September 12, 2011
OPINION
NJ Sierra Club: Time of Decision Law At Crossroads (Tittel, for the Mahwah Patch) Mahwah, Bergen County
“Citizens in Mahwah were elated when the Council rescinded an ordinance allowing for a megamall. Unfortunately the jubilation was short lived due to the Time of Decision law.”
COURTS
Conifer Realty, L.L.C. v. Township of Middle Zoning Board (Appellate Division)
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Gov. Christie says he’s still undecided on Port Authority toll hikes and PATH fare hikes (Strunsky, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“A day after public hearings on a proposed toll and PATH fare hike, Gov. Chris Christie said he had not decided on the proposal but told reporters ‘there were more people spoke in favor of the toll hike than against it.’”
Study: Stormwater Basins Harming Barnegat Bay (Nee, Point Pleasant Patch) Jersey Shore
“Stormwater basins built along the Barnegat Bay watershed may be harming the waterway, according to a new study.”
State has no power to block gas pipeline (Reilly, njherald.com) Sussex County
“The state Department of Environmental Protection has no power to stop the natural gas pipeline that is planned to cut through High Point State Park, a state official said Wednesday.”
Solar Farm planned in East Rutherford (Staff, South Bergenite) East Rutherford, Bergen County
“The Planning Board approved zoning changes on Aug. 8 to allow a solar farm east of Route 17 in order to allow Diamond Chemical company to harness its power.”
Rutgers graduate students to take a crack at Raritan waterfront (Cooper, Somerset Messenger-Gazette) Raritan, Hunterdon County
“The future of the town’s river front area is to be envisioned by a group of graduate students from Rutgers University Bloustein School of Planning and Policy this fall. The students will meet with borough officials on Friday to launch the project.”
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
NEWS
N.J. appellate court upholds Highlands Plan to prevent housing development in environmentally-sensitive area (Spoto, The Star-Ledger) Highlands
“New Jersey’s plan to curb development in the environmentally sensitive Highlands can move forward despite claims it will hurt efforts to add affordable housing, a state appeals court panel ruled today.”
Pinelands report says Stafford Township solar project a bad deal for protecting forest (Weaver, The Press of Atlantic City) Stafford, Ocean County
“An annual report on the state of New Jersey pinelands gives Stafford Township a poor mark for its decision to support a solar panel project atop a landfill in the Stafford Business Park.”
Pipeline hearing will focus on plan for High Point State Park (Reilly, NJ Herald) Sussex County
“The public will have a chance to voice their opinion Wednesday about the natural gas pipeline expansion planned to slice through High Point State Park.”
OPINION
Christie’s beach tours / More walk, less talk (Staff Editorial, The Press of Atlantic City) Jersey Shore
“Gov. Chris Christie is not the first politician to take an oceanside walk as a demonstration of his environmental credentials.”
COURTS
In Re Highlands Master Plan (Appellate Division)
Monday, August 15, 2011
NEWS
Little Silver Mulling Removal of Age Restriction for Proposed Condo Complex (Kulaga, Little Silver-Oceanport Patch) Little Silver, Monmouth County
“Public concerns have caused the Little Silver Planning Board to carefully consider the impact of allowing a previously approved but undeveloped 39-unit condominium complex to remove its age restriction, pushing back their vote on the matter for a special meeting to be held on Sept. 13.”
GEMS Area Landowner Wins Approval (McCullen, Gloucester Township Patch) Gloucester, Gloucester County
“A developer can proceed with a 5-year-old plan to build 18 homes in the shadow of the Gloucester Environmental Management Services (GEMS) landfill following an Appellate Court decision last month that labeled the township Planning Board’s decision to shoot down a preliminary site plan “arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable.”
OPINION
From brownfields to opportunity (Martin and Franzini, northjersey.com) Statewide
“The state’s brownfields redevelopment program is a national model, for two decades turning contaminated and underutilized parcels into opportunities for economic growth.”
