Middle Township Clarifies: Campgrounds Closed for Present

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COURT HOUSE – Citing a clarification letter from the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office dated March 25, 2020, Middle Township confirmed that campgrounds in the township are closed and should remain closed until further notice. 
According to a release, the letter, signed by Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland, refers to Gov. Murphy’s Executive Order 107.
“After some mixed messages from the county and the State of New Jersey, we appreciate this clarification from the County Prosecutor,” Mayor Timothy Donohue stated. “Our police department has visited each campground in the township and I thank the campground owners for their quick cooperation in accepting the closure until further notice, due the Coronavirus State of Emergency in New Jersey.”
The only exception to the order, per the County Prosecutor’s letter, is “if a campground has certain year-round leased units where they are occupied year-round. They would be considered someone’s residence”.
Furthermore, they may not travel to a New Jersey campground to drop off their camper. This is not considered essential travel and they run the risk of being fined by the New Jersey State Police.
Middle Township hopes that this order, along with a March 29 press release calling for a 30-day halt to short-term rentals in the township, will discourage travel to the municipality, especially from areas with a high number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. 
The Middle Township Police Department will be conducting periodic checks of all campgrounds to confirm compliance. 
“As a governing body, we are united in our belief that the next four weeks are critical to containing the virus and slowing the spread,” Donohue stated. “We will continue to consider all legal options available to protect the safety and welfare of Middle Township residents.”