The Sinnickson Landing Road ramp in Elsinboro Township has been operated by PSEG Nuclear since 2003.
ELSINBORO TWP. -- A popular, free Salem County boat ramp which has been the target of neighbor complaints for years, has been shut down after a court ordered stricter controls over its use.
Access to the ramp on Sinnickson Landing Road was cut off on Thursday, one day before new rules imposed by the court were to take effect.
George Pantich, who lives directly across the road from the ramp, has complained to officials for years about what he said was noise, vehicles blocking his property and even boaters urinating and disposing of trash on his lawn.
While PSEG Nuclear, the owner of the boat ramp, and Elsinboro Township took steps over the years to reign in problems at the site, Pantich claimed the nuisance continued and in September sought relief from the courts.
In an order issued June 23, Superior Court Judge Anne McDonnell said "the court will not close the boat ramp, but will require additional action by (PSEG) and the township."
"This is one of the last things that George wanted to do," said Adam Telsey, Pantich's attorney, about seeing the boat ramp closed. "He is just trying to live there quietly and peacefully. He felt like he had no alternative (than go to court)."
McDonnell's order says that "effective July 1, 2016, (PSEG) shall provide supervision at the boat ramp for all of its open hours until the licensing ordinance takes effect and until users of the boat ramp understand and abide by the restrictions on their conduct and the placement of vehicles during launch/retrieval."
PSEG Nuclear Spokesman Joe Delmar said the ramp will be closed indefinitely.
"Supervision is only law enforcement having enforcement authority," Delmar said. "Additional supervision would not effectively control the nuisance cited in the complaint."
Also part of her court order, McDonnell requires Elsinboro to craft and ordinance that would make users of the ramp to obtain a daily "revocable license" from the township. Only 12 licenses could be issued per day.
On Friday morning, some of those who used the boat ramp gathered along Sinnickson Landing Road talking about the closure.
"It's convenient for me. It's only two miles door to dock," said Bill McGowan III of Elsinboro.
A boater for 40 years, McGowan, said the ramp's closure will mean greater travel -- and probably cost -- for him to get his boat into the water.
Activities at boat ramp frustrate neighbor
Concrete barriers now block the entrances to the ramp with signs taped to them saying "Boat Ramp Close Due To Court Order." The floating docks have been pulled from the water and now sit in the area boaters used to enter the launch site.
Pantich had taken his case before township officials at numerous meetings. In court papers he says that he has even been physically threatened by some boaters when he has confronted them when they have created a nuisance.
Pantich moved to Sinnickson Landing Road in 1981. The ramp opened in 2003.
The boat ramp was so popular on some days that the traffic from there overflowed onto Sinnickson Landing Road.
A frequent user of the boat ramp, Cheryl Ann Leonard, lives across the street from the site and next door to Pantich.
She says the users of the ramp have not bothered her.
"Sometimes you hear people talk, but I've never heard loud music. I've rarely picked up one piece of trash and never had anyone urinate in my front yard," Leonard said.
"I primarily was interested in moving here because of access to the water," she said. "It's so convenient for me to hook up by (boat trailer and just travel across the road to launch it). It's a very simple procedure."
"As far as I am concerned I've lost my waterfront," Leonard said.
While Leonard, McGowan and some other neighbors talked, they said at last one boater unaware of the closure pulled up to find they couldn't launch there and left.
Leonard said there was no notice of the pending closure. She had heard a rumor about it and on Thursday morning say barriers being put in place.
"We want to review what the court is saying and come to some compromise," said Elsinboro Mayor Sean Elwell. "We understand the public and their desire to utilize (this boat ramp.)"
"This is (PSEG's) property and this is a decision they have made. We will partner with them to do what we can to help."
Elwell noted that over the years the township has enacted ordinances to control activity at the ramp and PSEG Nuclear has worked to improve the situation through installation of signage and gates.
Lower Alloways Creek Township police are contracted to patrol Elsinboro and Elwell noted that LAC officers have in the past targeted the boat ramp as one of their enforcement areas.
The ramp gives boaters access to the Salem River not far from where it empties into the Delaware River. Many travel across the Delaware into the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal which leads to the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay.
It was opened in 2003 as part of PSEG Nuclear's Estuary Enhancement Program. Under that program the company restored thousands of acres of in the Delaware Estuary.
As part of that project, the boat ramp was opened as a way to give the public access to the restored areas.
PSEG Nuclear operates the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear reactors at its Artificial Island generating complex in neighboring Lower Alloways Creek Township.
A free parking lot across the road and just to the north of the boat ramp which is operated by PSEG Nuclear has enough space for 14 vehicles and boat trailers and spaces for eight passenger vehicles.
The ramp is also used at times to launch marine rescue boats by local fire companies. It is also the scene of an annual Memorial Day tribute to lost Naval veterans.
There are only a few other boat ramps in the area, some that charge a fee to launch.
No one could provide any firm figures on how many people use the boat ramp on a busy summer day.
Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
