From The President

The summer months are rapidly drawing to a close. We all look forward to Memorial Day Weekend as the beginning of summer and after this weekend passes by, the rest of summer seems to speed by all of us.

From what I have observed, the season seems to be treating the Borough and all of its components well. There have been many visitors contributing to the well being of the town. Several new items such as the bike lane, the bird sanctuary, and the weekly farmers’ market have been well used and attended.
In keeping with the ROA’s purpose, the Board of Trustees is attempting to bring to you, the members, more timely information. Peter Svanda, one of the trustees, has been working with a web designer to upgrade the ROA website to make it more interactive and easier to use for all.

If you have not been able to visit the bird sanctuary or the remodeled American Legion Building, plan to do so before the summer has ended. Many individuals have worked long hours to improve both of these sites. The bird sanctuary’s improvements include the planting of gardens, the installation of benches for visitors’ use, and paths that allow people to walk into the sanctuary. The visitor’s sign-in book shows visitors from all over the globe.

The American Legion Building is the restored Life Saving Station building. There is a restored Life Saving Boat and military museum for your inspection. Visitors are welcome, and guides are available to give you the facts about the building. Sites such as these are often missed when they are in your backyard; plan to visit both.

The September General Membership Meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 13, in the Stone Harbor School. At this meeting you will have the opportunity to meet the new trustees, the ROA person of the year, and hear information that is pertinent to you.

The Board and I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer.

Larry Kratzer

Shelter Haven Gets Zoning OK

The Stone Harbor Zoning Board of Adjustment approved the variances requested by the Shelter Haven Resort at their meeting on July 11th.

Several residents and officials encouraged the project, which is expected to jumpstart the borough’s recently zoned Waterfront Business District. The new construction should help extend the “shoulder seasons” with spring and fall weddings and events and keep visitors and businesses in the borough year round.
The Shelter Haven Resort will offer bay views, a retractable glass roof around an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, waterfront dining, multiple restaurants and bars, and two-story suites as well as other upscale amenities.

The lot on the corner of 96th Street and Third Avenue has been vacant for several years. The owner’s have also purchased the current Henny’s Restaurant property on the corner of 97th Street and Third Avenue. The reconstructed Henny’s property will include a large day spa, cafe, wine bar, and restaurant with 12 bi-level suites. The resort will use the Henny’s liquor license once the sale is finalized.
Construction is expected to begin this winter.

Exciting Progress at the Bird Sanctuary

The Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary contains 21 acres of old growth maritime forest, a spring fed fresh water pond, fresh water wetlands and saltwater wetlands. It is home to herons, egrets, ibis and songbirds. Herons & egrets have nested here since 1844. The Bird Sanctuary was established by the borough in 1947 and named a National Natural Landmark in 1965.

In 2005 the borough hired Duffield Associates to design a rejuvenation strategy. In 2008 permits were granted to begin. The plan includes increasing tidal flow into the Sanctuary, invasive species control, four walking trails, educational signage, themed gardens, benches and an inscribed paver walkway.
In November of 2007 the Bird Sanctuary Advisory Committee formed Friends of the Sanctuary to solicit funds for the rejuvenation of the Sanctuary. As of June 2008 they have raised over $160,000 from community members, community groups, businesses and governmental agencies.

These gifts include three butterfly gardens, four songbird gardens, two rain gardens, two wildflower gardens, a pocket garden, 35 inscribed teak benches and 165 inscribed pavers as well as unrestricted gifts. This is an on-going program.

Visit the Borough Website and click on Latest News for continuing updates on progress at the Bird Sanctuary.

Plans Set for a Beach Nourishment Project

It has been demonstrated that a wide beach provides significant benefits in the form of storm damage reduction. During storms with elevated water levels and high waves, a wide beach performs as an effective energy absorber with the wave energy dissipated across the surf zone and wide beach rather than impacting on the upland structures and infrastructure.

Beach nourishment improves the health of beaches so that recovery of the recreational sandy surface following minor and moderate storms will begin within weeks. Additional unquantified benefits include lifestyle benefits for residents, additional public open space and improved fishing, diving and surfing conditions.
Stone Harbor’s beach from 100th St. to 111th St. was severely eroded by the winter storms and by a late spring Northeaster. Mayor Walters and borough officials have been hard at work with NJDEP and Army Corps of Engineers to secure permits and funding to piggyback on a replenishment project already planned for North Wildwood in Oct. 2008.

The estimated cost of this work is $4 million. The state will pay 75% of the cost and our share is 25% or $1 million.
Councilman Julian Miraglia has indicated that he has this money set aside in the Natural Resources Committee’s budget.

Mayor Walters Re-elected

Mayor Suzanne Walters and her running mates for Borough Council, Joanne Vaul and Tom Cope won the Republican Primary election in June. They are assured of victory in the November general election, as there are no Democratic challengers.

Walters has served as our mayor since 1997. Vaul brings 27 years experience as a financial consultant and business leader. She is a member of the Borough Planning Board. Cope has over 35 years of engineering management experience, has been a ROA Trustee and officer, and serves on the Planning Board’s Long Range Planning Committee.

Recreational Uses Restricted at Champagne Island

Champagne Island is located between Stone Harbor, North Wildwood and Middle Township. No town has taken responsibility for the island, and the state declared it a wildlife management area. The island is a nesting ground for black skimmers, considered threatened in New Jersey, as well as other species. Boaters, particularly those who bring their dogs and party on the island, were blamed last summer for disturbing the birds during their summer nesting period.

The DEP has assumed responsibility for the island as shorebirds have increasingly made it a nesting spot, particularly the black skimmers -- a bird placed on the state endangered species list in 1979. Conservation groups, including the New Jersey Audubon Society and the Sierra Club, estimated more than 1,400 black skimmers flocked to the island last summer, setting up 570 nests.

More than 80 boats were anchored there one day last summer, with about 420 people on the shore, according to state officials who probed reports of eggs being disturbed. Witnesses said some people brought dogs.

A portion of the shifting sandbar is open to boaters, according to a memo Stone Harbor received from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The memo, which the borough received earlier this month, says that the state is allowing the eastern side of the sandbar to remain open for boat and personal watercraft landing. Dogs, however, are still not allowed there at any time, and there are designated areas that people cannot traverse due to wildlife.

A conservation steward has been stationed at Champagne Island and at nearby Stone Harbor Point to provide public information on the birds in the area of conservation. The steward, who was hired through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is there for public information and does not have enforcement authority. The state will continue to monitor Champagne Island and Stone Harbor Point to assure that the recreational uses do not threaten the endangered species the nest there.

Hopefully we can continue to respect the wonderful natural environment and its inhabitants that make Stone Harbor such a delightful place to live and to visit.

ROA News

Realty Owners Association of Stone Harbor
General Membership Meeting
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. September 13, 2008
Held at the Stone Harbor Elementary School, Third Avenue and 93rd Street
Agenda
Election of Trustees and Officers
Presentation of the ROA Outstanding Member of the Year Award
Demonstration of the new ROA Website, Brian Tribulski
New Jersey Goals and Objectives for Local School Districts
Terry Crowley, Superintendent of Schools for Cape May County
New Stone Harbor Branch of the Cape May County Library
Building Details: Budd Springer, CMC Facilities Engineer
Program Details: Deborah Poillon, Director CMC Library