This is the letter submitted to the Daily Record (2 weeks ago) and appears today in the paper.
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The application submitted by the entity known as “Christ Church” has drawn an unprecedented opposition in Rockaway Township. Residents have voiced specific concerns which include increased traffic on small winding roads, demands on infrastructure including fire, first aid, police, water and sewage, environmental impact on the land, water and air and the loss of tax revenue to the township.
The applicant could well be a business of any type and the residents would oppose it based on our concerns. The current size of the membership is noted at 5,000 by the leadership of this organization, and still we have no estimates of growth projections.
Comments made by Mr. Snowflack in his recent opinion column are provocative and clearly meant to incite its readers. “The Sierra Club is now taking on God” and “The leaders of a citizens' group opposed to the church have not made any racist comments. But it would be naïve to think that race is not an issue”. What would be naïve is to assume that with all of the significant problems with this plan in terms of its impact on the community both physical and financial that these matters are inconsequential, yet religion and the color of ones skin somehow negate all other issues. This position may be good for selling newspapers but has no basis in truth.
Land use matters are of growing concern all around the USA, the concept of classes of land ownership are being challenged everyday. A plan for development that is not in the best interest of the community and detrimental to the environment itself should be denied. If the applicant for development is a private resident, a business or a church it should have no bearing on who should or should not be granted approval. We live in a society that if free and equal in all definitions of the words.
Earlier this week the revised plans were submitted by Christ Church. These plans include a double deck-parking garage to the right of the building and under the portion of the building that they plan to demolish and rebuild, they wish to build a 277 car-parking garage. This in an area that is clearly environmentally sensitive and key to the water supply of not only Rockaway Twp residents but to all NJ residents. The additional revisions to the plans call for seating for over 2500 in the main sanctuary, 600 seat fellowship hall, chapel for 400, 40 classrooms, large gyms, 33,000 sq ft of office space and much more. With all of spaces for people to gather they claim to provide 1389 parking spaces – 140 on the top level of the parking garage and 277 underground.
If this plan is permitted to proceed it simply makes a mockery of the new Highlands Law.
The next planning board meeting is to be held on September 13, 2004 at Copeland middle school. Hopefully by that time the applicant will have submitted its revised plans, as it is well aware the previous plans failed to protect the environment from harm, something we have been telling them for nearly a year. The amount of time, money and effort being place on this application must make one pause and ask, isn’t there a more appropriate place for this applicant to build their project
Lisa and Adam Salberg
Kim and John Jenkins
Voices of Rockaway Twp.
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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.
About the underground parking garage....one wonders if this is just a barganing chip that hey are going to revise, to show that they are "negotiating in good faith...
Ireland's tactic???? Start high, bargain down...give up things never seriously intended get foot in the door....win the war.
I was wondering if the town's land use ordinances have been updated to better clarify what types of development are permitted in this environmentally sensitive area as well as other portions of the township. Clearly the preamble intended to bring reasonable limits to large scale development but may have been too vague to be enforceable. Has that oversight now been corrected?
As I understand it this matter is currently being addressed.
Of further interest I understand that CC feels that its new plans are "in the footprint" of the current building. What is interesting is the current structure has NO basement, thus the footprint ends at the land. This issues appears to be a surprise to some members of the CC team. I think they are headed back to the drawing boards for redraft #3.
What I find very refreshing is the fact that some of this data is coming to us via former CC members. I maintain my position that the vast majority of the members are really good people who really are unaware of the real issues behind the problems with this plan.
Again, I would suggest that CC seek land and infrastructure that better suits its needs and dreams.
Good night,
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.
I often wondered if the members of CC were kept aware of what was going on. It seems their hard earned money that they tilthed to the church is being wasted on such a project when 1) it is costing them far too much for such little land 2) it's in area were they will have to travel and encounter heavy traffic 3) their money could be better well spent elsewhere 4) if they went somewhere else they could have exactly what they want with room to grow. The members are not into a business, they want a church that will fulfill their expectations. CC moving to RT cannot fulfill their expectations because of the Highland's Bill, less room, less parking and let's not forget about the traffic and the roads they must endure to get to their church. If I were a member, I would really wonder why this waste of money, 14 million and we can only use 1/2 the land. Not counting the millions for the construction on the land. I sincerely hope that the members of CC are learning the whole story, if not, then they should know their hard earned money is being used for things not relevant to a place to worship.
