Letter: CAPO Backs SOD's Efforts in New Milford
Citizen Action to Preserve Oradell has teamed up with Stop Over Development from New Milford to spread the word about the United Water property project by S. Hekemian Group.
To the Editor:
Members of Stop Overdevelopment of New Milford (SOD) have reached out to Oradell’s Citizen Action to Preserve Oradell (CAPO) to oppose a proposed development that's sited on Oradell’s south border. SOD's mission is to stop the construction of a large-scale mixed-use development on River Road and New Milford Avenue. CAPO supports the efforts of New Milford residents who lead SOD, and is reaching out to Oradell and neighboring communities that also will be affected by this development.
The 16-acre property, which is owned by United Water, is under contract for sale to S. Hekemian Group. Plans call for the construction of a 70,000-square-foot supermarket, a parking garage, bank and more than 200 housing units.
We agree that the planned development would make a bad situation so much worse in both towns as it would undoubtedly cause:
- Even more flooding in an area that is prone to severe flooding and resulting road closures;
- A huge volume of traffic in a severely “challenged” bottlenecked area, right near a school.
- Hazardous strain on the shared emergency services of both Oradell and New Milford.
As we have witnessed in recent years, severe flooding on the south end of Oradell has closed roads, damaged bridges and otherwise wreaked havoc on transportation, caused major flooding damage to neighboring homes, in some cases necessitated homeowners’ evacuation by boat. We believe additional development in this extremely flood-prone area will exacerbate these issues for residents both up and downriver from the site.
This is not just an issue for New Milford. It’s an issue for all of us. New Milford residents stepped up and spoke out to help us stop Walgreens from overbuilding in our town.
Now it's time for us to step up and help our neighbors.
We encourage concerned residents from Oradell and neighboring communities to attend an upcoming special meeting of the New Milford Zoning Board, on Monday, July 30 at 7 p.m. in New Milford’s Borough Hall, at 930 River Road in New Milford. Let our neighbors know that we stand with them in this effort to stop needless overdevelopment in our area.
Kristin O’Meara
Citizen Action to Preserve Oradell (CAPO)
Oradell, NJ
Barbara
6:45 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Thank you Kristin and all our neighbors from Oradell.
Ulises
10:52 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Thank you CAPO. Together, hopefully, we'll stop this horrible development.
SOD!
Lori Barton
7:26 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Thank you Kristin and CAPO for supporting SOD's efforts. This is the kind of action needed to prevent this land from being raped by the developers. Hopefully residents of New Milford, Oradell, and the other surrounding communities will let their voices be heard at the zoning board meeting on July 30. Let them know: WE DON'T WANT THIS!
Todd vandeweghe
8:36 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
The only use that makes sense for this property would be recreational with minimal improvements. A bike path, soccer field or similar improvements. Flooding is guaranteed on a yearly basis. You will not have to wait for a 25,50 or 100 year flood, which we have had 3 in the last 20 years. River Edge resident.
Rosemary Fuhrman
9:17 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Thank you supporting SOD. We are a grass roots organization that is gaining support daily. We want our elected officials to use the existing planning tools at their disposal to make the courageous decision to leave this land as open space. By collaborating with nearby towns, we can get the word out and inform the citizens.
Frances Lando
1:51 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Thank you CAPO - we need all the support we can get -
Ulises
9:14 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
The Mayor and Council spend $5K (tax payers' money!) on a new rezoing report (see above, I just uploaded it) of the Suez/United Water property by the high school. They could have just voted to pass a resolution keeping this land as open space at no cost to the tax payers...???
Please attend the Mayor and Council meeting on Monday July 23rd, at 6:30 PM and tell them what you think this property should be zoned as.
Stop-Over-Development! Join us at SODNOW@yahoo.com to find out how we're trying to stop our Mayor and Council from changing this town forever.
SOD!
Michael J. Gadaleta
3:32 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
This is a great step in the right direction , SOD and CAPO joining resources to protect our combined quality of life . Our NM residents will now instruct the Mayor and Council on what WE want , not the other way around . Our residents are tired of the empty promises to do something to correct this situation every time we flood. This singular issue is the greatest threat to our property values , our high school students safety , noise, pollution , traffic and of course the continually flooding .
MJ Gadaleta, New Millord
Martha
4:51 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Thank you CAPO for your support of our worthy cause, not just for residents of New Milford, but for residents of Oradell as well. We are united with our vision and hope that we can convince our governing body to open their eyes to see that there is always another option, open space!
Tomasina Schwarz
5:24 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
It's a shame the CAPO does not hold open public meetings. It has become a small group who does not want to do much but write newspaper opinion peices and letters to the Mayor. The people of Oradell were so united to preserve Oradell and now the group has forgotten the ciitizens part of the organization. Until the CAPO "leaders" have public meetings, they can no longer be considered a grass roots organization.
Tomasina Schwarz
6:18 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Developeres have rights, only as long as they don't infringe upon the rights of other citizens. We have a right to live in an area that does not flood and has bearable traffic conditions. The proposed development is in a flood plane. Engineers think they can solve all problems-history has proven that man cannot fight mother nature-no matter how smart they are! I say no to any major develpoments ina flood area, that's just common sense. The Board of Adjustment must make their decision based upon the laws-not based upon the fear of litigation. A "D" variance must only be given if this project benefits the town. We know this project has no benefits. The develpoer can build within the law, no variances should be given. Coah cannot be the determining factor for a "D" variance. See you at the meeting tonight!!!