For the week of Sept. 12.
By:
What Country Code?
To the editor:
In 1998 Upper Freehold adopted a Country Code, which states, "Rural living and protection of the rural environment are in fact a policy of this Township." I enjoy living in this environment and believe that many others do based upon the many residential developments being constructed.
The Matrix Development Group and Washington Township currently are infringing upon rural life in Upper Freehold. Matrix is proposing to build 5.85-million square feet of warehouse space in Washington. This development, while being located in Washington and contributing to its budget, will greatly impact the quality of life of Upper Freehold residents. This development will generate more than 1,200 vehicles per hour, all on the rural roads of Upper Freehold, at peak hours. It will require the installation of three traffic lights on Old York Road as well as widening it to five lanes. With no police force, I wonder how Upper Freehold plans to enforce traffic regulations and promote safety on this roadway.
The Upper Freehold Township Committee refuses to resolve to oppose this development and acknowledge that it will adversely impact the rural way of life in Upper Freehold. I would like to see Upper Freehold take a firm stance supporting our "Country Code" and oppose this type of development, not only in Washington Township, but Upper Freehold.
Steve Murphy
Upper Freehold
Fight Millstone change
To the editor:
If Millstone has been your home for many years, you no doubt think and speak of Millstone with sentimental pride. You may be a little concerned about the influx into your community over the last 5-10 years. "Will all these ‘newcomers’ try to change our Millstone do they even really know what we have here?" I’m a newcomer to Millstone. If you are also a newcomer, it’s likely that you chose this place because it fit well into your plan to improve the quality of life for you and your family. In the heart of a very congested state, Millstone is an authentic piece of countryside, close enough to all the things required to conduct life, yet just the right distance to provide the vital buffer that makes it the peaceful, picturesque area my family and I now call home. You know all this already, though, whether you’re a lifelong resident or a newcomer like me right?
I know that Millstone’s zoning laws have provided for a community of primarily residential zones, with various Neighborhood Commercial zones scattered throughout the township. This zoning has allowed Millstone, our community, to become and remain one of the few safe havens from the traffic, pollution and over-development that can be found in many other New Jersey communities, including the one I’ve come from. Again, I’m telling you something you already know.
Well, I’ve learned that I have reason to be worried for the place I’ve chosen to call my home. I’m not just talking about my house, development, or even the few country roads that lead to my corner of Millstone. I am very concerned for the entire 36-plus square miles that make up the "Environmentally Concerned Community of Millstone." Bringing a supermarket, or other major chain store, into Millstone seems like a harmless idea hey, Millstone should get with the times, right? Even though putting a supermarket-sized construction inside Millstone violates the Master Plan that has protected your beautiful community for all these years, we could use big business closer by, right? I mean, why have we been driving 15 minutes to get to a grocery store all this time, anyway? Was there a reason?
A 40,000-square-foot supermarket was proposed for a location that is currently zoned as NC. In order to build something of this nature, our zoning board would be required to change this NC zone to a Highway Commercial zone. Highway Commercial? Our NC zones aren’t on highways, are they? No, as evidenced by the classification, they’re in neighborhoods but you already knew that. Wait a minute, isn’t there an NC zone somewhere in the proximity of your neighborhood? Maybe it’s a great location for a deli, a bakery or a hairdresser. If permission is given by our zoning board to change any one of Millstone’s NC zones to HC, your local NC zone would immediately be put in danger of the same fate.
A supermarket-sized structure, and all the things that come with it, is not what you want or need in your neighborhood, right? Am I still telling you things you already know? Well, you should know that this ‘newcomer’ likes Millstone for what it is. As part of this community, I expect to be joined by my neighbors, veteran and new alike, at the next Zoning Board of Adjustments meetings at the municipal building on Millstone Road. I want my zoning board to know that I don’t want them to approve any variances that would change any of Millstone’s NC zones to HC.
The following Web site provides updates and information on when the next meeting will be held: www.angelfire.com/nj4/nosupermarket.
I will not be a Millstone resident driving through my Millstone in 10 years, thinking sadly on all the traffic, pollution and other detrimental changes that occurred after my NC zone was changed to HC to allow that harmless supermarket to be built. I will not be saying, "I didn’t know."
Margaret Bader
Clarksburg
Forget about Iraq
To the editor:
The editorial cartoon in the Sept. 5 edition was very appropriate. Our president, George W. Bush, seems to be in a frenzy to attack Iraq, with no visible proof that there is a problem existing.
