1® Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 12 March '86

Is Lower Overbuilt?

VILLAS — Is Lower Township overdevelopoed? Peggie Bieberbach said Villas was. at least, when she called for a building moratorium there last winter, before she was elected deputy mayor First Ward Councilman Robert F. Conroy. who represents Villas, disputed her contention then while Township Manager James R. Stump said there seemed to be enough water available if it were managed properly Good management. Bieberbach countered. should include a building ton. Stump replied, though, that the township wanted to control growth, not suspend it. AVAILABILITY OF DECENT drinking water and sanitary sewers are prominent parts of the overdevelopment question. The unresolved January 1985 township debate over a building moratorium followed by several months a county Health Department report which recorded more than 200 Villas wells with signs of salt water intrusion < see related story » . Many exceeded the state safety limit for chloride content in neighborhood With a large elderly popula® tion. some on salt-restricted diets Stump, then jftrving as assistant township MU A executive director, asked its engineer to calculate the cost of a water system for Villas which, at an estimated $5 million, he later rejected as too expensive. Such a system, however, would still be pumping water from underground supplies threatened by salt water intrusion. Bieberbach argued before Stump commissioned the study Last April, township officials criticized a county Planning Department alert that called on Lower to limit development by overhauling township zoning codes. The county's 1975 Comprehensive Plan had recommended a township growth limit of 1 1.451 housing units There were 12.187 in 1984 and existing zoning would allow 14.412 to 88.768 more units "IS TIIKRK EQUALITY THERE?" Stump asked KlwoodJarmer. county planning director, while referring to recommended housing densities in mainland municipalities-and resorts

"There, perhaps, isn't." Jarmec conced- ] ed. "That's certainly one area that the i mainland municipalities should bone up on and. perhaps, address. "There is an equality question." he added. particularly in respect to how much water mainland municipalities, asked to curtail housing density, supply to resorts. "There's where you should stop the building — not in the township." argued the late Deputy Mayor Joseph Davis Mainland municipalities seem to be set up as suppliers for the resorts, he complained. Because of Diamond Beach, though, tower is both a mainland and a resort municipality Water is pumped out of the township to supply the Cape Mays, but pumped into Diamond Beach, through Wildwood. from Rio Grande in Middle Township. LIKE WATER. SANITARY SEWERS - or. more correctly, their lack — limit large scale county development. Discharging untreated human waste cause diseases, beach closings, bad publicity and lost tourist ^dollars. Proper treatment is expensive » tower's MUA has sewers in portions of the township mainland and in Diamond Beach, where developer Robert Ciampitti plans thousands of housing units. But several mainland subdivisions, like Baywood Park. Breakwater Estates and Breakwater Village, have neither sanitary sewers nor municipal water service And, as Sutton indicated in his warning to Erma homeowners with nitrate-contaminated wells (see related story), septic systems can foul them. Furthermore, as Jarmer noted last April, "there are certain areas that they have agreed should not be sewered." The "they" referred to county and township planners. "Just from a solid planning point of view, you're not going to sewer the whole township." he added, because planners seek to preserve environmentally sensitive and water recharge areas from development . "The other factor is. you don't need urban development throughout the township." Jarmer continued. Planners, he said, also want to preserve "rural characteristics" by discouraging development in Fishing Creek, and Cold tyring, east of Shunpike Road

ITThe look of yW ■ THE IRISH is on SALE at... V _ The Irish Pavilion of Stone I litrlmt \ Traditional St. Patrick's Day Sale ,Sat.. March 15th, Sun. March 16th, and Mon. March 17th 17% SAVINGS Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 0 9825 OCEAN DRIVE 368-1112

