Randy Leiser, Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc., 2997 Dune Drive, PO Box 10, Avalon, NJ 08202
toll-free: 800-967-7796 x212  |  local: 609-967-3001  |  fax: 609-967-3057  |  e-mail: Randy@RandyLeiser.com
2015: Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

This Weeks News 10/29/2015


A BIG CHANGE was announced at a recent dredging forum: the lifting of a wintertime ban on dredge projects in the back bays.  For years dredge permits required the suspension of work during the winter months due to the breeding of winter flounder. After determining that winter flounder are not breeding or even living south of Absecon Island (Atlantic City), it was announced that the winter dredging ban would be lifted. Removing the winter ban will allow future dredge projects to proceed uninterrupted, speeding the projects and reducing the costs of mobilizing and demobilizing equipment. Allowing work to occur in the winter months will also mean less impact on the summer boating season.
 
FLOODPLAIN COMMITTEE: Avalon has formed a Floodplain Planning Committee tasked with helping the Borough further improve its flood mitigation efforts, with the goal of maintaining the community's 25% discount on flood insurance, or even increasing the discount to 30%. The committee will hold several meetings from October through December, 2015.
 
Read More On The Committee, And View A List Of Meeting Dates
 
Sunset - Stone Harbor, NJ
This beautiful sunset was captured from the 96th Street bridge in September by Long & Foster friend Ed Herrmann!
 
AN OLD HOUSE that collapsed into the bay in Middle Township three weeks ago has been fully removed from the waterway. The old home stood on pilings along Grassy Sound, behind North Wildwood and had been unoccupied for years. It finally gave way during the strong winds and high tides experienced during the northeast storm that affected the area about four weeks ago, and ended up partially submerged in a creek not far from where the home formerly stood. Middle Township officials quickly contacted state and federal officials and created a plan to remove the debris from the water; the project was completed last week.
 
ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE: Long & Foster's Avalon office is collecting food items for its annual donation to the Holy Redeemer Food Bank. This year's collection has already been kicked off with several generous donations. If you'd like to help, please stop by our office during business hours with non-perishable food items. If you prefer to make a monetary donation, you may drop off a check payable to "Holy Redeemer."
 
PLAN AHEAD, SAVE THE DATE! Avalon and Stone Harbor will once again celebrate the holiday season with numerous festivities on Thanksgiving Weekend. Family activities include games, music, shopping, crafts, aquarium feedings, and a huge Christmas parade Saturday evening, November 28th. See below for a list of events, and stay tuned for more details!

This Weeks News 10/22/2015

THE BLUE HIGHWAY: Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi spoke at Monday evening's dredging forum, in which officials discussed the often-complex issue of dredging local waterways. Issues ranged from the complex permitting process to the need for a common sense-based approach to regulatory guidelines. A variety of stakeholders attended the meeting, including owners of local marinas, commercial fishermen, and owners of private boats and waterfront properties, many of whom voiced concerns about "the blue highway," including shallow navigation channels and boats unable to enter or exit marinas at low tide. Representatives from the NJDEP and Army Corps of Engineers participated in the forum, along with Congressman Frank Lobiondo.  It's encouraging to know that officials at all levels are looking for ways to make the dredging process smoother, as it's critical to Cape May County's economy to keep local waterways navigable.
 
Avalon, NJ Sunrise
Long & Foster friend Joe Van Thuyne captured this glorious Avalon sunrise on a recent morning!  Do you have a great Island photo you'd like to share? Send it to me!
 
THIRTY-YEAR MORTGAGE RATES INCHED UP to an average of 3.82% last week, marking twelve consecutive weeks that rates have been below 4%. Fifteen-year rates averaged 3.03%, also up slightly. Whether you're considering a purchase or a refinance, lock in your borrowing costs now, while rates are near historical lows. For reliable mortgage lenders, please call or email me!
 
10,000 DUNE GRASS STOLONS were planted in Avalon last week, by 75 volunteers. The new grass will help stabilize the dunes, preventing erosion and providing storm protection. Aerial fertilization of the new dune grass is expected to occur this week.
 
