Say No to Beach Path Revisions

To the Editor: 
It is time for the residents of Lower Township to wake up and see what is going on at the Township Council meetings; first and third Mondays at 7 p.m., Town Hall on Bayshore Road. Everyone needs to be informed and involved. 
Once again, the township is trying to invade the dune structure and doing it in the cold winter months when many residents are away. Remember “the sidewalk?” We all came out that Saturday morning, May 31, 2014 and said “no sidewalk” on our precious dunes.
Steven Morey, Recreation Advisory Board and employee of Hatch Mott MacDonald, the engineering firm of the township, recommended and approved a $19,800 study to revise 33 of the beach paths between Lincoln Boulevard and then north through Villas. Plans include widening the paths to eight feet using a compacted gravel product and bordering the paths will be split rail fences “to keep people off the dunes.”  Drift fence is no longer considered the best choice because apparently sand tends to pile up behind it. Many beaches use drift fence strategically to help build up their dunes; how clever of them. Perhaps it should be given some thought.
Please, Lower Township residents, we are few this time of year; don’t let the township pull this off. We must save our shore and dunes.  You must realize this is only a prelude to the sidewalk’s return and other structures invading our beautiful, natural, wildlife-rich beach and dunes. There is a special meeting announced for Feb 1. It is important, please be there.