The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-05-15
RULES ISSUED FOR NATIONAL
FOREST SUMMER HOMES
Secretary of Agriculture Promulgates
Regulations for Administering
Land-Leasing Law.

Washington, May 1.-THE secre-
tary of agriculture has promulgated a
set of regulations for administering
the new law which provides that nat
ional forest land may be leased for
summer home sites and other recre-
ational purposes in tracts of five ac-
res or less for periods not to exceed
thirty years. The law supplements
the revocable permit system under
which r%ecreational use of the forests
already had developed considerably.
Many users have been unwilling to
make substantial improvements be-
cause of the uncertainty of ten
ure involved in the old form of
permit, which, however, is still
expected to meet the require
ments of persons who are not
likely to occupy the land for more
than a few years, or to make elabo-
rate improvements.
The primary object of the term
PERMITS" as the leases are called, is
not to obtain event but to promote
the use of national forest land for
~recreational purposes, say the regu-
lations. At the same time, since per-
mittees receive special benefits, it is
regarded as only fair that they should
reimburse the government for the ex-
~penditure incurred in administering
the Forests. The rates range from
So a year up, in accordance with the
location of the land, the demand for it.
and the use to which it will be put,
The district foresters are authorized
to grant permits to applicants who in
tend to make improvements costing
less than $1,000 and to use the land
for a period not longer than fifteen
years. All other permits will be ap-
proved by the forester at Washington.
Applications must be filed with the
supervisor of the forest affected, des-
ignating the location of the land des-
ired, the use to be made of it, and
the approximate cost of contemplated
improvements. Examination and sur
vey of the land will be made by the
forest service free of charge. An APP
| plication for a hotel or summer re-
sort site must be accompanied by
plans and specifications of proposed
structures and a statement as to then
probable cost. The law stipulates
five acres as the maximum, and it is
believed that much less than this viii
suffice for most persons, but permit
tees will not be placed close together
except when it is necessitated by
| heavy demand for land in a particu-
lar locality.
Forest officers are instructed to pre-
vent monopolistic control of desirable
locations by individuals or groups anc
no permits will be given for lands
(which are subject to entry under the
homestead law, nor for lands
which will be needed for public OF
; quasi-public purposes. Where pro-
vision for the needs of recreation US
ers calls for such a course, the for
est service reserves public camping
or outing grounds, open without
| charge to all who desire to make use
| of them.
The regulations provide among 9th
err things that permittees shall comply
with state laws and the rules of the
department of agriculture; that prem
Uses be kept neat and sanitary; that
all reasonable precautions be taken to
prevent forest fires; and that in the
case of a hotel or resort the permit
tee shall conduct his business in a le-
| gal and orderly manner.