Andrzejczak Bill to Allow Recreational Activity on Pinelands Land Heads to Gov’s Desk

TRENTON – Legislation Assemblyman Sgt. Robert Andrzejczak sponsored to allow recreational activity, such as youth soccer, on lands protected by Pinelands development restrictions – a bill prompted by the Pinelands Commission’s recent refusal to allow a farm owner in South Jersey to host youth soccer tournaments on the grounds – now heads to the governor’s desk.
The bill (A-3257) would authorize a county agriculture development board or the State Agriculture Development Committee to determine whether lands that are subject to a Pinelands development credit deed restriction and located within an agricultural production area in the Pinelands area may be used for “farm-based recreational activity.” Under the bill, such activity may include field sports, provided no permanent athletic fields are established on the land.
In April 2014, the Pinelands Commission told the owners of Tuckahoe Turf Farms, a sod farm in Hammonton Township, that youth soccer tournaments violated a deed restriction limiting its recreational use to “low recreation” activities, described as hiking, hunting, canoeing, horseback riding and bicycling, among others.
“We’d hate to see the kids not be able to play, or to see families dissuaded from visiting this region, because of red tape that can be fixed with a little common sense, ” said Andrzejczak (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland). “As long as the activity doesn’t damage the environment and is temporary, we see no reason why it shouldn’t be allowed. In the end, events like these benefit the community, the businesses and everyone involved.”
The bill would expand what qualifies as a low intensity recreational use, and would allow certain recreational activities, such as youth soccer, to qualify as a low intensity recreational use within an agricultural production area.  In addition, the bill provides that a landowner engaging in, or allowing, a recreational use meeting the criteria set forth in the bill would not be in violation of any Pinelands development credit deed restriction related to allowable recreational uses on the lands.
The bill gained unanimous approval from the Assembly.