June 4, 2011 – Those who came out for and against proposed changes to New Jersey's waterfront public access laws found some common ground at a final public hearing on the issue Thursday night, but strong opinions from those on both sides of the debate let it be known where the lines were drawn in the sand.
The debate has been roaring for some time and, most recently, at public hearings held by the state Department of Environmental Protection. The uproar is over the state's policies toward allowing public access to waterfront areas. The rules would change the type of access private business owners would have to provide the general public, and also put access plans in the hands of individual municipalities rather than a single plan for the entire state.
Hundreds packed the Long Beach Township municipal complex Thursday night to have their say on the issue. While many of those who attended the meeting to oppose the potential changes found common ground with marina owners who feel they should not have to provide the public with 24 hour, year-round access to their privately-owned properties – a DEP edict first proposed by the Corzine administration that is stricken in the new proposal – the public's right to access publicly-owned land drew widespread support.
Read the complete story from The New Milford Patch.