Monday, December 13, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
NJ Transit to update community on ‘time sensitive’ redevelopment proposal for Hoboken rail yards (Colaneri, The Jersey Journal) Hoboken, Hudson County
“Back in September, NJ Transit came forward with yet another proposal for the Hoboken rail yards, touting the interest of an unnamed ‘world class company’ in relocating its headquarters on Mile Square soil.”
Planners say it’s time to beef up Dinky (Knapp, The Times of Trenton) Princeton, Mercer County
“Continue to strengthen Dinky rail service from Princeton to Princeton Junction. That’s the message the Regional Planning Board of Princeton is sending to NJ Transit.”
Variance OK’d for pumps to West Deptford Wawa (Scott, The Gloucester County Times) West Deptford, Gloucester County
“In spite of protests from a worried township resident, the zoning board has approved a variance allowing Wawa to put in a gas station next to its Crown Point Road store.”
Thursday, December 9, 2010 (Morning)
N.J. environmental groups say ‘urgent action’ is needed for Jersey Shore pollution (Mascarenhas, The Star-Ledger) Ocean County
“As the Legislature considers sweeping changes to the state’s environmental policy, leading green groups warned in a report today that “urgent action” is needed to address a rising tide of pollution and ecological damage along the Jersey Shore.”
DOT gets behind move for Dinky (Knapp, The Times of Trenton) Princeton, Mercer County
“The commissioner of the state Department of Transportation has expressed support for Princeton University’s plans for an arts and transit neighborhood on the western edge of its campus.”
Honeywell development plan discussed; experts layout concept for 147-acre tract (Lent, Morris NewsBee) Morris, Morris County
“Honeywell International Officials came before the Planning Board Monday night to outline concept plans for the redevelopment of its headquarters that would include a hotel, office buildings and options of either townhouses or senior housing.”
Proposed zoning revisions modified, public hearing on Dec. 15 (Zimmer, Suburban Trends) West Milford, Passaic County
“A significant component of the township’s planned rezoning effort was recently scrapped. However, the Township Council is moving to enact some changes that will eliminate unsupported high-density zoning in the town center area before the year’s end.”
Friday, October 1, 2010 (Morning)
Christie Administration Green-Lights Controversial Highlands Gas Pipeline — Again (Johnson, NJ Spotlight) Trenton, Mercer County
“The state yesterday cleared the way once again for a natural gas pipeline through the heart of the New Jersey Highlands, this time on eight acres of watershed property owned by the city of Newark.”
After meeting, no change to Dinky (Staff, The Daily Princetonian) Princeton, Mercer County
“The plan to replace the Dinky with a bus rapid transit system appeared to face a major setback at Thursday night’s meeting of the Princeton Regional Planning Board, after residents voiced near-universal opposition to the plan.”
Redevelopment ordinance amended to allow parking (Mulshine, The Coast Star) Belmar, Monmouth County
“The Belmar mayor and council voted to amend and supplement the borough’s seaport redevelopment plan at the Sept. 15 council meeting.”
N.J. towns use art to fill vacant stores during recession (Caroom, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“Since the beginning of the recession, lights have gone dark and windows empty in many downtowns around the state, leaving prime retail locations vacant. Now a growing number of municipalities are fighting the appearance of blight with art.”
Thursday, September 30, 2010 (Afternoon)
NEWS
Conservationists worry that administration is rewriting environmental rules without public consent (Johnson, NJ Spotlight) Trenton, Mercer County
“In a move viewed by some as a stealth attempt to weaken the state’s rules to control stormwater runoff, the state Department of Environmental Protection is quietly soliciting comments on a controversial guidance document to be used by developers to comply with regulations.”
In Hamilton, anger over zoning change (Duffy, The Times of Trenton) Hamilton, Mercer County
“With reservations — and no shortage of grumbling — the township zoning board this week reluctantly approved a developer’s request to lift the age restrictions on an already approved senior housing complex on Kuser Road.”
Morristown, NJ, revamps Speedwell Avenue redevelopment project (Koloff, The Daily Record) Morristown, Morris County
“A driveway leading from a parking lot to a public works garage where garage trucks now go back and forth would become a pedestrian mall lined with restaurants and shops and lead to a park on street yet to be built and surrounded by buildings forming a quadrangle.”
Princeton planned weigh Dinky train fate (Knapp, The Times of Trenton) Princeton, Mercer County
“The Regional Planning Board of Princeton will consider a controversial plan tonight to replace the beloved “Dinky” train with several buses dedicated to rail passengers and others.”
Land by Allentown rezoned for commercial uses (Degnan, The Messenger-Press) Robbinsville, Mercer County
“The Township Council has voted to rezone farmland and residential properties on Route 526 near the Allentown border to for commercial use in an action criticized by residents from neighboring towns who decried the loss of the greenbelt anchored by the 18th century Wittenborn house and farm.”
OPINION
The tunnel: An investment in N.J.’s economic future (Brake, for The Times of Trenton) Statewide
“At Monday’s Assembly Transportation Committee hearing, New Jersey Transit Executive Director James Weinstein confirmed that the multibillion-dollar project now under construction for just about any new transit service improvement to be added to New Jersey’s transit system.”
Gov. Christie’s Tunnel Vision (Staff Editorial, The New York Times) Statewide
“Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has made a national name for himself by slashing spending on education and other vital services. New Jersey’s children and other vulnerable residents are paying the price. Now he want to stall — and perhaps cancel — one of the most important transportation projects in the country: a new railway tunnel under the Hudson River linking New Jersey and Midtown Manhattan.”
Monday, September 27, 2010 (Afternoon)
NEWS
No more Economic Development Funds From Delaware River Port Authority (Panyard, The Bulletin) South Jersey
“The pot o’ gold at the eastern end of the Ben Franklin Bridge in New Jersey has dried up - at least for a while.”
OPINION
Replacing the Dinky is a very big mistake (Fisk, for The Times of Trenton) Princeton Borough, Mercer County
“Where does fiduciary responsibility begin? At some level, a public body must acknowledge that it cannot evade the obligation to the broader community to say “no” — and say so decisively — to something so wrong, so economically flawed, as the proposed obliteration of the Dinky, Princeton’s unique rail shuttle. The rejection is admittedly made more difficult, even painful, when the concept is so strongly advocated by so respected and as former Princeton Borough Mayor Marvin Reed.”
Facility renovations could spur growth (Pender, for MyCentralJersey) North Brunswick, Middlesex County
“Recently the North Brunswick Township Council passed an ordinance designating the Johnson & Johnson property on Route 1 as a redevelopment zone for mixed use with big box stores and rental housing above the stores in the first phase of the project. The ultimate goal is to attract a passenger train station to the site after which a build-out of the property would include some 1,800-plus housing units. The success of this project depends on many contingencies and at this time if this long term project will be boom or a bane for the Township.”
