| Author | Message | ||
     jrf Citizen Username: Jrf Post Number: 292 Registered: 5-2001  |
I urge everyone to call members of the planning board and ask them to approve the development in the quarry. Why put South Orange in a situation where we will be legally accountable to the developers. VOTE YES ON QUARRY DEVELOPMENT!!! | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 148 Registered: 5-2001 |
Jrf, Your attitude on the quarry development based on our "difference of opinion" on a War with Iraq is extremely immature. The 2 "issues" are completely unrelated. | ||
| jrf Citizen Username: Jrf Post Number: 294 Registered: 5-2001 |
Mayhewdrive, You have become a strong voice for why there should not be development in the quarry. With the vote only a few weeks away, why would YOU be so stupid as to enter into a highly sensitive topic and throw out an attack against our President? Personally, I do not care what happens with the Quarry - it will not effect my day-to-day life at all. I worked in the George H. Bush White House and take your comment in the other thread as unfair and damning. Describe me as you must, but I will do everything in my power to try and get the Quarry development passed until you apologize for your comment in the previous thread. You may be against the war but there is no need to attack the President of our country like that. | ||
| pan Citizen Username: Pan Post Number: 46 Registered: 8-2001 |
To let the Quarry be the instrument of a personal political vendetta between two citizens of this town is so immature and irresponsible! I agree with jrf that Mayhewdrive should be more careful about making offensive (to some) political or other remarks when he is the Quarry's champion and spokesman in this Board; that's not a way to make friends, and friends is what Mayhew and the Quarry need. But at the same time I am dismayed with jrf's statement that unless Mayhew apologizes he will "try and get the Quarry development passed". Such threats are a bit childish. To be more constructive I suggest that the two of you engage in a duel debating your political beliefs, but in a different thread. That should be most enlightening and entertaining for the rest of us, and who knows, some of us may even participate, and change the duel to a battle. But please, children, get your little fights outside the Quarry. | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 150 Registered: 5-2001 |
Pan, Thank you for being the ever present voice of reason around here. Frankly, in such a "liberal" community as the one we live in I would have more expected to be lambasted for being a "Hawk". I am quite surpised at the strong response generated. I honestly had no idea I would upset someone so vehemently to incite them to wish harm upon the entire community. Deny as he may, the proposed development WILL affect EVERYONE in the Village (and Maplewood) with regard to flooding, traffic, train crowding, school crowding and taxes. If I have offended anyone (other than the proposed developer, their attorney, and perhaps some of the Trustees) I do apologize. | ||
| jrf Citizen Username: Jrf Post Number: 295 Registered: 5-2001 |
Apology accepted. SAVE THE QUARRY! NO MORE DEVELOPMENT! | ||
| pan Citizen Username: Pan Post Number: 47 Registered: 8-2001 |
There, there, children! You made nice! Ain't dat betteh?  jrf it took you almost 6 hours (between your two posts of 3:29pm. and 8:58pm.)to swing from one end of the pendulum to the other on the Quarry issue. I hope that your credos on other important issues regarding our Village are standing on firmer grounds. | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 158 Registered: 5-2001 |
Tonight is expected to finally be the vote on the fate of Kernan's Quarry. According to the Village website, a vote will be taken tonight at 7:30pm in Village Hall on the variance and proposed housing project. I hope you all will come out and be a part of this meeting. Contrary to the Letter to the Editor in the News-Record submitted by Trustee Theroux last week, this project should not be approved simply because the Village is afraid of the threats made by the developer of potential litigation. Let's hope the Planning Board is willing to do what is RIGHT for the Village and deny this application that will ultimately cost us ALL additional money in taxes, due to the impact on schools and municipal services. Not to mention the negative impact this proposal will have on flooding, trees, wetlands, traffic, trains, and permanent loss of open space. Hope to see you all tonight at 7:30pm. | ||
| nwyave Citizen Username: Mesh Post Number: 9 Registered: 1-2003 |
I was at the meeting this past Monday. It got a bit confusing at the end. It appears that the original variance request was denied but a motion with an amended request was approved. Any ideas on what this means to the proposed development? Any word from the developer? I haven't seen anything on the CPSO website. | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 160 Registered: 5-2001 |
