Manalapan’s mayor, Jack McNaboe, has wisely recognized that adding more homes to an already growing surplus of homes in Manalapan makes no sense. He has also exercised leadership by moving the discussion to frame a solution that is in the best interest of Manalapan, focused on the community as a whole, and not just more building sprawl.
Any such solutions should: 1, reduce (or certainly not add to) traffic or increase stress on our crumbling roads and bridges; 2, not add to the economic/logistical burden of our school population; 3, not add to the operational cost of services (fire, police, emergency); 4, enhance the aesthetic value of the area of Route 33 and Millhurst Road (remember the sunflowers), which adds to the value of adjacent homes; 5, enhance the quality of life by enabling to people to “safely” engage in walking or riding bikes; and 6, respect the environment, leaving a green belt that protects air and ground water quality as well as plants and animals which could be enjoyed as an enhancement to quality of life.
A key part of any such community-focused solution should include Green Acres. It would help fund the purchase of land which could be set aside for quality-of-life usage by the public. Numerous studies have shown that homeowners living adjacent to farms or wild green acres have universally benefited from a material increase in property values.
Peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that residential development typically resulted in a fiscal deficit; nonresidential development generated a fiscal surplus, but attracted residential development; and open space was fiscally preferable to residential development and equal to or better than commercial and other nonresidential development. The public benefit to preserving wildlife habitat and providing space for walking/biking trails is overwhelming; less traffic congestion, resulting in reduced noise and air pollution.
Consequently, living in or near such “green” space is healthier (reduced asthmas and pulmonary diseases) and less costly (no increased tax pressure because no additional services are required). For that reason, adjacent homeowners enjoy the benefit of higher property values arising from and through a less congested car-centric environment.
The public benefit is also obvious. Less need for services means reduced pressure on taxes and higher property values indicate that the community as a whole enjoys a better quality of life.
I would suggest that the mayor and Township Committee move the public meetings about the Stavola and Cardinale plans to the nearby adjacent communities which could be affected by those proposals. Get away from the builder’s paid special interests and connect directly with the communities at Knob Hill, Battleground and others.
Ask the residents if they would prefer access to a smaller box store which would permit mixed use involving open space, preserving habitat and providing the opportunity for biking and hiking.
If they feel that reduced traffic congestion, cleaner air, less noise pollution and constraints on tax revenues (reduced need for services) would be in their interests, consider a community-focused solution involving Green Acres, employing a smaller box store footprint and protecting the quality of life in our Manalapan.
Bruce K. Brickman
Manalapan