A LITTLE FRIENDLY COMPETITION: The first annual Mayor's Bocce Tournament was held last Saturday at Avalon's 39th Street Park. Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi and his team defeated Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters and her team. While Avalon holds the Bocce Cup for now, a rematch is slated for October, 2016.
 
YANK MARINE in nearby Upper Township will be featured in an upcoming reality television series on National Geographic Channel. A film crew spent two months at the boatyard earlier this year, as workers went about their business building and repairing vessels. John Yank founded the business nearly fifty years ago along the banks of the Tuckahoe River. Recent Yank Marine projects include the construction of two Hudson River ferries, as well as the maintenance of 87-foot Coast Guard Patrol Boats stationed in Cape May. For more on Yank Marine and the upcoming show, click here:  Press of Atlantic City - National Geographic Series to Feature Tuckahoe Boatyard.

This Weeks News 10/15/2015

DREDGING OF COUNTY WATERWAYS will be discussed by a variety of local, county, state, and federal officials at a forum on Monday, October 19th. Topics of discussion will include legislation, fish habitats, disposal of dredge material, as well as solutions to dredging-related problems. Speakers are expected from the US Army Corps of Engineers, Stockton Coastal Research Center, and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, as well as Congressman Frank Lobiondo. Cost to attend is $20; for more information call (609) 465-7181, or visit The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce. The forum will take place at Stone Harbor Country Club from 5:30pm to 8pm.

Dredging has been a hot topic among local Bayfront property owners as well as boaters, as many local waterways are quite shallow at low tide. Avalon and Stone Harbor have both undertaken dredging projects to deepen local back bay waterways. Avalon is in the second year of its project, while Stone Harbor's dredging is expected to begin later this month.
 
Boat in the  Intra-Coastal Waterway Avalon NJ
A boat heads south in the Intra-Coastal Waterway as the sun gets low in an October sky.
 
IF YOU'D LIKE TO PLANT DUNE GRASS this weekend, your help is appreciated! Please contact Chuck McDonnell at Community Hall (609-967-3066) or Sue Keen at Mayor Pagliughi's office (609-967-5924) with questions or to sign up. Volunteers will report to Avalon Community Hall at 8:30am Saturday, October 17th, for donuts and coffee as well as a planting demonstration. Transportation and a complimentary lunch will be provided!
 
STONE HARBOR'S HARVEST FESTIVAL returns Saturday, October 24th from 11am to 5pm. Bring the family for trick or treating at local shops and businesses, plus crafts, activities, and free hay rides.
 
OCTOBER MIDWEEK GETAWAYS at The Golden Inn begin at just $149 per couple--a great way to enjoy a bit of the fall season at the shore! To book a Golden Inn getaway package, visit Golden Inn - Hotel Packages Escape for a night or two and enjoy sunny days, cool weather, and the slower pace of the Island during the shoulder season! And if you'd like to spend an hour or two looking for your very own place at the shore while you're here, please call or email me!
 
SEA ISLE CITY'S ACME and several adjoining stores met the wrecking ball last week. The 9,000 square-foot Acme had been there since 1959, but will be replaced by a 26,000 square-foot store for summer 2016. Rick's Breakfast House and Uncle Oogie's Pizza will move into a new 6,400 square-foot building on the site.
 
PLAN AHEAD FOR WINTER--call your plumber to schedule the shutdown of your outside shower and water lines, and other house winterizing jobs. The off season is also a great time to undertake major projects, when contractors and vendors aren't quite so busy. Whether you're painting a room or two, ordering new furniture or appliances, or remodeling your entire house, get started now to avoid the spring "jam up!" Need a recommendation for a contractor or other service provider? Email or call me!

This Weeks News 10/8/2015

MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES are expected through the weekend, with a chance of showers Friday evening into Saturday. Sunday and Monday of the Columbus Day Weekend are expected to be picture-perfect fall days, with daytime highs around 70 degrees, and overnight lows in the 50s. Stop by Avalon's Seafood Festival (Saturday & Sunday) or take a walk on the beach!
 
LAST WEEK'S WEATHER pattern brought northeast winds and rain to the area over a period of several days. Coastal flooding and beach erosion occurred over several high tide cycles, before the winds and tides subsided. Generally speaking property damage was very minimal, with only the very lowest of properties threatened by the flooding.
 
