State orders Voorhees to remove popular Stafford Woods disc golf course from restricted land.

The future of the Stafford Woods disc golf course on Voorhees public land continues to be threatened by the state, which contends the course — built by the sport's enthusiasts — violates the deed for the land and that the Township is in default on loans used to purchase the open space.

The state sent a "mediation plan that would drastically change the disc golf course, reducing it to the bare minimum allowed for a course," Stephen J. Steglik, Voorhees Township administrator, told 70and73.com in an email last week.

Steglik said he plans to meet soon with disc golf representatives, Bill Green, owner of neighboring Saddlehill winery, and Township engineers to offer a counter proposal to the state.

"Our hope is to find a common solution that will secure our funding while maintaining the disc golf," he wrote.

Much of the disc golf course is on the restricted land, just inside the entrance to the park on Evesham Road.

At issue is the state's contention that the restricted part of the land may be used for only "passive recreation," and disc golf is not considered by the state to fall under that definition. At risk is the availability to Voorhees of one type of state funding for open space.

About 43 acres, or 60%, of the Voorhees park is limited by the 2004 deed of conservation restriction to only passive recreation. The deed defines passive as walking, hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, bird watching, nature observation, fishing and hunting.

The park was saved as open space in the sale of the former Stafford Farm with the balance of the Stafford land preserved permanently for agricultural uses. Green's Saddlehill winery purchased the 70-acre, 248-year-old farm for $900,000 in 2021.

Failure to correct the issue "may render the Township ineligible" to receive future funding from the state conservation program, according to the April 4 letter to the Township signed by David E. Zimmer, executive director of the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank and Patricia Gardner, assistant commissioner of water resources management for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The disc golf course, first built as nine holes by volunteers and opened in the park in 2012, was expanded to 18 holes in 2014 and is rated by players as one of the top courses in New Jersey, hosting professional tournaments.

After a complaint to the state in 2023 from the Saddlehill winery about a hole in its fence, the NJDEP informed Voorhees Township that the disc course was not considered a passive recreation use of one section in the park. Saddlehill owner Green has since met with the disc golf enthusiasts and now supports their mission.

The Voorhees park site was partly funded with money from the state Green Acres program and the state Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program (EIFP). Communications from the DEP has indicated that disc golf would be permitted on Green Acres land, but not on EIFP land.

In the April letter to the Township, the state said the Township "may further consult with NJDEP to pursue relocation of the disc golf course within that portion of the park that does not constitute the financed portion of the park."

"If the Township does not cure its default by Monday, May 6, 2024, a material event shall have occurred, which will result in a finding of unacceptable credit risk. Such a finding renders an applicant ineligible to receive a future program loan," according to the letter. The 30-day period to resolve the issue began on May 6, the letter noted.

The letter stated that the "objective is to ensure that the Township remain in good standing with the program by avoiding a default on its existing obligations and maintaining its ability to realize the financial and infrastructure opportunities offered by the program that will benefit the Township's residents and ratepayers."