For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Jackie Greger, Jackie.Greger@sierraclub.org
Sierra Club Urges West Orange Planning Board to Reject Billionaire’s Harmful Housing Development in the Watchung Mountains
Essex County, NJ – A four-story housing development is being proposed in West Orange, New Jersey, on a 120-acre forested area on the Second Watchung Mountain Ridge. The project, known as West Essex Highlands, involves clearing about 30 acres for a 496-unit residential development, including 100 affordable housing units.
This area is the largest forested area in a densely populated and overdeveloped part of the state, and provides much needed green space for residents and wildlife in North Jersey.
The developer, Garden Homes, a subsidiary of the Wilf family, already owns the wooded tract of land and has been granted initial approval for the project. Zygi Wilf, is well-known as the owner of the NFL team, the Minnesota Vikings.
The proposal has faced public opposition from the local community for years, raising environmental, safety, and community connectivity concerns. A prominent community group, WE CARE NJ (West Essex Committee Against Rezoning Excesses), was formed in 2000 and carried the fight against this development through a surprising 7-2 victory before the West Orange Planning Board in 2006 and onward until today.
The West Orange Township Planning Board will hold a public hearing regarding the proposal tomorrow at 6:30 PM (Public Notice available here).
NJ Sierra Club Conservation Program Manager, Taylor McFarland, issued the following statement:
“Affordable housing, land conservation, and sustainability can all coexist, but not like this. This proposed project is extremely harmful to the environment, as it threatens up to 30 acres of deforestation in an already overdeveloped part of the state, increases risk of flooding and does not comply with stormwater rules, which threatens public safety, and will isolate the residents who need the affordable housing literally on top of a mountain - no where near accessible to schools, grocery stores, or public tranist. This is not a good solution for anyone. The Sierra Club urges the West Orange Planning Board to reject this proposal for the sake of local residents, the environment, and wildlife. The town needs to find an appropriate location to fulfill its affordable housing mandates instead of fulfilling a billionaire’s dream housing project.”
NJ Sierra Club Gateway Group Chair (Essex County), Bill Beren, issued the following statement:
“The local community in Essex County has opposed this development for decades. We didn’t want it then, and we don’t want it now! This is an environmental and social justice issue. West Orange needs to find a safer alternative for affordable housing. We urge West Orange Township to reject this proposal by a billionaire who does not even know New Jersey, the local community, or its needs.”
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About the New Jersey Sierra Club:
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.