Ponderlodge Golf Course

Cape golf course goes to birds for open space
By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer, (609) 463-6711
Atlantic City Press
Published: Friday, March 3, 2006
Updated: Friday, March 3, 2006

LOWER TOWNSHIP — Weekend duffers here at the Ponderlodge Golf Course used to line up putts hoping for birdies, but those closely cropped greens soon may turn to rough for an entirely different kind of birdie.

The birdie the state Division of Fish and Wildlife envisions catering to is the kind that flies in during a long-distance migration.

The state Wednesday closed the deal to purchase the course for $8.45 million. On Thursday, John Watson, deputy commissioner for natural resources at the state Department of Environmental Protection, released new details on plans for the 239-acre tract.

“We purchased it primarily for its habitat value, to create grasslands and savannahs and to protect woodlands for migrating birds. It will be a nice new initiative to convert a golf course to natural habitat. This will be a first for us,” Watson said.

It may be a first, but it probably won't be the last. Watson said the department has its eye on other golf courses. Golf enjoyed a surge in popularity a few years ago, but some would argue too many courses were built. Bird watching, meanwhile, is enjoying a similar surge in popularity.

The Cape May birding community, which has been known to go long distances just to see a rare species, is excited about such a large tract so close to home.

“We'll venture all over to where things are found, and Ponderlodge is close. It's a perfect destination for birdwatchers, nature walks and nature photography,” said Patricia Sutton, program director for the N.J. Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory.

Sutton already has been into Ponderlodge for a field trip she does on the biggest trees in Cape May County. Many are in Ponderlodge. She said some oaks are 300 years old.

“It's good habitat with big trees. It's yesteryear. It's old Cape May back there,” Sutton said.

The deal does not sit well with everybody. The township applied for Green Acres funding hoping to turn the site into a public golf course and park. That was before Green Acres decided to buy the tract itself and turn into over to Fish and Wildlife to manage. Mayor Walt Craig said the state even encouraged township officials and civic groups to pressure the county to help fund the acquisition, and indeed, they did heavily lobby the county freeholders.

“I'm extremely disappointed in the way the state handled the entire transaction. Promises were made that were not kept,” Craig said.

The mayor is hoping for at least a portion of the site for a township recreation facility. He had even thought about moving the township's recreation operation to a big clubhouse at Ponderlodge and then giving the police the current recreation center in the Villas.

“At least they could offer us a portion of the land,” Craig said.

Green Acres Administrator John Flynn said the state wants to work with both the county and the township.

“We're not closing out any possibilities at this point,” Flynn said.

Watson said the primary objective as far as human use is to make Ponderlodge a “wildlife viewing destination,” but he added that the DEP is not opposed to other types of recreation on portions of the property.

Craig also is upset about losing a ratable worth $103,503 in taxes last year. The township faces a 10 percent tax hike this year and he had hoped to get income from a public golf course.

Flynn noted there will be a payment from the state in lieu of taxes. It will be 100 percent of the tax bill the first year and the payment will decline 7 percent per year for 13 years. After that, another program kicks in that pays the township $2 per acre. That program pays based on the percentage of land preserved in a municipality. The township is at 19.54 percent. If it can get above 20 percent, the payment would increase to $5 per acre.

“Dennis Township is 48 percent preserved, and we pay them $10 an acre,” Flynn said.

The deal also could fend off some water-supply issues. Flynn said Ponderlodge was operating without a state water allocation permit.

There is some good financial news to come out of the deal. Ponderlodge was in bankruptcy and owed back taxes. Township Manager Kathy McPherson said a check for $291,983.77 arrived shortly after the Green Acres deal closed.

To e-mail Richard Degener at The Press:

RDegener@pressofac.com