Resident Praises New Signage Prohibiting ATV Use

SOUTH DENNIS – A number of signs have appeared over the last week throughout Dennis Township indicating that ATV use is prohibited. No explanation or publicity as to their origin has been given. The areas where the signs have been situated include the Beaver Swamp Wildlife Management Area; along the right-of-way of the municipality’s railroads by Seashore Road; and throughout residential arteries where ATV-users have flagrantly used these machines despite their illegality for many years.
Gary Gibson, of South Dennis, noted, “I and neighbors have been trying to get the attention of Dennis Township Committee and the mayor since 2009, at least I have been trying that long. Our efforts were preceded by others in various Township neighborhoods like Ravenwood and Dennis Creek well before that. These ATV-users run stop signs, go joy-riding through quiet residential neighborhoods and have created ruts, some of them 2-feet deep.”
Gibson continued explaining the history of the illegal use of ATVs in Dennis by saying, “Dennis has become a magnet for these vehicles since through social media kids and even adults, both from Dennis as well as Middle and other locales, know that nothing is being done here to prevent them. So it’s a perfect storm that the ‘coast is clear’.
“When we’ve complained to New Jersey State Police they are very good about coming out, they’ve even made arrests but with the manpower they have they can’t control this rampant problem. The state even established a 66- acre ATV park in Woodbine but I’ve heard ATV-users don’t want to go there because it’s ‘overregulated.'”
Gibson suggested instituting constables to help with manpower.
“There’s more that can be done; for example, Dennis used to have constables patrolling the Township so I’d like to see them brought back to augment the State Police who have to patrol here, Woodbine and Upper Township.”
Gibson commended the responsiveness of Committee member Donald Tozer who is also in charge of the municipality’s Public Works, commenting, “I spoke to Don about nine months ago and I believe he must be behind the new signs so I really hope they are a signal of a new commitment by the Township to eliminate ATVs here.”
Tozer did not respond to a Herald request for comment.
“I’ve heard that these signs, which another township, Buena Vista uses, are the first of this nature in Cape May County,” Gibson continued. “I sincerely hope that with the signs this will be the end of the dangerous ATV problem in Dennis.” 
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.