Two warehouses totaling 244,975 square feet along Schoolhouse and Mettlers roads (NJ.com)

“It’s probably the most consequential vote I’ve made in my four year career as an elected official,” Deputy Mayor Sivaraman Anbarasan, a member of the planning board, said at the council meeting.

Trucks, noise, odors: Here’s what it’s really like to live next to N.J. warehouses, residents say (NJ.com)

NJ Chapter's Warehouse Policy (sierraclub.org)

(Posted 10/19/23)

August 2023, South Plainfield: The EPA’s cleanup estimate of the Woodbrook Road Dump superfund site skyrocketed to $70 million.  The contaminated site is primarily located within the Peter J. Barnes III Wildlife Preserve.

Electronics manufacturer to pay $4 million for cleanup

Middlesex County adds 19 acres to Wildlife Preserve  

Governor Murphy Signs Bill Renaming the Dismal Swamp 

East Brunswick: On appeal, the Court determined that Hidden Oak Woods permits are sufficient.  The trees have been removed from the property to make room for housing.  Nearby property owners have raised flooding concerns. (June 2021)

IN THE MATTER OF THE TOWNSHIP OF EAST BRUNSWICK FOR A JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE OF ITS THIRD ROUND HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN HIDDEN OAKS WOODS, LLC v. TOWNSHIP OF EAST BRUNSWICK and TOWNSHIP OF EAST BRUNSWICK PLANNING BOARD :: 2021 :: New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division - Unpublished Opinions Decisions :: New Jersey Case Law :: New Jersey Law :: US Law :: Justia

by Gary Frederick, Chair, Raritan Valley Group

Oct 5, 2018: Once again, a developer is trying to build on open space and construct apartments, parking areas and other buildings on what is now home to trees and mixed forest growth, numerous species of animals, wetlands and streams that date back to the last Ice Age. The builder is Alfieri, and the development is being called “Hidden Oak Woods,” a rather quaint name that hides the fact that 45 acres of forest land by Tices Lane Park in East Brunswick could be bulldozed in the near future.

The proposed development is a big one. It would consist of 275 apartments in seven buildings, 550 parking spots, two large detention basins, a pool, clubhouse and roadways.

The Sierra Club is opposed to this development. It would lead to the destruction of yet another green space, a loss that would be particularly devastating in East Brunswick, which has little green space left. More than 1,400 trees would be cut down, including oak and mixed forest. It would add about 4,000 smog-producing vehicle trips per day through an already congested area (including a YMCA that is right down the road).

In addition, by cutting down trees, paving over wetlands and diverting streams, the area could be severely impacted by floods and storm water runoff, which could include heavy metals, motor oil and other chemicals from the industry that surrounds the proposed site.

We urge the East Brunswick Planning Board to vote against the Hidden Oaks project and preserve this Green Acres area. Located in the most northern area of pine barrens in New Jersey, which is known as the Spotswood Outlier, this area is designated a Critical Environmental Site on the New Jersey State Plan. Building here goes against the Plan. Instead, this land should be added to Sawmill Brook, which would link three parks and create a continuous green area that would protect the wetlands and the environment. Let’s not lose this land to yet another ill-planned development, which will pollute our air and water, as well as destroy a cherished and ecologically valuable forest right in our backyard. Save this land.

The 1,240-acre Dismal Swamp Conservation Area in Edison, South Plainfield, and Metuchen is an oasis for 175 species of birds and 25 species of mammals. The area absorbs a million gallons of water when three inches of rain falls, so, as a natural aquifer, it provides a bulwark against hurricanes. 

The photos (courtesy of Edison Wetlands Association) show the

conservation area with densely built industrial buildings nearby and an aerial view of the swamp.

In collaboration with several environmental groups, the NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club sought to stop the approval of a truck route through the northwestern end of the Dismal Swamp.  The road would directly affect over one acre and increase the chance of flooding in adjacent residential areas. 

As Raritan River basin includes regions that span a development range from rural to urban, it is critical to judge proposed projects within the context of the surrounding area.  Deciding whether to oppose or attempt modification of a project requires consideration of various issues.  

• Will the project cause significant harm to local property, such as making an area more prone to flooding, causing excessive traffic on nearby roads, limiting the use of recreational areas, or reducing water quality of nearby rivers and streams? New Jersey Flood Indicator Tool (arcgis.com)
• Will the project affect what many people believe contributes to a good quality of life, such as small areas of forest or the presence of wildlife? 
• Does the population of the surrounding area consider the project detrimental to their community or are they likely to oppose the project if provided with information on its effects?  
• Will the project be consistent with the municipality's Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance? 
• Are other regulations relevant, such as those governing wetlands? 
• Finally, are the developer, landowner, and associated contractors open to compromise on aspects of a project and are they likely to follow environmental rules while performing work on areas difficult to monitor? 

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