Letter below was submitted to the Bernards Township Committee on January 15, 2018.
To: Mayor and Members of Bernards Township Committee
Subject: Quarry Redevelopment: Continue Planning Process
This is follow-up to a letter to you on November 29 and your meeting on January 9.
On November 29 I urged you to examine what was good and what was bad in the plan for quarry development presented at your October 24 meeting. And also to continue the redevelopment planning process then in motion.
I did not attend your January 9 meeting, but I have watched the video clip and read the account of the meeting in the Bernardsville News. You announced that you will act on a resolution at your January 24 meeting. However, as I write this I don’t know if this resolution will be limited to your disapproval of the October plan, or if it will terminate the whole quarry redevelopment planning process.
For the reasons outlined in my November 29 letter I urge you to reject the October plan, and to continue the redevelopment planning process.
Many in the community have demonstrated their opposition to the October plan. They are right to do so, because that plan calls for much too intensive development. Some have advocated that you leave the zoning for the quarry land as R-3. This permits only single family houses on lots of two acres or more. This would be a serious mistake and I explained why on November 29.
Between the extremes of the October plan and R-3 residential zoning, there are many development alternatives. With the redevelopment process that you have begun, and with the attention and participation of many concerned citizens, it will be possible to produce a plan that receives broad acceptance, and that will be a benefit and a credit to the community.
Please continue the current quarry redevelopment process. Thank you.
Bill Allen, 01-15-18
Note: The November 29 letter is on line at
https://www.quarryfutures.org/quarry-redevelopment-doing-nothing-is-not-an-option/