TUF - Planning Board to Consider Bennetts/Veronica Project

Planning Board to Consider Bennetts/Veronica Project.

This is an urgent call for the public to attend the planning board meeting and
END THIS PROJECT.

Update: On Dec 19 2007 the Planning board voted unanimously to remove the Morris project form the fair share plan. The following night the Township Council did the same. It is still possible for this plan, in some form to come before the Board of Adjustment.

This article is adapted from an email sent to TUF by Doris Bennett

Wednesday, 12/19, the Franklin Township Planning Board will consider an amendment to remove Jack Morris' Bennetts/Veronica project from its Fair Share Plan. It is vital that as many people as possible attend this hearing to voice their support for removing this project. It is currently expected that this will come before the board at about 8:00 PM at the Municipal building. We will let you know if that changes significantly.

The Planning Board should be reminded of why this project should never have been included in the first place:

Severe environmental constraints which were never analyzed or considered by the Planning Board, including
1. wetlands
2. protected streams
3. endangered species habitat

The extremely high density and building height required to put 644 homes on the limited buildable land adjacent to this sensitive habitat

The economic effect of 644 homes on our school system.

The 800-pound gorilla in the room is traffic congestion resulting from building on Rt. 27.

The claimed feasibility of this project by Morris relative to the carrying capacity of the land and infrastructure is a total contradiction to the goals and objectives otherwise stated in the town's Master Plan.

These reasons need to be reiterated in the PB resolution that will be passed on to the Council for endorsement the following evening. If you just get up and state you favor removing the project from the plan, that would also be a big help. If you don't want to speak, please come anyway and bring as many people as possible just to fill the room.

Tell the Planning Board on Wednesday, and the Council at their special meeting the following night (Dec 20, 7:00), that they need to finally, after two years, do the right thing!

Phil Kramer