By T.R. PAVIS-WEIL
Staff Writer
Times Herald Record

BETHEL - Pack light and leave your tent at home.

Sullivan County - and the world - can stop wondering what's going to happen at the Woodstock site this summer. Alan Gerry's Granite Associates said late Monday the land where the 1969 music festival was held will be open next month - but not for overnight camping.

It'll be quiet too, because Gerry is not planning to hold any concerts. Visitors will be allowed to walk onto the site between sunrise and sunset, but cars won't be permitted.

Instead, the 28th anniversary of Woodstock - which takes place during the middle of August - will be marked by allowing people the chance to ''enjoy their own personal reflection amidst the quiet of the 37-acre amphitheater,'' according to a Granite news release Monday.

Remember Herman's Hermits singing ''There's a kind of hush all over the world'' in the late 1960s? Well, there'll be a kind of hush all over Woodstock this summer.

''We couldn't make everybody happy with what was going to go on out there,'' said Granite vice president Darrell Supak. ''But the important thing is we're committed to planning for the long-term.''

Monday night about six people were at the site, and not all of them were pleased with the no-camping rule. A teacher from New York City, who would only give his name as Rosyman, said, ''He (Gerry) can't come in here and dictate to people . . . people have been peaceful here. People need a place to stay. . . It's holy land.''

Others agreed that, since visitors for the most part are peaceful and clean-up after themselves, why not let them stay over? ''The place should be open to the people,'' said Kamber Kukic of the Bethel Country Store. But Dave Krass, a Bethel resident, disagreed. ''It's good to have restrictions,'' he said, ''until they develop the site.''

Supak said the permitting and planning process would have taken too long to plan an event for this summer. Instead, the company is busy planning for the the future. ''Rather than do something half-baked, we're going to focus on the long-term,'' he said. Supak said Gerry's plans for some sort of year round, performing arts destination will be announced ''hopefully within the next few months.''

When visitors go to the site this summer, they'll see signs that say: ''Welcome to the Site of the Original Woodstock Music Festival . . .Town of Bethel Code Section 57.3 Prohibits Overnight Camping. . . Our Goal is to Respect and Nurture the Spirit of This Land. Help Us to Preserve This Unique Environment. Your Cooperation in Appreciated.''

Supak said some Granite employees will probably be at the site during August 15 through the 17 to ask people to respect the law, but that enforcement of any ordinances will be left up to the State Police and the Sheriff's Department. ''So far, from what I can tell, people have been respectful of the site,'' Supak said.

Sullivan Sheriff Joe Wasser and Town of Bethel Supervisor Allan Scott could not be reached.

Roy Howard, who is holding a round-the-clock concert in August - just about a mile from the Woodstock site - said Gerry's decision for this summer wasn't a bad one. ''So, they'll go by foot,'' he said of the hundreds of faithful who return each year to Max Yasgur's field. ''Maybe they'll play music.''
Tom Kane contributed to this report.