Sierra Club issues Resolution challanging the Christ Church project
Three members of the Voices of Rockaway Twp met with sierra club officials on Tuesday, October 5, 2004 to address concerns over the recent exemption to the Highlands Regulations issued by the DEP for the Christ Church development at 140 Green Pond Rd. in Rockaway Twp. NJ. In response to seeing the plans submitted by Christ Church and review of the Highlands Regulations the Sierra Club acted promptly with formal Opposition to the plan.
Voices of Rockaway Twp has been steadfast in their opposition to the proposed development based on several key issues – most prominently has been the environmental impact.
At the last Planning Board meeting, Christ Church’s engineer testified that revisions to the original plan had been made to avoid having to comply with the new Highlands regulations. “This makes a mockery of important legislation that was enacted to protect the drinking water of millions of NJ residents.” Says Adam Salberg one of the 4 founders of the Voices of Rockaway Twp.
“It is unconscionable to see any developer act in such a callous manner, but when the applicant is a religious institution you would expect an even higher code of ethics, it is highly unfortunate that they have chosen to completely disregard what is good for the earth.” Says John Jenkins one of the 4 founders of the Voices of Rockaway Twp.
“Their actions seek to circumvent the law with incomplete data. The DEP should never have acted on the request for an exemption as it had no details as to how they plan to build a 45,000 sq ft underground parking garage on land that has a water table of 8 feet and is within 300 feet of a C-1 waterway and within 500 feet of a town aquifer.” Says Kim Jenkins. One of the 4 founders of the Voices of Rockaway Twp.
“We are very happy that an organization with the integrity, knowledge and history such as the Sierra Club has taken such a strong position on this matter. For over 1 year we have been voicing our concerns regarding the environmental issues surrounding this critical piece of land, it is wonderful to have the Sierra Club back our position.” Said Lisa Salberg one of the 4 founders of the Voices of Rockaway Twp.
Among the other serious flaws with the applicants plan include:
· Increase in the intensity of use the property – 650 new parking spaces and increased capacity of 3000 people on site.
· Increased Traffic – on a single land county route.
· Demand on our infrastructure –increase of over 17,000 gallons of sewage per day, increase in water demands (we are at or near capacity on both of these issues at current time), volunteer fire and 1st aid and police.
· The loss of $630,000 in taxes to the community.
· Threats of litigation issued by the applicant if they are unsuccessful in obtaining the conditional use variance they seek.
The residents of Rockaway Twp have been clear in their the opposition to this project with the highest turn out to a years worth of planning board meetings in the history of the town. The applicant should respect the positions of experts in the area of the environment and stop this project before it caused irreparable harm to the environment.
Voices of Rockaway Twp will hold a fundraiser “Family Fun Day and Spaghetti Dinner” on October 17, 2004 at the Lake Telemark Country Club, Telemark Rd. Rockaway Twp –(3.5 miles north of Rt 80 off of Green Pond Rd.) Country Club from 2-6pm –Children’s activities include Bounce house, Pumpkin painting, a black smith and Revolutionary war reenactment specialist will be on hand to help provide fun ways to learn about Rockaway Twp’s History! -The press is invited to attend.
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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.
10/12/04 - Posted from the Daily Record newsroom Sierra Club: Pull waiver for Christ Church plan
By Rob Jennings, Daily Record
ROCKAWAY TWP. -- The New Jersey Sierra Club wants the state Department of Environmental Protection to reverse its decision granting a Highlands law exemption to Christ Church of Montclair's proposed 107-acre campus on Green Pond Road.
The prominent environmental organization charged that "exemptions or waivers granted under the Highlands bill contribute to undermining the intent and integrity of this vital legislation."
In a resolution adopted Saturday night, the club also asserted that the 5,000-member church's building plan -- including a 2,512-seat sanctuary, private K-5 school, fellowship hall, recreation fields and other facilities -- would exceed the township's capacity for sewage treatment.
It also claimed that the church's proposal does not include sufficient information about handling drainage and would displace an endangered population, the Indiana bat, by removing a number of trees at the former Agilent Technologies site.
Chris Mills of Madison, co-chair of the Sierra Club's Loantaka chapter for Morris and Union counties, said Monday that the chapter decided to propose the resolution after a number of church plan opponents attended its meeting last Tuesday night.
Lisa Salberg, co-founder of Voices of Rockaway Township, said she attended with the group's other two organizers -- her husband, Adam, and Kim Jenkins.
"They came and talked to us at quite some length," said Mills, who acknowledged he hadn't independently reviewed the building plan.
"We took a decision from an environmental standpoint. We don't have any view in whether it's a church or it doesn't pay taxes. It's environmental as far as we're concerned," Mills said.
Christ Church's spokesman, Marc Weinstein, responded that the Sierra Club was unfairly evaluating its proposal.
"The church plans to transfer the site from solely industrial services to one that is used for a church-based campus. The church's plans call for an actual improvement at the site," Weinstein said.