Headlines in past weeks, and today, "Iraq seeks A-bombs" are ridiculous. There are dozens of countries seeking A-bombs today. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya (Israel already has the A-bomb, suddenly…), China, North and South Korea you name it. India and Pakistan already have the bomb, are we going to attack them soon? How about Zimbabwe with a genuine killer Robert Mugabe as its leader? Wouldn’t he love having an A-bomb.
We have been lead into several unfortunate wars by overzealous presidents since I was born in 1928. Many of us have lost brothers, sisters, parents, children in those debacles.
Both of my brothers and one of my sisters served, from WWII and onward and all three of my sons spent many years in the Air National Guard ready to serve. They were all fortunate not to suffer injury or death resulting from this. I have been extremely lucky and have benefited from my 20 years the USAF taught me how to fly airplanes.
Iraq is no more or less dangerous than any of the above-mentioned countries. If we knock out Saddam, we deal with followers who are as bad, or worse. If you have children in Afghanistan, you had better plan for a long separation. Conditions there will never change.
We are promising billions of our money to supposed "allies" to "buy" their support for this study of insanity. Far better to save it to support our own people and be ready for our own defense.
Just picture the stupidity of a country like Iraq trying to defeat the United States. It has practically no air force, no transatlantic capability, no large strong army or navy.
We are just being sold a bill of goods. Contact your politicians and tell them to just say no or you won’t vote for them this fall. They will listen.
Jim Schmidt
Millstone
Remembering a friend
To the editor:
I loved you so much. You had one of the brightest smiles I have ever seen. I told you that time and time again. The last three years with you had a big impact on my life and I’m pretty sure it had a big impact on you too. I remember always looking forward to band practice because you and I were part of the drum line and we had so many memories from that.
I remember always giving you a nod to ask if you were OK, and you would nod back. We did that in the middle of practice, class, and even during the parades. You gave me a lot of support. I remember always watching over you. I remember talking for 10 hours at a time on the phone and writing you letters at least 10 pages long. We were so close you know. We went through hard times and good times. We’ve learned a lot from each other. Even though toward the end of this year we’ve grown apart, I still thought about you everyday.
Hearing about your accident was such a heartbreaker. I knew I had to rush to the hospital and talk to you because I knew you could hear me. I still can’t believe this has happened to you. I remember one time we had a conversation about you saying no one would care if something bad happened to you. I told you were wrong and after all this I never saw so many people touched. I remember telling you look like an angel and I now know you are one. I remember always watching over you. Now I know you’ll be watching over me.
There will not be a day that goes by that I won’t think of you. I love you very much and I hope you know that I kept my promise to you I’ll always be there for you.
Christina Sarni
Allentown
Thank you for support
To the editor:
We appreciate all of the support and love during the loss of our family member, Nadia Zendaki. The band parents kindly brought food to our home and displayed their support and caring throughout the difficult time. Members of the community we hardly knew sent flowers, cards, and expressed their care and concern for all our family. It will be difficult to thank you all individually as we don’t even know the names of all who showed their concern.
This has been a difficult time for our family but the overwhelming care we have received from the band, the school, and the Presbyterian church makes us know we are loved in this community. Thank you all so much for all you have done.
Kathleen, Maryam, Sham’s,
Omar and Jasmin Zendaki
Allentown
Ideas for Washington
To the editor:
I have always felt that a growing community, a town being built, should be built equally for everyone. So in keeping with this idea, I think we could adjust or even combine some of Washington Township’s most recent plans.
To start with how about two hours a day set aside for senior citizens at our proposed skateboard park? It is going to be constructed near enough to our Senior Center. The only problem is that they would have to be early hours; sometime between naptime and bedtime. This would actually save the town money as we seniors have Medicare and the kids don’t.
Next we could combine our open space program with the proposed swimming pool. This would be easy just by building a pool that is a one-at-a-time spa. It could be designed along the lines of a human car wash.
Then there is our warehouse complex on Old York Road. It is a sure thing that we are going to need, in the near future, a dollar store and a good second-hand shop, so why not in with the warehouses? At the entrance to Complex II we should build a Mount Rushmore style statue of Washington Township Board of Education so that people from other towns will know not to mess with us!
