Public begins to speak on Jackson Valley plan
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Jackson

JACKSON - Members of the public had a chance to have their say and ask questions about Jackson Valley, Hovbilt's planned 965-unit age-restricted development, at the Planning Board's Jan. 22 meeting.

Additional testimony from members of the public is expected to be heard at 9:30 p.m. Feb. 5 as the board nears a vote on the housing project planned for the Cassville section of Jackson.

At the Jan. 22 meeting attorney Donald Daines, representing Hovbilt, noted that the developer's experts had returned to respond to questions and comments. Substituting for two experts who could not attend the meeting were Amy B. Jones, Habitat Management and Design Inc., who would respond to environmental questions and testimony, and Joseph D. Perello, vice president, Schoor DePalma, who was available to testify regarding landscaping.

When the meeting was opened to the public, Peter Hibbard, president of Ocean County Citizens for Clean Water, said the Jackson Valley plan represents a threat to the quality of water downstream.

"The upstream location of this development does not provide a right to disrupt the natural sources of the water to those located downstream," Hibbard said. "The threat to the water supply is unknown, but it is a significant concern and must not be ignored."

Hibbard asked for a one-year baseline study to be conducted weekly on the water quality of the Toms River and the Cohansey aquifer.

Daines said Hovbilt shared those concerns and said that is why on Oct. 16, Steven J. Souza, president of Princeton Hydro pH, testified at length about the storm water management design system, the compliance with the state Department of Environmental Protection regulations, as well as the wetlands, which were approved.

Daines also said the applicant has already agreed to put in four monitoring wells on-site.

The request to monitor the Toms River basin downstream is unsupportive, Daines said.

Peter Leighton, of Ollie Burke Road, asked if Hovbilt will pay its fair share for road work associated with the development of Jackson Valley.

Daines said Hovbilt will pay for certain road work.

Cindy Book, of New Egypt, said she is concerned about endangered species, animals and plants, that may be present on the development site.

"Who will relocate the pine snakes if they are encountered?" she asked.

Book asked the Hovbilt representatives to supply its construction workers with instructions about handling endangered species. She asked Hovbilt to hire a herpetologist to monitor the snakes.

Daines said many of the items were previously covered by Joel D. Gove, of Habitat Management and Design, Trenton.

"That's why over 60 percent of the property is being left undisturbed," Daines said. "The construction workers will be informed, so the harming of the pine snake will not take place, which is forbidden."

The attorney said the relocation of the snake will be part of the relocation plan described by Gove previously. He said the applicant will consider hiring a herpetologist suggested by Book.

Al Dolche, a member of the Central Jersey Rifle and Pistol Club, said he was speaking for the members of the club.

"I was called by the president to be down here," Dolche said. "Many of the members hunt [in] Colliers Mills and by state law there must be a 450-foot barrier. Why is the barrier not on the Hovbilt property and why should it come out of Colliers Mills?"

Planning Board Attorney Greg McGuckin said he was not aware of any such statute.

Dolche said if houses are up against the property line that will remove 450 feet of hunting lands for the sportsmen.

When questioned by McGuckin, Dolche said he did not have the exact information with him and will follow up his statement at a future time by providing more information for the board attorney.

Jeff Nemeth, of Perrineville Road, said he has lived here for five years and was not happy.

"I'm all about growth and progress, but any type of village of this sort has always been on a major road. This is a small secondary road. We have a potential for 1,100 more vehicles each day. It's going to be a nightmare" in Cassville, he said.

Nemeth said there are many electrical outages in the area. He invited people to call JCP&L and to find out how many outages there have been in the area.

Arthur P. Havighorst II, vice president and general counsel for Hovbilt, said JCP&L employees examined the plans for Jackson Valley and indicated the utility will be able to provide the necessary service.

"In this instance, if anything occurs, the results of this project will be that the power problems in this area will probably cease because of the work that we are going to be required to do," Havighorst said. "[JCP&L will] bring in extra power to the area for the development. There should be additional lines."

Lou Rogacki, of Andrews Road, questioned the applicant's traffic report and pointed to information in testimony he believed was conflicting.

Rogacki said the roads in Cassville are pretty crowded during the morning and afternoon peak hours. He said the study indicated that the roads will also be crowded in the off-peak hours.

Planning Board Chairman Kenneth Bressi said the law states that traffic studies are done during peak hours.

Ellen Weisfeld, who identified herself as a Jackson resident, said the applicant's information is not up to date.

"There was a second sighting of a residential pine snake on the property," Weisfeld said. "I have problems with their removal. This will stress the snakes. And finally, if these animals wanted to live where Hovbilt wants to put them, they would have moved there on their own."

Elaine Cypreste, of Cassville Road, said this was her family's worst nightmare, the busy road.

"Before we bought this house we were told nothing is going to go in there," Cypreste said. "We would have never bought this property. I beg you not to go forward with this. There are so many other open spaces. Go do your business somewhere else."

Cypreste said her property will now have no value.

"Nobody wants a [house] 10 feet away from a very busy road," she said, referring to a new so-called connector road that Hovbilt has proposed in the vicinity of Jackson Valley. "We're not talking about the electricity problem, the traffic or the environment. I cannot live there. [Now] my baby's room is next to a street. I beg you to please do something."

Zoning officer Richard Megill noted for the record that at the time when Cypreste may have spoken with municipal personnel, the township did not know Hovbilt was going to propose the connector road near her property.

Attorney Michael Field, representing St. Vladimir's Church, which is near the development site, said he is in the midst of negotiations with the applicant.

"We are asking the board that any possible approval be contingent upon the agreement of this issue," Field said. "We would like to see emergency vehicle access constructed so that emergency vehicles can get through the cul-de-sac to the church."

Field said he would also like to see a portion of Perrineville Road removed and the road's existing terminus at Route 571 vacated. He said his client would like some input as to the design and landscaping of the entrance from Cassville Road.

Bressi asked Field to keep the board abreast of the negotiations between the church and Hovbilt.