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95 Percent of Riparian Mapping Completed in County

BY Terry Xaghes The Tidelands Resource Council is scheduled tomorrow (May 27) to adopt more than 700 maps which will delineate riparian lands in New Jersey. But according to an informed source, the Council’s action shouldn’t be of much concern to property owners along the Jersey Cape where riparian rights were granted years ago. The source, David Moore, chairman of the Council, also indicated to the newspaper last weak in a telephone interview that the riparian issue is nowhere near as confusing as it was made out to bo during the election last fall when voters approved a statewide referendum placing a limit on how far back the state could go in determining lands flowed by tidal waters. Here is a summary of the interview, which began with the newspaper asking Mr. Moore to define reparian land: Moore—Riparian land is land held in trust by the state for the people of New Jersey. It is land that now, or formerly lay below the mean high tide. Newspaper—Is any land that is now or has formerly been flooded by tidal waves or flood tides considered riparian land? Moore—No, only land that .'alls below the mean high tide can be considered riparian land. This is found by locating tidal datum which has been determined by averaging the tidal cycle from a nineteen year period. Below where the tidal plain intersects the land is considered riparian. Just because some land at one time or another has been flooded by a storm, such as the storm of 1962, will not qualify the land as riparian. Newspaper—Why does the state own the land? Moor«^vrhe state believes that no single large landowner or private interest

group should be in an area that contains fishing, recreational or navigational resources unless it benefits the public interest. An example where the public woultkbenefit from private interest might be a marina. Although private gain is received from owning a marinn, the public can receive benefit from a facility such as that. If the_ Tidelands Resource Coum cil deems the individual or group worthy of title, we have the power to grant it. Newspaper—How is that done? Moore—Should' the council determine that the land be used by a private individual or group, we are required to get fair value for the land. Selling of the land to an individual is a last resort. We usually try to lOase or license the land — which amounts to the same thing. Newspaper (note)—In an earlier phone call, Roland Younghans, chief of Environmental Analysis for the Dept, of Environmental Protection, stated that 95 percent of the land considered to be riparian in Cape May County had been mapped. Newspaper—Mr. Moore, if 95 percent of the, land thought to be riparian in Cape May Couty has been mapped and presented to the council, how will this affect Cape May County residents? Moore—It will have very little effect. As in most other parts of the state, riparian land rights in Cape May County have been granted for private ownership many years ago. The maps that have been drawn up don’t show property lines or private ownership. All they do delineate between is the mean high tide mark and all other land. Newspaper—Suppose, as a property owner, I came before the Tidelands Resource Council and said. "I want to build a dock and

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I want to own the property.” Would you grant title of the land to me? Moore—The Tidelands Resource Council may only grant land to the owner of record or adjacent upland owner. You would have to own the property in question. There have been some improproprieties where people who are not owners of the record or adjacent upland owners claim land. Of course these falsified claims are taken to court. Newspaper—What is done with the monies derived from leasing or selling reparian land rights? Moore—The money is put into a special trust fund that is earmarked by the State Constitution for the fund for the Support of Free Public Schools. The principle, by law, has to remain intact. The interest is. distributed annually for the education of the children of New Jersey in the state budget. The fund's income is used as collateral that enables every school district in the state, no matter how financially unstable, to qualify their bonds for AA ratings from the firm of Standard&Poor's. Newspaper—The New Jersey School Board Assoc.

(NJSBA) contends that as long as. school districts receive AA ratings, which are the highest available to public school district issues, Taxpayers will save substantial amounts of money in interest payments. The Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Environment is currently considering extending the deadline when the state must map and make claim to certain riparian lands. Assemblyman Raymond Lesniak sponsored Concurrent Resolution 65 which would require the state to make claim within one ✓ Memorial

CREST HAVEN - The first annual Memorial Day service in the Cape May County Veterans Memorial Park (The Veterans Cemetery) will begin 1:30 p.m. this Sunday, May 30 — co-sponsored by all the veterans organizations pn the Jersey Cape. "Civic organizations, the general public as well as veterans organizations are urged

year of passage on riparian land. The NJSBA has op posed this .resolution. Litigation is now in process that challenges the constitutionality of selling riparian land. Newnpaper-fYou mentioned earlier that riparian land is land that is now or was formerly flowed below the mean high tide. The definition is based on a forty year figure that stipulates land must be dry for the past forty years How does the state know that? Moore—The state bases the forty year figure on historical maps which the

to attend and participate in this solemn occasion that will perpetuate the memory of those who nobly served our counry,." said John DiFillippo of Villas, spokesperson for the event. THE CEREMONY will include the’laying of wreaths, music by the U.S. Coast Guard Training Band, and the massing of the colors of the organizations in at-

courts have permitted to be used to ascertain riparian lands I feel the real iwjue at stake is that most Cape May County residents will not be affected by the adoption because riparian land rights for private ownership have been granted many years ago Newspaper—Why has there been so much controversy about riparian land? Moore^-Some people believe that the riparian issue is a raid on the stale treasury that supports public education

• tendence Representatives of organizations wishing to • take part or to present a wreath, are asked to contact William “Duffy” Evans at 886*1389 \The VeU^tiins CefltHte!^ isJocUtedion Crest Haven Rd . court House gakt o! the CrafTfPri^^jjtate Pkv\ . / just beyond tht\Nalionbl Guard Armory iiQd |he county jail.

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