BY COLLEEN O'DEA
DAILY RECORD
Saturday, December 16, 2006BEDMINSTER -- The New Jersey Highlands Coalition, which includes more than 100 environmental organizations, on Friday announced its qualified backing to the draft Highlands regional master plan. At the same time, the coalition cited almost twice as many areas in need of improvement as positive aspects of the plan.
The announcement comes more than two weeks after the New Jersey Highlands Council voted to release the 250-page plan and accompanying zoning map for the 860,000-acre region that includes most of Morris County.
Highlands Act certainly is a 'land grab' by state
BY MATT SPRUNG
Sunday, December 31, 2006 Town faces decision on zoning
By SANDY STUART Staff Writer By P.C.ROBINSON Staff Writer
12/28/2006Holtaway said, the township’s affordable housing obligation would be altered by the state. However, he noted that Bedminster is already providing far more low- and moderate-income units than required by the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).
The draft Highlands Regional Master Plan was released on Nov. 30, after more than two years of planning, debate and delays. It is now in a public review and comments phase.
The master plan is required under the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, which was passed in 2004 to preserve a 1,250-square-mile area where much of the state’s water supply originates.
The Highlands preservation and planning areas span 88 municipalities in the state’s seven northern counties: Somerset, Morris, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Bergen and Passaic.
Complex Plan
Holtaway noted that the Highlands draft master plan is “extremely complex” and also contains some inconsistencies that will need to be resolved.
The Highlands preservation and planning areas contain three distinct zoning profiles: a very restrictive “protection” zone, a less restrictive “conservation” zone and “planned community zones” where growth will be directed.
Holtaway said Pottersville village, which lies partly in Bedminster, partly in Tewksbury and partly in Chester Township, is designated as a planned community zone. He said he disagrees with this designation, because the Bedminster section of village has no public sewers or water. There is, however, a small sewage treatment plant in the Tewksbury section.
According to the mayor, Bedminster and Pluckemin villages are also designated as planned community zones. Holtaway said preliminary state maps draw the boundaries of the two growth zones more generously than township officials would like.
For example, he said, the maps show the Bedminster village growth area extending as far west as Fairview Drive, which is on the opposite side of Route 206, and as far north as Ski Hill Drive.
Holtaway said he believes the preliminary growth zone maps may have been meant to be “approximations” rather than exact representations.
Still, he said, Township Planner Frank Banisch has been directed to analyze the state documents to determine whether it’s an issue to be addressed with the state Highlands Council.
It’s likely, said Holtaway, that the Planning Board will also ask Banisch during the early part of 2007 to analyze the implications of opting-in to the Highlands preservation area.
Among the issues to be determined, he said, are the potential impacts on properties that already have been developed at a higher density, and whether it would be in Bedminster’s best interest to replace its own 10-acre minimum lot size in the rural residential zone with even more restrictive state zoning.
“It’s a question of local control,” commented Holtaway after the meeting. “Is the final plan something we can live with everywhere in the township?”
Another issue, he said, is whether Bedminster officials would have the ability to change their minds at a future date.
“The question is, could we opt-out again if we get aggravated with them (state restrictions),” he said.
Master planFor anyone who has wanted to expand on their property-- oh, let's say to put in, pool or pool house or a work shed, barn, stable or bigger garage, patio, deck, gazbo, green house, dog house, dog run, god forbid a tree house etc..--- has run into the department of planning, and has probably been educated in the term " buffer zone". If you have not a-
buffer zone- is a strip of vegetation located between developed land and a lake, stream or wetland. ( a good buffer protects the water, adds beauty and provides habitat for wildlife.)
Six reasons why a buffer
makes for a better wetland.
1.
Slows and filters runoff.A good buffer protects yourlake, stream, or wetland byslowing runoff and allowingit to soak into the ground. ( Can Bedminster say--- Flooding )
2. Stabilizes shoreline.Buffers prevent fluctuatingwater levels, moving ice,flooding,(Has Bedminster seen the the muddy river freeze to ice-- I have, the people who live on copperthwaithe sure have-- can you say flooding , dam and bridge erosion-- this #2 doesn't help us, the river is already a perserved buffer- and the problem still exsist.)surface runoff andwave action from eroding your shoreline.
3. Provides habitat.The water’s edge provides food and cover for birds,butterflies, turtles and other wildlife. A good buffercan be a very diverse habitat.-- ( ok, you decide. A box turtle ' endanger species' can wander onto your property up to 500 ft that's with a 150 foot buffer zone.)
4. Enhances aesthetics.Natural buffers beautify your yard with a variety of colorfulwildflowers that bloom throughout the season. Buffers canalso create a natural screen, increasing privacy. ( Can you say Weeds, and over growth, you will NOT be able to cut down or remove)
5. Increases property value.A high quality buffer is anasset that can add resale value. ( How?).
6. Limits nuisance wildlife.A native plant buffer createsa natural barrier toCanada geese.( And what about deer?)Now that you have that information... we are talking about Bedminster.. The buffer zone in and around Bedminster starts at 50ft. and goes 150 ft. this, depending on which endangered species or plant is living in your area... The highlands conservation group would like to expand that buffer zone to 300 ft. So if you live by a river or a stream or a wetland- (a flood plain) you will not be able to build, dig or alter your property in anyway that would effect the "Six reasons why a buffer
makes for a better wetland."
So, if bedminster can't build or expand. And home owners can make improvements to there property because the land that your home sits on is protected for wildlife, how is a town to generate more monies- for school's, libraries, police, waste management.. and so on? well, can you say higher property tax.. Seem funny to raise your property tax on your land that you can't do any thing with. (Can you say equity)
Now, way would anyone want to buy a house in bedminster?. Unless , of course, you want to live in a nature preserve.
Because that's what will happen if this master plan pass here in bedminster. I'm not saying preservation is a bad thing, but there are limits. Who or what should be limited is the thing.
Comments are being accepted via the web at http://www.state.nj.us/njhighlands/master_plan.html
by mail:
New Jersey Highlands Council, Draft Plan Comments
100 North Road, Chester, NJ 07930
or at our public hearings. See calendar for dates, locations, and times. Equal consideration will be given to comments regardless of how they are received
