to perform road work
on Chambers Road
Planners grant approval
for 17-lot subdivision
Developer agrees
to perform road work
on Chambers Road
By jane meggitt
Staff Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD — A 17-lot subdivision on Chambers Road was granted preliminary approval, subject to findings by the local Board of Health, at the Sept. 12 Planning Board meeting.
Township Engineer Glenn Gerken reported that the developer, Redmond LLC, had revised its preliminary plans, and while there were still "certain deficiencies," most were not major.
Among the changes submitted was an extension of the drainage pipe further toward the hill, near the bend in Chambers Road.
There is a steep slope on the side of the roadway, and Gerken would like the road to be a uniform 22 feet wide.
"It’s a one-to-one slope," he explained, "and there’s 100 feet where we have to cut into the bank to get the 22 feet."
According to Gerken, a total reconstruction of the road is necessary in order to make it a uniform width. This will be done either with easements or by regrading the property.
"With that steep a slope, that big a cut, even now the top of the bank is on the right-of-way line," said Gerken. He said he had spoken to adjacent property owners, including Randall and Alice Bean, about flattening out their driveway, and they had agreed with the proviso that trees were saved for additional buffering.
At the Aug. 27 Planning Board meeting, Board of Health Chairman Dr. Stephen Dey said that individuals had voiced concerns about possible contamination from herbicides and pesticides used on the site for the new subdivision when the land was farmed.
Planning Board Administrator Susan Babbitt told members that the Board of Health had met on Sept. 10, but that she had not received any letter or other communication from them on the subject.
Deputy Mayor William Miscoski said, "We have our share of subdivisions. Every farm’s grounds has received the same spraying and chemicals over the years. One subdivision, a peach farm, had problems. The Department of Environmental Protection was called in and it was remediated.
"This property is being treated differently. The whole town was farmed. This is unfair to hold them up," he added.
Vice Chairman Daniel Van Voorhis, who chaired the meeting after Chairman Richard Stern recused himself from this application, replied, "This is the first time the Board of Health requested this at a Planning Board meeting."
While it was noted by several members that the Board of Health had not reported further on the issue, member Ivan Olinsky said, "We’re speculating. There are certain rules and regulations they must comply with. If, pending approval, they need a clean bill of health, this was a legitimate concern of [neighboring] homeowners. As the town is changing, this will come up more often."
Like all subdivisions, this one must also be approved by the Township Committee.
All road improvements must be approved by the governing body as well. A road bond ordinance has been introduced, which allocates funding for Chambers Road, among others, and the developer has agreed to pay for some of the work.
Arnold Litt, attorney for the developer, said that slope easements were not on their property, and "while we have indicated that we would be agreeable to the widening of Chambers Road, according to plans already introduced, we cannot control whether a third party gives us slope easements. We cannot agree to conditions which would require that. Since the widening can only be recommended by the Planning Board to the mayor and Township Committee, we would agree to widen the road as indicated. If the town can get it, great. We’re ready to rumble."
The application faced opposition from residents on Chambers and Rues roads. John Sauter, Rues Road, addressed the board after the approval was given.
He said he had sent two letters over the summer to the Planning Board outlining his objections to the Redmond development. In them he had requested that the number of lots be reduced, and made reference to the township’s Country Code.
"I don’t hear anybody addressing these issues," Sauter stated. "I think your minds were made up before."
"With the amended plans, two-thirds of those issues have been addressed," Gerken said. "As for lot reduction, if there is nothing in the ordinance, you don’t have the business to say, ‘Reduce your lots.’"
Gerken said buffers, easements in the stream corridor, elimination of curbing and a retaining wall, and the well and septic systems, among other items listed by Sauter, had all been addressed.
"The Country Code wasn’t put into effect to eliminate houses," said Stern. "It was used to help farmers going up and down the road with farm equipment, odors, etc."
In other business, Riephoff’s Sawmill was granted a waiver of site plan for an addition to the sawmill, and the Gunther minor subdivision on Meirs Road was approved.