Thursday, August 11, 2011
NEWS
Livingston Township Officials Fight Court Ruling Over Affordable Housing (Harris, TheAlternativePress.com) Livingston, Essex County
“True to their word, Livingston Township officials voted last month to appeal a court ruling that required changes in the zoning code and helps clear the way for the building of two new housing developments.”
Camp owner petitions for public hearing on planned warehouse complex (O’Sullivan,phillyburbs.com) Mansfield, Burlington County
“A camp owner is continuing his fight to protect the attraction from the potential environmental impact of a planned 2-million-square-foot warehouse complex on adjacent parcels of farmland.”
EMPLOYMENT
Senior Planner, Economic Development — Newark, Essex County
Friday, August 5, 2011
NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund to get $650 million as Chris Christie signs bill (Moore, The Asbury Park Press) Statewide
“With a fine summer day on the Barnegat Bay as his backdrop, Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation that will recharge the state’s Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund with nearly $650 million, including $32 million for projects to stauch the flow of polluted storm water to the bay.”
Rumson OKs subdivision for Tredwell House land (Higgs, The Asbury Park Press) Rumson, Monmouth County
“The fourth time was a charm for the owners of the Ridge Road land that was the site of the historic Tredwell house, who won permission to subdivide the land for future building and will give the borough some historic artifacts from the site in the deal.”
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
N.J. allocates $157M for preservation of state land, natural resources (Gibson, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“Almost a week after it was initially planned, Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation today to allocate money to green space preservation projects.”
Another Solar Energy Farm Coming to Manalapan? (Gandolfo, Manalapan Patch) Manalapan, Monmouth County
“Kenneth Pape, partner at Heilbrunn Pape, is expecting to seek approval for plans to develop Manalapan’s third solar energy farm at the township Zoning Board meeting on Thursday, August 4. Pape recently gave a full presentation on plans for the farm to Manalapan’s Environmental Commission.”
Morris seeks commuter rail study for Rt. 23 corridor service (Staff, The Daily Record) Morris County
“The Morris County freeholders and the county’s Board of Transportation are calling for a study into the feasibility of re-establishing commuter rail service on the New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railway along the Route 23 corridor in Morris, Sussex and Passaic counties.”
Rumson neighbors fight cutting of trees (Higgs, The Asbury Park Press) Rumson, Monmouth County
“A Navesink Avenue coupled started to make their case Monday night against a builder who they alleged clear-cut 77 percent of the trees on the lot next door to their home, in violation of the borough’s ordinance, which allows a maximum of 40 percent to be removed.”
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
2 Wanaque residential developments do not need to comply with 2004 environmental standards, court panel rules (Baxter, The Star-Ledger) Wanaque, Passaic County
“Two residential developments in Wanaque Borough do not need to comply with environmental rules under the state Highlands Act, a Superior Court panel ruled today.”
New Golden Triangle deal moving forward (Russell, mycentraljersey.com) East Brunswick, Middlesex County
“A negotiated agreement has been worked out between the township and Toll Brothers for the property known as the Golden Triangle that will bring retail space, including a big-box store, and 200 to 400 residential units to the site bordered by Route 18 and Tices Lane.”
Board Pushes Aquatics Center Decision to September (De Bellis, Berkeley Heights Patch) Berkeley Heights, Union County
“Residents appealing the zoning approval for the proposed Berkeley Aquatic Center’s new 51,000-square foot facility on the border of Warren and Berkeley Heights argued that the facility would not be consistent with permitted use under municipal ordinances at the zoning board meeting on Monday night.”
Monday, December 27, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
Religious group, environmentalists battle over preserved land in Edison (Johnson, The Star-Ledger) Edison, Middlesex County
“It’s church vs. nature.”
OPINION
Keep the Dinky stationary (Staff, The Times of Trenton) Princeton, Mercer County
“As discussions continue about Princeton university’s plan for an arts transit district, the commissioner of the state Department of Transportation has expressed support for the proposal, which also involves relocation of the Dinky train station.”
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.”
