Letters to the Editor, April 18

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, April 18

Are we speaking the same language?
To the editor:
   
From the "do as I say, not as I do column" … Princeton Township Newsletter, Spring 2006, page 3: "Zoning Department Updates."
   "The Township found (through numerous studies) that flooding, erosion and water pollution occurs in the township due to excessive storm water run-off from construction of impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, parking areas, patios and walkways. Because this has become an issue of great concern, the Township enacted an Impervious Coverage Limitation Ordinance, a zoning bulk requirement, which limits the amount of impervious coverage one can have on a residential building lot."
   Fast forward to Township Committee meetings as recent as March 27, wherein an impervious cover of some length (a sidewalk, where none presently exists) is being foisted on Overbrook Drive residential building lots in the guise of improved drainage and roadwork.
   Are we speaking the same language?
Susan B. Loew
Overbrook Drive
Princeton
Project represents major change
To the editor:
   
The following is an open letter to the Princeton Township Zoning Board of Adjustment:
   
During last Wednesday’s meeting, the lawyer for Brian and Leah Beth McDonald submitted a motion to disallow the bifurcation application of Morgan Estates — the reason being that granting a use variance without a full site-plan review would tend to lead to a site-plan variance and consequently the surrounding community would be harmed.
   This is a major change to the existing zoning, and should not even be considered without presentation of full solutions to the many problems with the site. The applicant should also be required to establish a compelling reason for the change. Neither condition was met by the applicant at the meeting.
   During cross-examination of Morgan Estates project engineer, Mr. Spaltz, our township engineer, Robert Kiser, asked many pointed questions that Mr. Spaltz was unable to adequately answer. His testimony leads all witnesses to believe that there are mitigating circumstances — the existence of bedrock less than 9 feet in depth in many test holes, for one—that would suggest that continuing with a bifurcated application is unwarranted and that a full site-plan review should be in place along with the use-variance request.
   When an advocate for the applicant is not capable of adequately answering questions of the township engineer whom the board relies on as an expert, we do not see how it is possible for the board to make an intelligent decision/ruling on the use variance without first requiring full disclosure of the effects on the property when construction begins.
   We share the amazement expressed on the record by the lawyer for Church & Dwight, Mr. Bliss, that the board could seriously consider a request for bifurcation with so many unanswered questions on an issue with such considerable potential for negative impact on the immediate neighbors and environment and so little real benefit to the community of Princeton.
   We, therefore, respectfully submit to the board to notify the applicant that their application for a bifurcated hearing is denied.
   Though the Legislature wrote guidelines dealing with bifurcated issues, it did not grant the absolute right to a bifurcated variance process. It is our opinion that bifurcated applications should be the exception rather than the rule, since it is clear that developers have the expectation that additional variance requests as the design progresses would be granted after they receive the basic use variance.
   If it is the argument that by applying for the use variance first saves developers money (since, if the application is denied, they have not spent the money on a full site plan review), then the developers should rework their economics to make their projects profitable should this be the case.
Paul P. Kapp
Peter Q. Tovar
T. Burnet Fisher
Northeast Residents Association
Princeton
Many to thank for after-school benefit
To the editor:
   
The Trenton After School Program has just celebrated Chairs for Children, its immensely successful benefit in support of its programs at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and the Cadwalader School in Trenton.
   TASP is a program of Princeton Outreach Projects Inc., which is associated with Trinity Episcopal and Nassau Presbyterian churches.
   As a special feature of the benefit, local and regional artists creatively and whimsically designed and painted 29 children’s chairs that were actively bid for in a vigorous auction.
   Particular recognition is due the Educational Testing Service for its generous sponsorship and hosting of the benefit on its attractive campus, including a separate afternoon TASP Family Party celebrating the children’s art and a Passage Theatre production featuring former TASP students.
   Over the years, ETS has been a community leader with its significant support of nonprofit, youth-related programs. We especially salute ETS’s Eleanor Horne, vice president and secretary of the corporation (and resident angel), who with her colleague Loretta Morgan Andrews, enthusiastically harnessed the many human resources of ETS to provide an elegant and festive setting for the occasion.
   We wish also to recognize Honorary Chair Christiana Foglio-Palmer, first lady of Trenton; Kathleen Guzman, our spirited "Antiques Roadshow" auctioneer; the merchants of Princeton who displayed chairs in their windows; Brian Hill and Trenton’s Ellarslie Museum for their preview party; and this newspaper for its generous publicity of the event.
   Our thanks to Mayor Douglas Palmer of Trenton for his presence and powerful message at the dinner recognizing the role programs like TASP play in combating the growing unrest among youth in our inner city environments.
   At the end of the day, the goal of TASP, in collaboration with families, schools, churches and other support programs is to increase student self-confidence, respect for self and others, and the knowledge, skills and courage to make decisions that will lead to good citizenship and will let them become all they are capable of being. Our grateful thanks to the many who assisted with, contributed to, and attended this event, and for helping us move forward toward this goal.
Jane Holmquist
TASP Board Chair
Lawrence
Kay Roberts
Benefit Chair
Princeton
Ev Pinneo
Benefit Committee
Princeton
At last, someone cares about state’s heritage
To the editor:
   
