A few hours ago I received a number of phone calls regarding the DEP. It appears that the DEP rejected CC's request for an exemption on 2 items BUT did offer an exemption on the 125% of space issue.
What does this really mean? It is still unclear. What do we KNOW at this point - CC still must comply with many environemental issues that they currently do not - including 300 foot buffers from all C-1 waterways.
When I know more I will post it.
Lisa
__________________
The truth wins out over slick PR and personal attacks.
The Christ Church Plan for the redevelopment of 140 Green Pond Rd is just too big for the area.
Here is the Daily Raggord article on the exemption, folks. As I have been saying folks- - - CONDEM THE PROPERTY NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!! We are being foolish to leave our destiny in the hands of others.
Christ Church granted exemption
By Rob Jennings, Daily Record
ROCKAWAY TWP. -- Christ Church of Montclair's controversial building plan on Green Pond Road received an exemption Wednesday from the new Highlands law and its strict restrictions on development, the state Department of Environmental Protection announced.
The exemption means that Christ Church's application will not hinge on approval from a statewide regional planning council overseeing development proposals in a 395,000-acre Highlands preservation area, DEP spokeswoman Erin Phalon said.
Christ Church applied for the exemption in August after reducing its proposed "mega-church" at the 107-acre, former Agilent Technologies site from 412,000 square feet to 287,000 square feet.
Phalon said Christ Church met one of more than a dozen circumstances -- when a building is being rebuilt within 125 percent of the footprint of the lawfully existing impervious surfaces -- set forth in the law for an exemption.
The existing Agilent building is 283,000 square feet.
A building plan opponent, township resident Charles Mueller, accused the DEP of moving too quickly.
"I don't think DEP was prepared to give this the vigilance it should have received," Mueller said. "They don't even have a (Highlands council) in place yet. I think it was a major mistake."
Christ Church is proposing a 2,512-seat sanctuary -- down from 3,000 seats in its original plan -- a private K-5 school, fellowship hall, recreation fields and other facilities.
The church's revised plan, Weinstein said, "was designed to comply with all the environmental regulations at the site, including the Highlands" law.
The planning board will hold its ninth hearing at 8 p.m. Monday at the Copeland Middle School. Each of the first eight hearings has drawn no fewer than 175 people.
Critics of the church building plan say it will worsen traffic and hurt the environment -- a contention disputed by the church's pastor, David Ireland.
Planning board chairman Mort Dicker said he didn't know how the DEP ruling would impact Monday's hearing. Mayor Louis Sceusi, a planning board member, said he would have to review the DEP's decision before commenting.
Phalon said Christ Church's request for an exemption was one of six granted so far by the DEP. Six applications have been rejected and 18 are still pending, she said.
New Jersey Sierra Club director Jeff Tittel criticized the Highlands exemption provision as a "loophole big enough to drive a bulldozer through."
Tittel said that too many exemptions would undermine the law's intent of protecting drinking water and limiting sprawl.
"My concern is that politics will guide who gets waivers and who doesn't," Tittel said.
Lisa Salberg, a co-founder of Voices of Rockaway Township, which opposes the church building plan, said the exemption wouldn't necessarily ensure smooth sailing for its application.
"There are crossovers of different environmental issues that still need to be met," Salberg said. "It doesn't mean they don't have to comply with environmental protection issues, such as protecting waterways.
"I would say they still have a lot of work yet to do," Salberg said.
At the planning board's Sept. 13 hearing, board attorney William Dimin said the possibility existed that a township ordinance establishing churches as conditional uses might be changed by the council in a way that could potentially impact the Christ Church case.
Weinstein acknowledged that DEP's decision would not deflect local resistance.
"Unfortunately, I don't think it will silence our critics," he said.
It's a sad sad day in NJ corruption. How deep is Irelands pockets? Was it Schundler, maybe? Was it McGreevy retribution?
This says one thing to me: Ireland does not give a damn about us, our town or our environment. His greed has brought out vilianous creatures in our town I never thought could exist amongst us.
It reminds me of Stephen King's "Needful Things". The Devil rides into town and pits neighbor against neighbor thru material greed then rides off.
Can someone show me the passage in the Bible that states: "Get what you want, when you want it regardless of the implications to your neighbors". My copy seems to be missing that page....darn Gideons!
They may have won this battle, but they will never win the war.
Town officials have the power to stop this, or drag it out indefinitely, and all on Agilent's dime (630K a year property tax for as long as they own it).
I understand the frustration and disappointment felt as a result of this decision. Each hurdle has been overcome by Christ Church. Unfortunately, the application process can't be drawn out indefinately, that would only lead to a lawsuit that Rockaway Township would eventually lose, at great cost. If town ordinances are changed to block the church, likewise, a court battle will ensue that likely would end in Christ Church's favor. The writing is on the wall.
Maybe you have not read Irelands Bible? Remember, he is non-denemonational and therefore makes his own rules. Check out his bookstore online for any of a number of volumes which he has written on his own religious creation.
I doubt that this thing can be stopped short of Property Condemnation. That concept comes not only from myself, but my lawyer.
This was indeed an outrageous decision. To grant any exemptions, not just CC but a half dozen others, before any commission is in place and any guidelines drawn up, is just unbelievable. I suggest that everyone call or write the DEP and the Governors office to express their outrage at the way this was handled. I intend to. Decisions like this made behind closed doors, with no opportunity for public or township input is not what democracy is about.
In any event this is far from over. This will end up in court with the town being sued. Ireland has already threatened that on more than one occasion. Unless he gets everything he wants he will take us to court so dont let that be a surprise to anyone.
Just exactly how is writing the DEP going to change things? The decision is a fate acompli. Maybe it will make you feel better, but that is about it. Look forwards instead of backwards. It may do some good.
If we condem the property, it will cost each family in Rockaway Township about $2,800.00 total. Is that price not worth spending in order to save this community?
I dont completely disagree with you Rational. Nothing, however, is ever truly what it seems, especially in government and politics. What can be granted, can be taken away if cause is produced. If enough of an uproar is made, at very least, it may prevent something like that from happening again in the future. I'm sure the gay guy wouldnt like leaving office knowing that his own commissioners are caving into big money and pressure to allow exemptions from his legislation. Especially when his legacy already includes so much corruption from payoffs and the like. So I am looking fwd in a sense. As for the comdemnation...As a last resort maybe, but I still think we are far from that point. Regardless of what is done, if Ireland doesnt get everything he wants the town will be in court, so I think its a foregone conclusion that someday it will be RT vs. CC in Fed Court before anything gets built. Condeming it now, would definitely hasten that court date.
