| Author | Message | ||
     newtoallthis Citizen Username: Newtoallthis Post Number: 82 Registered: 2-2003 |
How wide is the "blast zone" around the quarry? I live near Mayhew/Tillou and I just felt my house shake and heard a distant boom. Pretty darn sure that was blasting. Is Pulte responsible for any problems with our foundations due to this?! I saw from earlier chats someone from Pulte was taking note of homes near blast zone for possible damage...maybe they should widen their zone! | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 652 Registered: 5-2001  |
My understnding is that they only surveyed houses within 200 ft of the perimeter of the property. (which wouldn't include houses as far as Mayhew) However, the project manager from Pulte can be reached at Bill.Marmo@Pulte.com. Perhaps he can provide clarification. I would think they certainly should be held responsible. Blind Faith in your leaders or in anything will get you killed - B. Springsteen | ||
| jmfromsouthorange Citizen Username: Jmfromsorange Post Number: 9 Registered: 7-2003 |
I don't understand something. When I was growing up the quarry was open for business, blasting every day. It wasn't a big deal then, why is it now? | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 668 Registered: 5-2001 |
I would say that probably close to 90% of the current residents weren't around then & bought their houses on the expectation that it was a quiet neighborhood. Many had no idea the quarry ever even existed or even that there were other plans for the site. Over the past few years, I went to many Open Houses in the area & intentionally asked realtors what that property was. They ALL said "aw...don't worry about that...they've been talking about building some houses there for years...it'll never happen". Sure...that's no excuse for not doing full due diligence down in Village Hall, but most people didn't. | ||
| jmfromsouthorange Citizen Username: Jmfromsorange Post Number: 13 Registered: 7-2003 |
mayhewdrive- while I don't doubt for a minute the realtors might have misled home buyers; i don't remember those living around the area of the quarry while i grew up complaining about damage to thier homes. I could be wrong. And how can one not notice the big hole there? | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 670 Registered: 5-2001 |
JM, Problem is that from the street, it wasn't "a big hole". All along Harding Drive were huge dense trees so it was not apparent at all what was there. That is no longer a problem, since the site looks like something from the Mars rover now. | ||
| mary032 Citizen Username: Mary032 Post Number: 19 Registered: 8-2001 |
jmfromsouthorange, you want to hear complaints about damage to people's homes? Ask our mayor Bill Calabrese who leaves at the rim of the quarry; he'll tell you about cracks in his ceilings, and about dishes falling off the shelves. | ||
| jmfromsouthorange Citizen Username: Jmfromsorange Post Number: 14 Registered: 7-2003 |
mayhew and mary you have a point about the trees, didn't think of that. i guess most people don't talk to the neighbors before buying a house. as for bill, who i happen to like, he of all people should have known about the quarry. i can't remember if he was here 40 years ago or not; but if he was he was here when they use to blast, and if he bought when there was no longer blasting, there is no way he could have missed the hole. there are no trees blocking his view of the hole. <sorry> | ||
| Mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 698 Registered: 5-2001 |
Newtoallthis, Did you ever contact Pulte and get a response? There have now been reports of blasting being heard & felt all the way to South Orange Avenue, which is well beyond the range of properties that were "inspected". I'm curious if you contacted them & what response they gave you. On a related note, there was quite a bit of discussion at last night's Trustees meeting about the damage that has been caused by construction vehicles to surrounding properties. Also, there were reports of trees on surrounding properties that have been destroyed (possibly due to erosion). I'd encourage everyone to contact the Village with any related issues, as well as posting them here so we can all be aware of what is happening. Also might not be a bad idea to contact the News Record. | ||
| newtoallthis Citizen Username: Newtoallthis Post Number: 85 Registered: 2-2003 |
I haven't contacted them yet. Who is reporting blasting being felt all the way to SOrange Ave? Perhaps we should get together and contact our Village govt so they can make a formal complaint to Pulte? | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 426 Registered: 8-2002 |
Last week I noticed a speed/radar monitor on Mayhew Drive. Didn't think too much of it, (would like that set up on Speir, too) -- Until I was home yesterday -- Was driving on Mayhew Dr, and following a couple of HUGE dump trunks -- from the quarry towards SO Ave. The trucks were easily going 40+ mph (unforunately the speed/radar monitor was gone). Not only is this bad from a safety standpoint, this has got to wreak havoc with the roads - especially in this cold. I noticed PSEG crew out digging up and fixing a gas line on Mayhew Drive -- maybe just a conincidence? But... Pete | ||
| Mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 699 Registered: 5-2001 |
