Your Turn

Train station project must enhance residents

Train station project must enhance residents’ lifestyle
Guest Column
Debra
Buragina

During the past few weeks, residents of Matawan and Aberdeen have been reading the newspapers regarding the train station redevelopment project.

The information that has been reported has been misleading.

It has created an unfavorable atmosphere that is detrimental to the basic relationship between Matawan and Aberdeen.

As a member of the Matawan Redevelopment Committee, I offer a brief historical synopsis.

The process of designating the train station area as a redevelopment zone began a year and half ago.

Matawan had three public hearings concerning the proposed designation.

The opinions given by the residents of both Matawan and Aberdeen were invaluable and served as a platform from which Matawan’s Planning/Zoning Board was able to create a redevelopment plan.

Matawan and Aberdeen agreed to form a joint management committee to oversee the preparation of a redevelopment Request for Proposal.

In August, five prospective developers submitted proposals with the vision they had for the redevelopment area.

The management committee agreement between the two towns clearly indicated each municipality had the ability to select the same developer or the developer of its choice. Matawan and Aberdeen did select two different developers.

The Matawan Borough Council has always believed that although the plans are fundamentally different, given the opportunity and guidance from the governing bodies, the two developers could work together.

In fact, that cooperation would benefit both towns.

However, each town’s vision for the area is by nature different.

For Aberdeen, the redevelopment area is far from the township’s primary residential area.

The Matawan side flows into an historic downtown area with local businesses and several residential neighborhoods.

This factor creates a fundamental difference in the type of development that each municipality would want for its residents.

That was the dilemma each town council faced.

Matawan is a small community centered around families who want to live in an environment where their children can grow, learn and make lifelong friends; where people can enjoy the many area parks; where children can ride their bikes; where you can walk through a safe downtown area to shop or enjoy a meal at a local restaurant.

In Matawan, you can walk down the street and know the person on the other side.

Developing the train station area to anything less than these basic ideals goes against everything we as a community believe and want for Matawan.

Why would anyone choose to live in a community where monetary gains are placed before quality of life?

Our redevelopment is not about creating roads for commuters.

It is not about building additional commercial space so that everyone in New Jersey can work in Matawan.

It should be about enhancing an already established lifestyle.

If there is one issue I am in agreement on with the Aberdeen Township Council, it is this: if what their developer is proposing is built, we will not have any worries, because the community of Matawan and Aberdeen will not be a place any family will choose to live in.

Debra Buragina is a Matawan Borough councilwoman