AVALON DUNE GRASS PLANTING has been rescheduled to October 17th. Volunteers should report to Avalon Community Hall at 8:30am for donuts, coffee, and a planting demonstration. Tools and transportation will be provided, followed by a complimentary lunch at Community Hall. For questions or to sign up for the planting, please contact Chuck McDonnell at Community Hall (609-967-3066) or Sue Keen in Mayor Pagliughi's office (609-967-5924).
 
Sailboat in the marsh.
During a very high tide last weekend a sailboat floated across the marsh just a couple of hundred yards from Stone Harbor Boulevard, as seen here. Receding waters later left the sailboat grounded in an area that is normally too shallow to navigate. No word yet on what caused the boat to get so far off course.
 
THE TOWNSEND'S INLET BRIDGE will close again for two months beginning in early December, following a period of alternating single-lane traffic patterns in November. The upcoming closure will see work performed on the roadway on the Avalon end of the bridge, along with reinforcement of the seawall on the ocean side and the installation of rip-rap on the bay side. The work is part of a multi-year project to repair and upgrade the bridge and roadway that connect Avalon to Sea Isle City.
 
A NEW LIBRARY will soon rise at 96th Street and Second Avenue in Stone Harbor, as county and local officials broke ground on September 30th at the site. The new library will be 9,400 square feet, and is expected to be finished in October 2016.

This Weeks News 10/1/2015

AVALON SEAWATCH: Cape May Bird Observatory has staffed the Avalon Seawatch from dawn to dusk from September 22nd to December 22nd every year since the early 1990s. Each fall a count of migratory birds is made, with annual counts averaging 800,000. In 2014 the count exceeded 1,000,000 birds. Avalon Seawatch is currently housed in a small hut on the beach between the 8th Street jetty and 9th Street. Cape May County in general is known as a good birdwatching area, as the county's shape funnels birds into the area before they cross the Delaware Bay. For a look at the migratory bird data collected by the Avalon Seawatch click here: Avalon Seawatch.
 
FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT: Stone Harbor recently issued a Flood Plain Management Annual Progress Report in which it detailed several projects designed to further mitigate the threat of flooding on the Borough. Among the projects Stone Harbor has or will be undertaking are upgraded outfall pipes to carry storm water to the bay, improvements to existing drainage pipes, and utilization of a reverse 911 system to alert residents of flooding or approaching major storms. Previous efforts undertaken by the Borough have improved Stone Harbor's National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating, and those with flood insurance policies in the Borough already enjoy 15 to 25 percent premium discounts. The Borough of Avalon has undertaken extensive projects too, and the resulting rating improvements have reduced flood premiums there as well.
 
STARGAZER'S DELIGHT! Sunday evening's super moon lunar eclipse arrived right on schedule. There were clouds in the area but a steady breeze kept them moving, allowing for a great view of the eclipse. The time lapse photo below shows the view of the moon from Cape May County, as it transitioned from full to a "blood" moon in the earth's shadow.
  
Lunar Eclipse
Sunday evening's super moon lunar eclipse, as seen from Cape May County!
 
POWER OUTAGE RESCHEDULED: A planned power outage in Avalon scheduled for Tuesday, September 29th has been rescheduled due to weather concerns. Power was expected to be off for approximately 20 minutes Tuesday afternoon so the Piermont substation could be de-energized while a new substation was to be constructed over the winter. Rain, wind, and thunderstorms in the forecast for the next several days led to the postponement of the planned outage. It could occur next Tuesday, October 6th, but that date is still tentative, and subject to change.
 
PLAN AHEAD--AVALON'S SEAFOOD FESTIVAL returns on Saturday and Sunday, October 10th & 11th. The popular annual event will feature more than 20 local vendors serving up some of the best seafood around. Live music, children's activities, crafts and shopping will be part of the event, too. The Sound Advice Lounge will feature beer & wine, along with live streaming of the weekend's football games. Be sure to catch the Chowder Championship Sunday at 12 noon, as local restaurants square off in the annual contest!