Vote tonight on Rock Twp. road improvements Wednesday, October 10, 2007
BY ROB JENNINGS DAILY RECORD The Morris County Freeholders will decide tonight on letting Christ Church proceed with road improvements in Rockaway Township, including a traffic light, that were among the conditions included in the local planning boards approval of the mega-church plan.
County freeholder Jack Schrier, citing the towns legal challenge to the churchs Highlands law exemption, said this morning that he will vote against granting the road opening permit to the 5,000-member church.
This issue is so controversial, so contentious, and so unresolved, Schrier said of the mega-church plan.
Until it is decisively concluded, I think its premature for (county engineer) Steve Hammond to open the road, Schrier said.
Freeholder approval is needed because Green Pond Road is a county road. Tonights meeting is at 7:30 p.m.
In response, Rockaway Township Mayor Louis Sceusi said today he had no position on what the freeholders might do.
Thats a decision theyre going to have to make, Sceusi said.
Christ Church, which has 5,000 members, agreed to pay for a traffic light and related roadway improvements on Green Pond Road in response to concerns about traffic congestion. The building plan includes a 2,512-seat sanctuary and private K-5 school.
While the town planning board granted final approval to the building plan in February, the issue of the Highlands exemption remains unresolved. Sceusi said last week that Rockaway Township will seek to overturn the state Department of Environmental Protections decision in August to uphold the churchs Highlands exemption.
The law, which places additional limits on development, is considered crucial to the mega-church plan though Sceusi noted today that losing the exemption would not necessarily prevent the church from building at the site.
Christ Churchs chief operating officer, Rupert Hayles, said last week that the church expected to begin construction next spring even if the towns legal challenge remained pending.
Hayles was not immediately available for comment on tonights freeholder vote.
Rob Jennings can be reached at (973) 428-6667 or robjennings@gannett.com
Thanks for the information Karen. Don't they also need a turning lane that's fairly close to the C-1 stream? Is that part of what the freeholders are considering?
Is it now Morris Counties turn in the barrel? Is Christs Corporation now going to sue the county under RLUIPA?
Bet CC will unless the Freeholders learn who the boss is and roll over - - - and the Freeholders better roll over soon or the steam roller is a commin'. After all, the RT PB and the DEP knuckled under as soon as the threats commenced.
It's just gonna be more of the same old same old.
But, at least it delays the towns demise by another six months, and that is a very good thing for us home sellers.
Hi guys, I have been out of the loop for a while. You may all be interested to know that the Freeholders acted without all the facts, the project requires Highlands evaluation as the land is within the Preservation area and within 100 feet of a c-1 waterway. This will soon be corrected. More later. Lisa
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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.
Do you really think that the Freeholders care about facts? No other governing body has cared about facts. These decisions over the last few years have all been political (read - political correctness) and not based on any facts whatsoever. Look at what the PB did, what the DEP did and now what the Freeholders have done. And, I would not be surprised if the courts now slap sanctions on RT for harassing poor little old CC with another legal appeal. That appeal of the DEP decison is going nowhere and will probably backfire in RT's face! Ya see, RT's stratedgy has been wrong all along in terms of dealing with CC; it has taken a very naive approach assuming that laws and reason count for something. It just does not work that way when ones adversary is something like CC. The Township should have taken the gloves off, but it did not.
So, the decisions have been made; the church is going to be built unless a gift from G-d is presented to RT - - - like the potential bankruptcy of Christs Corporation.
