On the subject of land use, I read in The New York Times on Sept. 12: "The public is increasingly not just concerned but dumbstruck by the disappearance of open space and they aren’t willing to sit by and watch it happen." This statement comes from Jean Hocker, president of the Land Trust Alliance. The article continues: people have a "…fierce desire … to preserve the nation’s dwindling spaces."
I believe Holmdel residents share this desire with the rest of the country and will vote in November for the Township Committee candidates they trust most to save the remaining land from development.
They should know this: the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) is working to change its formula for determining each town’s Mount Laurel requirements. If it succeeds, and if more mega-stores are built on the three remaining parcels of land which are zoned for big box commercial use, we could eventually be forced by law to build more COAH housing, resulting in more strain on our roads, schools, water supply, municipal services, and taxes — not to mention, there won’t be any place to see open space anymore.
Also, people may not realize that "one-third of New Jersey municipalities have already suffered a decrease of property values due to rampant uncontrolled growth" (from Monisha Merchant and Tony Orsini’s white paper "Smart Growth").
While there is still some land to save in Holmdel, I urge voters to elect Merchant and Orsini to the Township Committee. They are our best hope of saving what’s left.
Karen Slobodin
Holmdel