Grawtown Estates gets turned down
BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer

JACKSON - Planning Board members on Oct. 15 rejected an application for the 493-home Grawtown Estates development on Grawtown Road. The vote was 8-1.

Voting to deny the application were Kenneth Bressi, Todd Porter, Blanche Krubner, George McKay, Joseph Riccardi, Robert Hudak, Dan Burke and William Cook. Board member Eileen Tobasco voted not to deny the application.

Porter said he voted to deny the plan because of the adverse impact the application would have on the community. He specifically mentioned the road conditions and lack of a plan to widen one particular curve.

Krubner said the board had to look at the long-term effect the application would have on Jackson. She said it will be a factor that will affect the quality of life and the environment.

Burke cited traffic safety and other reasons for his vote to deny the application.

Plans by Orleans Homebuilders, Bensalem, Pa., called for the subdivision of a 300-acre parcel bordered by Grawtown Road, near Bowman Road and Route 527 and Route 528.

Residents maintained that the endangered northern pine snake has been found on the development property. They called for an environmental study of the land.

Resident John Yannariello said, "We don't need these houses in this area. The traffic is going to kill all the animals."

Resident Garth Michels said the endangered species need to be addressed, the wetlands need to be addressed, as well as forestation, water quality and air quality.

Responding to comments about traffic, the applicant's traffic engineer John Rea said there will be more traffic in the area, but he said the improvements designed by the applicant and the county would provide for the proper and safe flow of traffic through those areas.

Planning Board engineer Douglas F. Klee said he believed the additional truck traffic would have a negative impact. He said the impact of the road improvements would have to be seen.

Attorney Ray Shea, who represented the applicant, said, "There are people in the neighborhood who will never welcome another subdivision in their neighborhood."

He said the board should grant the approval for Grawtown Estates and tell the public that Orleans is entitled to the approval because its representatives did what the law said they were required to do.

Shea said the threatened and endangered species have been studied more in this application than in any other application he has presented.

"Two independent firms and the Pinelands Commission in protocols adopted by them" reviewed the issue, he said.

Shea said the criteria is whether the subject property is a suitable habitat and not whether someone found a live snake or a dead snake.

The attorney said scientists should be the ones to determine whether there is a suitable habitat or not.

"We have tried to meet the letter of the law," Shea said. "We have satisfied the requirements of the county and state. We seek no variances. We do seek an impartial vote."

With that the board voted to deny the Grawtown Estates application.