A recent study showed that 61 percent of Americans do not know the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" — a chilling fact during a time when the inspiration of "broad stripes and bright stars" means a great deal to many people.
   So if 61 percent of Americans do not know the words to our national anthem, does this also mean a large number of people do not know the principles on which this great country was founded? Does it mean that many Americans do not understand the struggles our ancestors overcame to make this nation what it is today? How can we truly appreciate the land of the free if we are not clear as to how it became that way in the first place?
   New Jersey has a wide array of historic sites. From north to south, you will find houses, battlefields, parks, villages and more, all here for your educational enjoyment. These gems have been preserved so that their stories can be told to future generations. They are the key to learning about our past.
   With 15 million visitors annually, many from out of state and country, the state historic sites and parks of New Jersey have been struggling just to keep their heads above water. Many have dedicated volunteers to keep the sites open, as permanent paid positions are few and far between. Normally, these institutions do not receive much regard from the state, making it very difficult to receive funds for restorations, educational programs and myriad other requests. However, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.
   In his recent budget address, Gov. Jon Corzine allocated $40 million for improvements to New Jersey’s state-run historic sites, state parks, wildlife areas, forests and marinas. This is substantially more than the $16 million that has been designated in the past five years for upkeep. Finally, someone other than caring donors and grant-makers is beginning to see the value in these systems.
   I am pleased the state government is finally realizing the value of these historic sites and parks to the people of New Jersey, as well as other states and countries. This money will not go far, but it is a good start and, more important, it shows that those of us who care for our historic sites and parks are not alone in our mission.
   The only way our youth will understand where this country came from is to show them. The way to guide everyone toward a peaceful future in the land of the free is to realize how this country was formed and to appreciate the threads that go into making the American Flag. Gov. Corzine seems to understand this. I urge the Legislature to remember their forefathers and the hardships they faced in making this great nation when they pass this year’s budget, and decide if that legacy is worth passing on to future generations.
Megan K. Lintott
Trustee
The Rockingham Association
Cairns Place
Montgomery
Put to rest plans for North Slope drilling
To the editor:
   
Those hoping to drill for oil in Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge are at it again — inserting authorization via an "earmark" into the national budget. The advocates tell us that:
   1) Alaska’s North Slope is a "wasteland," but any number of expert naturalists have proclaimed it so rich in wildlife that it has been called the U.S. Serengeti.
   2) We hear that the added drilling on the North Slope would occupy only a "small footprint." Don’t believe it. A new ANWR oil field would require some 280 miles of new roads and hundreds of miles of pipelines (requiring millions of cubic yards of scraped off every river bed and lake bottom across the tundra) — plus airstrips, production facilities, service buildings, sewage plants and housing for thousands.
   3) The oil interests point to better drilling methods. True, offset drilling would help, but not much. In addition to the roads and facilities, we’d see more toxic metals and chemicals spilled on the tundra and millions of gallons of toxic drilling muds. Much of this sort of thing is endemic to oil wells, and improved technology cannot effect major improvements.
   I have visited the Prudhoe Bay section of the current drilling on the North Slope and have noted that Prudhoe has almost 4,000 wells and 500 miles of gravel roads. It averages 500 large and small oil spills each year. This March, we saw a 200,000-plus-gallon spill near Prudhoe, bringing back horrific memories of the Exxon Valdez. And we should remember, too, the many energy efficiencies we have at hand that can more quickly alleviate our sad dependence on Middle East oil.
   The frozen tundra of the coastal plain, along with the rest of Alaska, is warming, greatly complicating the building of roads and pipelines. And there would be severe impacts on the caribou, the polar bears, the musk oxen, the birds and gorgeous natural beauty of the Arctic.
   Drilling in ANWR was rejected early this year but our congressional delegations need to hear from us again. This issue should be put to rest, this time for good. Saving ANWR would be praised by this and future generations.
George Schindler
Center Drive
Montgomery