It appears that many people were confused at the outcome, since it ultimately happened so quickly. The bottom line is that the GUTLESS members of the Planning Board (with the exception of Janine Bauer) followed the same direction as the GUTLESS Village Trustees (with the exception of Patrick Joyce) and granted approval to this multi-family housing project. They did deny a small part of the variance in the NW corner of the site, but otherwise, the developer got what they wanted over the interests of the residents. I am SO proud of all the residents I have met through this fight. It has been an incredibly uphill battle from Day 1 being told by the Trustees that 198 units was a "done deal" and that there was nothing we could do. Solely due to the protests of the residents and the attorney for CPSO, the developer was forced to submit a revised plan for 69 units. Had the residents not fought so hard, the Trustees would have gladly handed us 198 units. The next election for four Village Trustees is May 13. There are persistent rumors of an incredibly strong slate of opposing candidates being created to bring change to South Orange. Hopefully that will be the best way for us to channel our frustration at this and all the other very disappointing decisions. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 177 Registered: 4-2002 |
Mayhewdrive: It amazes me that you would refer to volunteers as "GUTLESS" because they had a different opinion than yours. On top of that, the board of trustees never told you it was a "done deal". One trustee told you that and the others all said that we preferred that the quarry not be developed but that there was a court order that allowed 198 units. We refused to give in and kept pushing for the developers to reduct the number of units and that we wanted the homes to be for sale as opposed to rentals. And by the way, the original deal for the 198 units was agreed to by the residents who were part of the original group that fought the proposals that had a much greater number of units. They thought the 198 units was a victory and the leaders of that group were very proud that the village was able to negotiate the plans that were just approved. Not once in the four years that I was on the board did I ever make a statement that I wanted to see the 198 units or that I would have voted to approve 198 units. I will say that the 69 units that the village negotiated for was a major victory for the village. In fact, at the original meetings in 1999 before the board of trustees, it was said over and over by residents they would not object to a plan that created large homes that were for sale. While the 69 units might not have been a perfect solution, it was a great improvement over what the developer wanted and what they had already won the right to do in court. | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 161 Registered: 5-2001 |
Ahhh...let the campaign season begin! | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 178 Registered: 4-2002 |
I have been posting on here for quite a while and never have I used this forum for campaigning. I have answered questions and given comments. I have told anyone and everyone exactly where I stand on any issue. If you want to say I am "gutless" when no other elected official posts on this message board (including Patrick Joyce) then so be it. However I think it is disgraceful to call planning board members "gutless" when they put in a lot of time and effort. There were twenty hearings and everyone got a chance to speak and many spoke more than once. Just maybe they saw that this was a good and fair outcome for the village. What is "gutless" is to post on here and criticize people, while using an anonymous name. While I might know who you are, most readers do not. | ||
| jrf Citizen Username: Jrf Post Number: 311 Registered: 5-2001 |
Will Mary be driving a new Cadillac in the next few weeks? Hmmmmm. I would not be surprised. In any case - Mary must go. I will fight up to election day to see it happen. I like you Mr. Rosner and respect that you have the guts to come online and present your views. I certainly hope you have enough sense not to run on the same ticket as Mary. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 179 Registered: 4-2002 |
JRF, thanks. This year Allan Rosen, Art Taylor and myself are up for re-election as is the village president's seat currently held by Bill Calabrese. | ||
| jrf Citizen Username: Jrf Post Number: 312 Registered: 5-2001 |
Thanks Mark - let me rephrase. A ticket endorsed by Mary. | ||
| spw784 Citizen Username: Spw784 Post Number: 301 Registered: 5-2001 |
How will the construction of these homes/townhouses affect the school which borders the property? Blasting? Construction vehicles, etc? When is construction expected to begin? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 180 Registered: 4-2002 |
At some point I will post as much information on this as I can. There will be some information on the village website (www.southorange.org). They cannot do blasting during school hours. They have not said when they plan to start construction. | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 162 Registered: 5-2001 |
Nice propoganda piece on the Village website, Mark. I particularly love the line "The Board of Trustees' consensus from the outset was that the best use for the Quarry was preservation of the parcel as open space." Funny how that $1.25 million dollars the Village received from the State is still UNSPENT. My second favorite line is that this "will have an everlasting impact upon the Village landscape." That's the best description of a BULLDOZER that I've ever heard. I notice there's not a single statement there on a SINGLE benefit this housing project will bring to the town. What a surprise! | ||
| soresident Citizen Username: Soresident Post Number: 17 Registered: 10-2001 |
Regarding blasting, I believe blasting will occur during school hours. The News Record of Nov. 7, 2002 reported the testimony before the Planning Board of Frank Golon, the director of construction for the developer: “On a standard day of blasting, you’d drill during the day and, at approximately 2 to 3 o’clock, there would be a blast 25/1000 of a second long as regulated by the state of New Jersey.” |