Finally, if we could make the opening of the W.C. Fields Memorial High School coincide with the town defaulting. What more could you ask for? Just some ideas.
Walter Ulinski
Robbinsville
House only for elite
To the editor:
The cost of housing in New Jersey is rising at a pace, which exceeds almost anybody’s ability to afford to live in this state. The median price of a home in Monmouth County was $223,423 in 1997, $253,090 in 1998, $304,485 in 1999 and $325,990 in 2000. This represents a rise of 45 percent in a four-year span. While this increase may look good to someone who is considering selling his or her house, it is only an illusion unless that person is leaving the area completely. Selling one to buy another usually leaves the person with just a bigger mortgage.
My point isn’t about the size of one’s mortgage but about the ability of a person to be able to live and work in New Jersey, especially if the person is trying to buy their first home. Many of us have had the experience of that first mortgagee but lately, the bar on the hurdle has been raised to where only very few can make the jump. Costs are normally driven by supply and demand. But these days, the many obstacles applied to the construction of new home complicate these basic market factors.
When I visit relatives in Georgia, I see large homes that are half the price of a similar home in New Jersey. When I stop at the local building supply store in Georgia, I find that the cost of lumber, wallboard and other basic items are within pennies of the same items in New Jersey. Labor costs in Georgia are less but then they are not paying the high mortgages that are so common in Jersey. Teacher salaries and similar careers pay less than Jersey but again they don’t require "Jumbo" mortgage (anything more than $350,000). These prices aren’t tapering off but are continuing to rise with the lack of housing supply.
Some people look at the situation as a means to control growth and development. The key underlying factor of growth is the growth of our population. The census showed that between 1990 and 2000, New Jersey’s overall population grew by 8.6 percent. The group that declined and impacted the overall population, is the age group of the workforce (19-64). As you can tell from the percentages, there is a significant decline in the workforce age group the bread-winners of society.
The anti-development people can look at this and say "it’s working" when in reality, young adults are moving away from the area because they just can’t afford it. The restrictions to development applied by the state, county and local governments make new construction very arduous in the suburban and rural areas. The regulations have made it extremely difficult to create competition in the housing market place. The direct costs together with the lack of supply jump the cost of a home significantly.
The state does promote home construction in the older cities. But most people are very reluctant to make the largest investment of their lives in an area where there is significant risk of decline in values. Since the collapse of the cities in the 1960s, most people are reluctant to risk the investment. Sure there are exceptions such as Jersey City and Hoboken, but they benefit from the proximity and connection to Manhattan that other areas lack. The other major cities such as Camden, Elizabeth, Newark, Paterson and Trenton have not bounced back. The same cities in 1998 had 11.5 percent of the total.
The tax base system also affects the investment in the cities. Newark, for instance, has approximately 60 percent of its tax base exempt from taxes. Institutions such as colleges, universities, hospitals, churches city and state owned properties etc. are exempt from taxes. That leaves the remaining 40 percent as the base for new taxes. Any new construction will usually negotiate tax relief before they start a project. Small projects don’t have the clout to get a tax break. Hence these days we read about a movement to shift taxes from a property tax to an income tax through out the state. This will obviously lead to questions as to the distribution of taxes collected. People who live in suburban or rural areas will object to seeing more taxes imposed to subsidize city living.
In the suburbs, the size of a minimum lot has changed significantly. Years ago, many lots were 50 to 75 feet wide and 100 feet deep. These lots were less than one-quarter acre in size and relatively easy to maintain. Today’s minimum lot size in Upper Freehold has changed from the 1-acre minimum of four or five years ago to 2-acre minimum and is being considered for a change to a 4-acre minimum. One community in Monmouth County considers the minimum lot size to be 10 acres. This type of zoning not only consumes land at a rate of 10 to 40 times that in the past, but represents the very thing that people rail against about the suburbs. This over consumption of land represents the very definition of sprawl. It symbolizes the equivalent of everyone riding around in a SUV.
As a society, we are responsible both individually and collectively for providing for our own dependents and for society as a whole. The sense of isolating oneself out of the hubbub of life by passing more restrictions onto the lives of others is not only uncaring, but also antisocial. If we continue to restrict the ability of people to afford to live and work in New Jersey, we will reach the point of "the straw that broke the camels back." We will also soon isolate communities into little fiefdoms where the members have a smug sense of superiority to others.
Jack Menchin
Upper Freehold

