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LOWER TOWNSHIP - The Delaware Bay beaches have always been for the dogs, but Township Council is considering tightening the regulations.

The problem is complaints about dogs running loose and owners not cleaning up after them. Dogs are allowed on the beaches, but must be leashed, and owners must clean up. The township even supplies the plastic baggies at stands on the beach entrances.

The debate raged at Monday's council meeting.

"I pay $8,000 a year in taxes to the township, and I have to go down to Cape May and buy beach badges because there are no dogs on their beaches. I shouldn't have to sit on the beach and watch a dog take a dump right in front of me," said Bill Conners, of Shore Road.

Bill Greenfield, a Villas resident and dog owner, took exception.

"I think you're painting dog owners with a pretty broad brush. A lot of people are responsible. Dog owners pay taxes, too," Greenfield said.

Actually, the problem may be more about out-of-towners than local taxpayers. In July 2007, after a similar series of complaints, the township code-enforcement officer and a police officer did a sweep on the beaches and all nine citations issued were to people who didn't live here.

Protecting beach-nesting birds on the Atlantic coast has made most of those beaches off limits to dogs, so many pet owners head to the bay. It didn't help that Philadelphia Magazine recently identified the township's Town Bank area as a good place to bring dogs to the beach. Conners brought council a copy of the magazine that lists beaches in Longport, Stone Harbor and Town Bank as dog-friendly.

"I don't think this is a distinction Lower Township really wants. We're known as dog beach," said Conners. "I ask you to please enforce some laws or pass some laws that don't allow these dogs to run wild on the beach."

Council was split on what to do.

"I'm one of the people who walk my dog on the beach. I do keep him leashed," Councilman Glenn Douglass said.

His answer was to enforce the leash law. Douglass urged beachgoers who see a dog running free to call animal control.

Councilman Wayne Mazurek said his grandson was recently knocked over by a dog. He wanted to look into adopting stricter measures and noted Stone Harbor allows dog on several beaches early in the morning and again in the evening, but not during the middle of the day.

"We could limit the hours so there are not a lot of dogs on the beach when people are on the beach, and maybe limit it to some areas," Mazurek said.

Mayor Mike Beach said the township doesn't have the resources to post enforcement officers at the beach all the time. He said the key is for dog owners to be responsible.

"If we can't get a handle on it with spot code enforcement and animal control, then we might have to limit hours on the beach," Beck said.

No action was taken but the situation will be monitored in the coming weeks.

The discussion brought forth another issue along the bay. Residents said the dunes are encroaching into Shore Drive, the road that runs along the bay, and this has made it dangerous for two-way traffic. Residents want the sand removed or the road made one-way.

Shore Drive resident Michael McGinnis said the road was once 40 feet wide.

"I'm not asking for 40 feet. It's now 20 feet, and we want 30 feet," McGinnis said.

His wife, Joan, wants the road made one-way during the summer.

Beck said the township tried to get permission from the state Department of Environmental Protection to remove the sand, but it wasn't allowed.

"In four to five years you'll have a nightmare on that road," Beck said.

Mazurek said the wind blew sand on the road, and now the pavement is considered part of the dunes.

"You can't disturb dunes," Mazurek said.

"Those dunes have lots of rights," Deputy Mayor Kevin Lare said.

"Then I shouldn't have to pay taxes," replied Joan McGinnis.

E-mail Richard Degener:

RDegener@pressofac.com

1 comment:

• freespeech (37) posts 7:29 am

  This article could have been called paradise has been discoved---now what can we do with the problems. Shore Drive (Townbank) that becomes Beach Drive (North Cape May) a road that runs parallel to the Delaware Bay for a stretch of approx. 2 miles from Pinewood Road on the North and Douglass Park to the South is the jewell of Cape May County and maybe of New Jersey. This area had been laid back and since the 1930's when townbank to the north was developed as a sleeping community of small homes on small country roads. North Cape May the begins Beach Drive was a retirement village developed in the 1950's. If you wanted action in was in the Wildwoods---if you wanted a quiet oasis at the shore Townbank and North Cape May was the spot. All has changed in the last decade with the discovery of the only commercial establishment that is situated in this two mile span. Incidently, this establishment has maintained the historical significance of the area by the whaler analogy in its name by the last two owners. The Philadelphia influence and lower standard of living was overcome by the visitors from the north of Jersey and NY. Visitors to the only watering hole in the area noticed the low real estate values the pristine beaches and ample parking. Essentially, Paradise was discovered! The dot com bust of the early years of the 21st century made real estate the king and Townbank/North Cape May by the bay has never been the same. The township in the year 2000 purchased the beach front from Englewood to the north and Lincoln Drive to the south with the funds supplied by the Frank Stewart Foundation. A $250,000 purchase that was full of controversy. www.capemaybeach.com, click "on the beach" refer to Something Fishy 9-8-2000. The shore drive/Beach Drive area has never been the same. Now what can be done with the traffic problems, pedestrian safety questions, rover and man and a host of other problems going forward. The horse is out of the barn door and it is too late to turn back that which was. However, there are many things that should be considered by LT government such as: (1) purchasing of the beach north of Englewood Road to have a comprehensive policy along Shore as well as Beach Drive. Parking is allowed on the east side of Beach but not Shore Drive. (2) One way traffic flow that would allow a greater area for bikers, walkers and runners. (3) closing Shore and Beach drive for several hours for family activites on Sat. and Sun. as is done in Philadelphia along the Drives. (4) designating beach areas for walking dogs. Paradise has been discovered and the problems have to be addressed. The township by purchasing the land in North Cape May has put itself in a "there is no turning back now." The issues must be addressed and the beauty of the area must be restored without the awful double yellow lines of a busy road and the hundreds of road signs that look like "tin can" alley. Stop signs in unthoughout spots and painted streets and lines everywhere!

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