Salberg said Monday that she "absolutely" hoped the Sierra Club's prominence would convince the DEP to revisit the issue. She said that Christ Church's application left unanswered a number of important environmental questions.
"You cannot put any storm water runoff into the rivers," Salberg said.
The Highlands law, signed by Gov. James McGreevey in August, places tough new restrictions on development in a 395,000-acre preservation zone but also allows for more than a dozen circumstances under which exemptions may be granted.
Christ Church's request for an exemption was granted by the DEP on Sept. 29. DEP spokeswoman Erin Phalon said the building proposal adhered to one of the law's conditions by being within 125 percent of the footprint of the lawfully existing impervious surfaces at the Agilent site.
The DEP, which has granted at least five exemptions to the Highlands law, could not be reached Monday due to the Columbus Day holiday.
The New Jersey Sierra Club's director, Jeff Tittel, charged that the exemption provision was being misapplied in the case of Christ Church.
Tittel said there was no guarantee that the church would not return, years after gaining approval, and ask to expand on the property. He said the church should have complied with all components of the Highlands law rather than reducing the size of its application -- from 412,000-square-feet to 303,000 square feet -- in an effort to get an exemption.
"They're saying, 'trust us,' while trying to cut corners and get through loopholes," Tittel said.
Tittel said the Sierra Club had not adopted resolutions criticizing other Highlands law exemptions granted by DEP.
Weinstein declined to respond to specific charges concerning the church's application.
"The church will address these issues at future planning board hearings with their expert witnesses on the topics. We care not to respond to allegations made outside the formal approval process," Weinstein said. The next planning board hearing on the application is Dec. 20.
__________________
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.
Sierra Club to fight proposal for church Montclair congregation's plan for Rockaway Twp. site seen as threat to the environment Tuesday, October 12, 2004 BY PAULA SAHA Star-Ledger Staff
The Sierra Club of New Jersey is opposing Christ Church's plans to build a campus in Rockaway Township and is urging the state to reconsider exempting the church from the Highlands Act.
"The size and scope of the project is going to have significant impact on the Highlands," said Jeff Tittel, executive director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "Our concern is that by going for a waiver, they may be trying to play some games and cut some corners."
Christ Church of Montclair is under contract to purchase the former Agilent Technologies headquarters in Rockaway Township. The evangelical church is proposing construction of a building complex that measures a little more than 300,000 square feet and a sanctuary that will hold just over 2,500 parishioners.
The Agilent property is part of a core protection zone created by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, which restricts major development to protect vital watershed lands that supply drinking water to half the state.
Last month, the state Department of Environmental Protection granted Christ Church a waiver because the building's reconstruction would remain within 125 percent of the original structure's footprint.
But the Sierra Club's resolution calls the church proposal "a significant increase in intensity of use" and criticizes the church's plans for handling drainage and sewage. It also states that exemptions are "undermining the intent and integrity of this vital legislation."
Marc Weinstein, a spokesman for Christ Church, called the Sierra Club's claims "baseless" and said he suspected "collusion" with members of Voices of Rockaway Township, a citizens group that opposes the church's plans.
"The DEP's decision is based on the fact that the agency recognized the church will have a positive impact for the site," Weinstein said.
In a statement yesterday, Voices of Rockaway Township said it met with Sierra Club officials last week to address concerns over the exemption. In a phone interview, Voices co-founder Lisa Salberg called the Sierra Club's resolution "justification for everything we've said for the past year."
"We've been concerned about the environment since this project was first brought up, and we're glad that the Sierra Club has seen the same concerns," Salberg said.
Tittel confirmed the Sierra Club's local officials met with members of Voices of Rockaway Township, but said the executive board's action came after a review that included local member staff reports and the club's conservation committee.
Representatives from the Sierra Club have not met with the church, he said.
The board decided to take on the Christ Church matter because the project is of statewide significance, particularly because of the DEP exemption.
"What's to stop them from adding more later?" Tittel asked. "We don't believe the Highlands Council will turn them down because it's going to be an existing facility."
"The board decided to take this on as an issue because ... it's the first real test of the Highlands Law," Tittel said. "We're going to put a certain amount of time and research into stopping it, and, potentially, litigation."
Paula Saha covers Rockaway Township. She can be reached at psaha@starledger.com or (973) 539-7910.
__________________
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.
Marc Weinstein, a spokesman for Christ Church, called the Sierra Club's claims "baseless" and said he suspected "collusion" with members of Voices of Rockaway Township, a citizens group that opposes the church's plans.
Marc sounds a lot like our friend the Gadfly! I wonder how long until HE IS attacking our schools and saying they are 'about to file for eminent domain' (any day now...for the past 14 months...thanks gADFLY).
"The DEP's decision is based on the fact that the agency recognized the church will have a positive impact for the site," Weinstein said.
yeah - positive impact...Let's see..take a vacant lot...build a massive structure...bring in thousands of cars...good for the environment...Thanks Marc.
How could he possibly be Jewish? Remember that Ireland specifically stated that he does not hire anyone other than Christ Church Christians? Jews need not apply!