) # a The Wildwoods • ^ k * r. A A ^ Thomas Parsons ft A. XI ^ ' 889-0138 ^

North Wildwoodian Dennis Flynn called me the other day to inform me of a unique fund raiser that he is coordinating. It is a talent show to benefit the Roselli Scholarship Fund and Children's Hospital. The competition is slated for May 3 at Club 18 in North Wildwood. Participants between 3 ^nd 30 are welcome to participate and vie for the various division trophies There will be open competition in the following areas: Baby. Beauty-Model, and Talent. Each participant will be given a gift for entry that indicates their involvement in the project. If you have a child interested in participating or if you would like to enter yourself, you are invited to call Flynn at 72941712 for registration information As the day for the affair approaches. I'll remind you again, but until then you may wish to note this in your activity calender: I p.m.May 3. Club ISTalent Show. SPEAKING OF talent, the Holly Beach Players are polishing their scripts and getting set for another fine production. Tickets are now on sale for this year's offer ing. Fiddler on the Roof You may make your reservations for dinner and the show by calling 7294)890 The performance will take place at St. Ann's Auditorium April 25. 26. and 27. Dinner will be at 6 p.m., with the curtain rising at 8 p.m. The cost includes dinner and an excellent evening's entertainment. I HAVE mentioned the various new events being offered by the Wildwood Rec Department The program has seen a real turn-around and perhaps it is time to acknowledge the person responsible for the revival. Joyce Berrien, director of the department While we have a tendency to go "ga-ga" when discussing a business administrator. all too often the people in the trenches don't get their just credit for making things work In this regard. Berrien is to be acknowledged for a job well done Under her guidance, the Wildwood Recreation Program has expanded its services to include many newevents and activities for senior citizens as well as pre-school children. The program has truly become a recreational outlet for many Wildwood residents. IF YOU ARE interested in a complete outline of services and activities sponsored by the Rec. call 522-5837 High on the list of activities is the annual Easter Egg Hunt March 22. This year, in addition to all the fun and excitement of searching for the eggs, several winning eggs will be placed with the finders winning bicycles as their reward. Call the Rec Center for further details. IN YOUR "List of things to do on the weekend", why not include a stroll on the Boardwalk? Five Mile Beach is coming back to life after a long winter and a flurry of activity is taking place along the famous wooden way. A few of the fudge shops- are open. The

arcades are in operation and a couple of the piers are beginning to offer their 50 percent discount tickets for use this summer. All along the oceanfront. the mini -bulldozers are busy moving the winter sand back down to the water's edge so it becomes summer sand when the need arises. The season is almost upon us and a brief walk along the boardwalk is a good way to rid yourself of the doldrums and cure your cabin fever. CONCURRENT with the gearing up for the season is the winding down of the fund-raising season. Pancake breakfasts are becoming less frequent and a good old fashioned hoagie sale is hard to find St. Ann's PTA is taking advantage of the void in pancake breakfasts by sponsoring one 8 a.m-2 p.m. March 16 in the St. Ann's Auditorium, Magnolia and - New Jersey Avenue. Tickets may be purchased at the door Grumblings abound among the liquor store owners who have in the past offered free delivery service to guests who call in requesting the courtesy. It seems that the recent decisision to-enforce the existing statute prohibiting such practices has severely reduced sales made because of the delivery service. The two owners whom I spoke with, while offering

cooperation with the policy, seem to feel that once again their undustry is being singled out in an effort to make "Senior Week" a more civilized event. LAST YEAR, the owners were "clobbered" for serving minors who presented fake cards to the cashiers at the time of purchase. While the purchasers escaped with relatively little punishment the sellers paid dearly for the error. I've seen some of the fake cards and they look much better than many "real" cards that are legally obtained. It is unquestionably a tough lime to be in the liquor sales business. Recently, a contingent of Five Mile Beach owners traveled to Trenton to protest their liability as third parties in litigation surrounding abuse of the product they sell. SHORT NOTES: Don't forget the "Meet the Board" night being sponsored by the Home and School Association in Wildwood tonight at 7:30. Glenwood Avenue School. Birthday wishes are to be extended to Pat Rafferty. who is rapidly running out of "20s" to celebrate. Pat is a Wildwood resident and works as an administrative assistant at the Wildwood Crest -based Menton Corporation. Also. "Happy Birthday" to my son Nathanial. who celebrates his 8th birthday tomorrow. Have a good one!

Hugg New Executive Of County Scouts

Avalon — Matthew A. Hugg. 25, is tty newDistrict Executive of the Southern New Jersey Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Hugg. who has spent 17 years in the BSA program, was an Eagle Scout at 15. an assistant scout master in Huntington. Pa during his college years, and a district representative in Gloucester County He took his present post Jan. 1. Among his priorities for the county are increasing volunteer support, strengthening the Exploring program i a coe-ed program that specializes in a career area or interest) and starting groups in Stone Harbor/ Avalon and Woodbine, the only communities without scouting. ' ' Because of the sophistication of kids today." Hugg said, the ages of scout programs will be dropping in September Tiger Cub Scouts, which formerly was comprised of second graders, will now cover first graders. Cub Scouts will admit second and third graders, and Webelos (Senior Cub Scouts which formerly covered fifth graders) will now include fourth and fifth graders. Boy Scouts will cover ages 11-18. Currently, there are 37 units in the county and 1.325 scouts. Hugg said. The all-time record is 1 .390. "We except to be there by the end of this year, I

MATTHEW A. HUGG hope," Hugg said. "If not. we'll be darned close." Born in Boston, Mass.. Hugg grew up in Fort Washington. Pa. He graduated from Juniata College in Huntington, Pa. I in 1983 with a degree in. - geology and biology. Affer one year of graduate school at Bryn Mawr college, he began working at the Scout Shop in Plymouth Meeting, a retail outlet for scout supplies. He and his wife. Carol, moved to Avalon from Gloucester County last week. Hugg replaces Peter Houseman, who went to the Valley Forge Council 15 months ago James English, of Sea Isle City, filled the post in the interim.