantly clear after a week’s stay, Lavery said. "There's no more fear of the ocean, more trust and comfort is developed,” she said "And, they learn independence being away from Mom and Dad for a week," Lavery said. Invaluable social and cultural skills are

developed during the children’s stay at the home. Lavery said. This is done through a wide spectrum of activities including trips to the beach, fishing, miniature golf, picnics and horseback riding. The Borough of Avalon this year, donated 35 beach tags to the home A special roller skating rink with beveled edges and center helps blind children to tell when they are skating too close to the edge of the rink, Lavery said. Softball is played with special "beeper balls" that help blind children orient the direction of the ball by a beeping sound. Counselors also treat the children to

tandem bike rides and trips to such places as Hedge Gardens. t«e Circus, the county park and the Coast Guard Station. Local restaurants including Zaberer's and the Rocking Chair treat the children to free dinners So many individuals and businesses make donations to the home it would be iinfafr to attempt to list them. Louise Lloyd of the Sea Lions, said. The Lions finance the home through fund-raising events such as spaghetti dinners, car raffles, yard and bake sales and fashion shows. Lloyd said. The Wildwood and Stone Harbor Lions clubs will jointly sponsor a spaghetti dinner this fall to benefit the home, she said. The home is now more than ever in need of individual donations since the club plans to 4ear down the aging four-story wooden building the home is currently housed in. and replace it with a new $400-*500.000 twostory structure. The new home will include ramps required by federal law. central air conditioning. a smoke alarm system and new kitchen and bath facilities. Plans call for the existing house to be demolished in September and rebuilt by next summer. Lloyd said. "Right now it’s a matter of people in the area helping out," Lloyd &id of plans for the new home "It's tangible, it's right here in our own back yard." she added (Page 19 Please)

A CASTLE BY THE SEA is what thf HHrn L. Dlllrr Vacation Home tor the Blind represent* to many blind or hearing impaired children who visit the home, often to esperience the shore for the first lime.

' New Office Hours Effective immediatelv. the Avalon office hoars of the Herald and The Lantern will be 9 to 3 Mondays, and 4 to I Tuesday through Friday.