Pete, You sure it was MAYHEW and not Harding? (I saw a speed/radar monitor on HARDING very recently) | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 428 Registered: 8-2002 |
sorry -- it was Harding... thx Pete | ||
| Dan Shelffo Citizen Username: Openspacer Post Number: 85 Registered: 6-2001 |
The construction is having a negative impact on the neighborhood. Even more disturbing is the response from the Village. Before construction began the neighborhood was told there would be no work on Saturday and to contact Village Hall if there were any problems. The BOT said the administrator would be the point man keeping them abreast of any problems. There has been work done on Saturdays. The Village now says they can not stop it. Even more disturbing is the plight of one neighbor who lives very close to the quarry. At last Monday's BOT meeting he spoke at length about all the damage that is being done to his property and all the code violations being committed by the developer. He said he had spoken to Pulte to no avail. He sent a letter to the Village in December and the only response he got was the reciept of a warning from the South Orange Code enforcement division on 1/6 telling him he had leaves at his curb, the same curb the heavy equipment has destroyed, and had to correct the problem by 1/7 or face a fine. He showed a picture of the "pile" which I could not see but he indicated a very small amount. Mark saw the picture, maybe he can comment on the size of the pile. I know this neighbor and his property. He maintains his property with a passion. The lawn is mowed every week in the summer (by the homeowner) and the leaves are swept into the street almost as soon as they fall. I thought I heard Mark Rosner say to the Village Attorney during this discussion that this is embarrasing in reference to the warning issued. The attorney seemed to reply that no, it is the law. (Mark, please correct me If I misheard). I personally have spoken to Patrick Joyce about the ice condition being created at the intersection of Underhill and Harding by the diverted water flow created by the developer's engineer. For those that do not know, this is an intersection where a very steep part of Underhill Road meets Harding at an uncontrolled (no signs or signals) and blind (due to the bushes on Harding)intersection. He said he talked to the town engineer and it was taken care of. I beg to differ. It is still there. Bill's public solution of putting Tony Grenci (head of enforcement) on the case might help but the BOT has to stay on top of this situation. Dr. Rosen has stated that he drives by that spot when traveling from his home to the Village. Allan, when you see somthing like the street lights all taken out by construction accidents, ice flows, dirty streets and erosion taking out trees please let someone who can fix it know. Homeowners might be reluctant to report problems because of the precived consequences of getting involved. | ||
| Dan Shelffo Citizen Username: Openspacer Post Number: 86 Registered: 6-2001 |
Ice update: I just got back from walking the dog and I went by the construction site. There appears to be an improvement in the street condition but the cause of the ice (the black pipe deaining into the storm drain) is still there.  This picture was just taken. The view is looking north up Harding. The sloping street to the left is Underhill. The bushes you see block the view from the left as you come down Underhill. The sidewalk is a lawsuit waiting to happen but the road is passable. The darker looking dirt in the road is actually ice. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 904 Registered: 4-2002 |
Dan: Your hearing was correct. I did not see a picture of the leaves (I only saw one packet of the pictures). Mr. Grenci will be giving an update on the resident's situation at the planning and zoning committee. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonhw Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2004 |
I spoke to Tony as well at the meeting and requested the status of the "construction fence" that was told to us at the Dec meeting to be installed "in the next two weeks." | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 4302 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dan, you have brought a new element to message boards everywhere; Instant Graphics!! now is we could only do streaming video  | ||
| doublea Citizen Username: Doublea Post Number: 404 Registered: 3-2003 |
Anyone else just experience a pretty good vibration in their house from the blast about 10 minutes ago? I live further than the 200 ft. zone, but my house really vibrated. I called the police to verify that it was a blast, and the officer said that mine was the third call. I called John Gross and he said they were operating within their limits. Bottom line: Pulte should not have been granted the variance by the planning board to reduce the buffer. Without the variance, there would have been no blasting. The project could have still been built. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonhw Post Number: 3 Registered: 1-2004 |
I had the same reaction to the blast. At the last BOT meeting the Fire Chief was charged with obtaining the "Labor Dept" historical measurements. My expectation is that this would be reported on at this evenings BOT meeting. Howard Levison |
