Stop overcrowding in North Brunswick
I am curious to know who is responsible for approving the building of, — or in this case, the squeezing in of — new residences in the North Brunswick area.
A while back, a very small house on relatively large property was torn down. The property was divided and a rather large home was placed on the corner of Wood Avenue and Oak Road (facing Oak) while another was slid in sideways between that house and another already in existence on Wood Avenue. When you look at it from the street, you are looking at the side of the house. The front door faces the side of the house that was already there, and the back door faces the back of the other new house.
Is there a soul out there who would say this is their dream house? Does the town of North Brunswick have any pride at all in what we deem acceptable and proper living accommodations? Do we really need to start squeezing houses in sideways if we can’t fit them in the right way? When do we finally put our foot down and say the division of land is inappropriate for two dwellings so we’ll have to keep it a single-dwelling property?
I have to assume there is no law against doing something like this. Am I wrong? Any thinking human being with a normal IQ — and no dollar signs in their greedy little eyes — can see this was a bad idea before the house was plopped there. It makes no sense and looks ridiculous.
Have some pride and stop the overcrowding. There is a perfectly front-facing abandoned house about eight lots away on the same street that can use new ownership. If the town of North Brunswick is really hard up for the extra tax dollars, try getting that one sold and stop the stupidity.
Lisa Maniaci
North Brunswick
State Legislature urged to pass pollution bills
New Jersey has the second highest rate of cancer in America. Diesel trucks and buses have been releasing soot particles into the air for years. Invisible but deadly, these soot particles are coated with toxins which easily penetrate the lungs’ defenses and cause lung cancer, asthma and other respiratory problems.
Changing lanes to avoid driving behind one of these vehicles is not necessarily effective, since the particles remain in the air for up to two weeks. Children especially are at risk as they ride diesel school buses everyday. Within Middlesex County, the risk rate for cancer caused by diesel pollution is 536 times the acceptable EPA standard.
Assembly Bill A3182 and its companion Senate Bill S1759 will require the more than 30,000 diesel school buses, garbage trucks, transit buses, and other public vehicles to utilize modern pollution filters, using money from existing environmental funds. These self-sustaining, cost-effective filters reduce diesel emissions by more than 90 percent.
The New Jersey Legislature should take action against diesel pollution by voting in support of this bill. Already, Sen. Bob Smith [D-17th District] has voiced his support for the bill, and he should be thanked. This bill will not eliminate the entire problem, but it is a much-needed step forward toward cleaner air.
Sarah Ramteke
canvasser, New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG)
New Brunswick