Important Message

This was posted as a comment, I am reposting so it is more widely read.    Please heed Herb’s advice, and take action as described.  Its amazing that this is starting at roughly the same time of year.    This proposed mall is not needed, at an overcrowded intersection (yeah, deja vu)

 

 

As some of you may recall, I was a Planning Board member until December 2011, and spoke out on the Catena rezoning application early this year. I’m hoping to enlist you to oppose the latest rezoning proposal.

Steiner [owner of Wegman-Target Epicenter] wants to build more retail stores on the property behind Mr. Tire [Vespia’s] and the library/commuter lot. Right now that land is zoned for an office park. They want to rezone the property to permit 105,000 square feet of retail PLUS 400 additional commuter parking spaces. Also included will be a 4 way traffic light on Symmes so you can get to the new property and the Epicenter.

I think it’s going to be a traffic nightmare, especially on weekends. You might even have traffic back up from the new light, past the jughandle, to Rt 9.

The first step in the plan would be for the Planning Board to amend the Master Plan to permit retail stores in OP10 zones. [this property is the only OP10 zone on Route 9, and might be the only one in Manalapan]. There is a Planning Board meeting on July 26. We need a big turnout to show that there is substantial opposition to this plan. The second step would be the Township Committee enacting an ordinance effectuating the Master Plan Revision. If the Planning Board changes the master plan on July 26, the Township Committee will consider an ordinance change on August 15. Put that date on your calendar too.

Also, please send emails to the Planing Board and Township Committee voicing your concerns [you could just send one to the mayor and copy the Deputy, Committemen and Lovrich; send a separate one to Eleanor at the Planning Board]. Also, forward this email to anyone who would voice their concerns either in an email or make an appearance at the meetings. We really need a big turnout, even if not everyone speaks. Just filling the room lets the Plannning Board and the Township Comm of the opposition.

Mayor Susan Cohen scohen@mtnj.org
Deputy Mayor Don Holland dholland@mtnj.org
Committeeman Andrew Lucas alucas@mtnj.org
Committeeman Ryan Green rgreen@mtnj.org
Committeeman Jordan Maskowitz jmaskowitz@mtnj.org
Township Administrator Tara Lovrich admin2@twp.manalapan.nj.us

Planning Board: Eleanor Ruggiero, Recording Secretary planningboard@twp.manalapan.nj.us
[you should specifically ask her to distribute your email to all Planning Board members]

FYI – Committeeman Ryan Green is running for re-election in November.

Please contact me if you have any questions. thanks.

Herb Lazar
herblazar@yahoo.com

Were you guys not paying attention?

I was going to write a long winded rebuttal to this meeting, but instead, I’ll reduce it to bullet points.

 

• People testified against a 100,000 ft retail establishment off Symmes road (with access to Route 9) previously.   Why is it still being discussed?
• Data centers and high tech software development centers are a good thing, spend time investigating that.
• “Last major chunk of land” is not a criteria to push ahead.    We’ve heard enough, its not needed, move on.
• Someone needs to work with the residents to determine what type of development we WANT in Manalapan, not just reacting to what others WANT to inflict on us.
• A historic village around the mill seemed nice, but you lost me on storage units.  Is this the local government version of pork?  You have the opportunity, as pointed out by the lawyer to be specific as to whats acceptable.  Time to do the job right and do that.
• There are better ways to solve commuter parking that having that be a concession to a developer.    Think harder.
• Looks like I need to start blocking out the Planning and Township Committee meetings on my calendar.
• November is coming,  the residents are not being partisan, I’ve proven I’m not.   You need to listen to the residents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsIEn8AnuFk&feature=youtu.be

Land use amendment, from last meeting

amended_lan_use_plan_-_op_and_sed

You really need to be at the planning board meeting on Thursday!

I’ll try to keep this low key, as far as pep talks go.

Its vitally important that we have a huge outpouring of support at Thursday’s Planning board meeting.  This meeting will be a turning point, where they reveal whether they feel Rt 33 can support dealerships.   As I’ve noted before… the jist of the planning report on 33 has been.   We made mistakes on 9, lets not make them on 33.   An obvious extension to that is TO STOP MAKING THE MISTAKES ON 9!  Virtually everyone I’ve spoken to believes this to be a bad idea, if they think about it for more than 30 seconds.

I’ll state a fact as far as I’m concerned.   Anyone official that votes for this, will NEVER get my vote.    It has been pretty easy to get people on board with this issue, through effective use of the website, and e-mails.   These will be just as effective reminders at election time, should this proceed.  Thats a promise.

The master plan has guided responsible development for decades.   I can’t say I’ve been unhappy with what businesses have emerged over the years.   This proposal to divert from this plan is a mistake, and in my view, puts everything up for grabs going forward.

I also denounce the tactics of the board, of threatening with other worse  approved uses.  “Would you rather have a convention center?”   Wow!    Let me think… NO!  Trust me, that will be met with opposition as well.

This needs to be killed at the planning board level.   It may go to the town council, which is some of the same people, so go figure…    but the louder we complain of how much time is being wasted entertaining this bad idea.. the better chance this goes away, sooner rather than later.

Further news on this will be available on:

http://www.facebook.com/awarenessregistryofmanalapan

This site will track this an other concerns affecting Manalapan.

 

Planning Meeting Tomorrow 8pm – BUT….

The planning meeting is tomorrow, however the dealership issue is not on the agenda.   I felt it is important to let everyone know that.   Many of us are going to be there, and we welcome meeting new people, to answer any questions and bring you up to speed before or after the meeting.  We do realize this is an expenditure of time on your part so we don’t want to necessarily squander it on this meeting.

You are certainly welcome to get up and speak your mind, and the board will listen.

We were hoping for a decision soon, like this meeting, but now the one on January 26th.

If you’ve already mapped out the time, Join us!   If it comes down to only being able to make one meeting, then come on the Jan 26th

Protests Saturday at Exxon 9:45am

Please join us to protest changing of the master plan for dealerships.

Please print copies of the attached flyer to hand out.

The more people that are aware and show up to the meeting on Thursday, the better the chance of defeating this!

MANALAPAN RESIDENTS January7, 2012

Next, on Stop07726dealership…

Website will undergo a redesign with easier access to supporting documents, and action plans, including links to ready to send objection letters.

Please check back frequently during the coming week.  Now is the time to focus on defeating this now.

I appreciate the time everyone has spend on this, attending the meetings, picketing, etc.

 

 

Happy New Year!

I’ll echo Jerry’s comments wishing everyone a Happy New Year! [ link to video coming soon ]

 

I also agree that we’ve heard quite a bit of testimony on the proposed dealerships.

 

I disagree with everything else he said.

.

I’ve pointed out Jerry’s dismissive attitude towards the concerns of the residents.  He said its not a traffic issue.  Yes it is.   He said its not a noise issue.   Yes it is.    Its also a safety issue, and a quality of life and economics issue.

A dealership is an undesirable element for current and future homeowners.  Fact.

The revenue of this and the other dealerships is likely less than a Starbucks beverage on a per household basis.   I’ve asked board members for this number.    I will ask the board at the next meeting to produce that one simple number.

We have doubled the amount of people at each meeting over the past several months.  These people are genuinely upset.  This will impact our lives.  , Jerry dismisses the fact that other people are joining there cause.  News flash, this affects our whole town.     If this passes, anything can pass.

Jerry says this is whats best for the township.  I beg to differ.  This is whats best for Jerry and Mr Catena.  Mr Catena is a businessman who is entitled to ask for whatever he wants, but it is the duty of the board to protect the interest of its residents, by not changing the master plan on a whim.     I get that you have to review the plan.. that does not require you to change it….. especially in this case.

There has been a lot of discussion on the boards last action of a fact finding excercise to look for suitable sites on route 33.

 

To be clear, my stance is,  was and remains.

– 200 route 9 north is not suitable.  This is obvious despite the Catena teams dismissive comments,  selective data, and suspension of belief of common sense.

– The master plan should not be changed.  Otherwise for the purpose of future elections and interactions with the planning board /town council that everything is up for grabs.  This is clearly not in the best interest of the town, its being fast tracked for unknown reasons (a resident cited a compliant usage that took much longer)

-The fact search on 33 is a good thing.  It was a departure fixating on 200 route 9 north.  Before that moment, I thought I was in a bizarro nightmare of us battling towards a very bad outcome, of the board ignoring the will of the people.    If they don’t find a suitable site on a sparsely populated business district (like route 9), then the 200 Route 9 site is certainly not suitable.  There may be a completely suitable site on Route 33 that no one would object to.  The fact that Mr Catena may not want to do business there is beside the point.  The planning report  states that poor decisions were made on Route 9, and they pledge not to make it on Route 33.  It will be interesting to see the criteria they apply to deciding if Route 33 is acceptable.   Hint:  That same criteria needs to be applied to 200 Route 9 North.  that being  said, Manalapan does not need dealerships.. there are plenty on route 9.  Its a running joke.  The more they look elsewhere, the clearer it will be that this is unsuitable.

-The board needs to take to heart what its residents are telling them. If this was a referendum, with all the FACTS outlined, it would be struck down.

Finally,  to address an editorial by a reporter that proposed that residents paying  reduced taxes via reduced property value  is a good thing.  Yes, someone actually wrote that.  No really, they did.  The absurdity of that actually has me speechless.

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Auto dealership not a good idea for Manalapan tract

A really well reasoned letter by an attendee.  Thanks Jacob!

http://nt.gmnews.com/news/2011-12-21/Letters/Auto_dealership_not_a_good_idea_for_Manalapan_trac.html

Video of Township Meeting 12/7/2011

http://goo.gl/Jc40X