The line of people waiting to speak before the Planning Board in the Municipal Building’s Council Chambers stretched the length of the aisle and out the door.
There were many residents of West Orange who live in the neighborhood where a developer wants to build a 496 unit housing complex but there was also a college professor from South Orange, an environmentalist from Morristown, a chief of the Ramapough Lunaape Nation, a representative of the Highlands Coalition and a person dressed like Ebenezer Scrooge whose comments were a take on the classic “A Christmas Carol.”
The occasion was the first public comment period held by the Planning Board as it considers whether to approve Garden Homes plan to build the proposed West Essex Highlands on a 120-acre, heavily wooded site on the Second Watchung Mountain Ridge in the northwestern section of West Orange. The site is located behind the existing West Essex Highlands Condominiums and The Grande at Pleasantdale Chateau, bordering Essex Fells to the west and near Howell Drive.
The project calls for clearing about 30 acres of land for the residential development that will include 100 affordable housing units.
Garden Homes, which is 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 the owner of the National Football League team, the Minnesota Vikings.
The proposal has faced public opposition from the local community for years, raising environmental, safety, and community connectivity concerns. The community group, We Care NJ, which stands for West Essex Committee Against Rezoning Excesses, was formed in 2000 and carried the fight against this development through a 7-2 victory before the West Orange Planning Board in 2006 and onward.
People have appeared at previous meetings hoping to comment but were turned away and told there would be a meeting specifically to take public comment and that meeting was Wednesday, Jan. 28.
More than 30 people offered comments including Luisa Casar, a resident of the area where the proposed development would be built.
“The proposed development would never have been under consideration if the developer wasn’t wealthy and powerful,” Casar said. “Listen to the voices of the people and do not let this development proceed.”
Dr. Art Butensky, a West Orange resident and pediatrician, was concerned about the impact that the construction and added traffic would have on his patients and others who have asthma and other respiratory problems.
Pav Sharma, another local resident, said she did not think the sewage capacity had been properly studied and she was concerned about landslides as a result of the blasting that will occur at the site that is on top of a mountain.
Dr. Lisa Hayes, a resident of the area, was concerned about the loss of mature trees and also the added traffic at the site which will only have one way in and one way out.
“This will create unfair and unnecessary obstacles for me to respond to emergencies,” said Hayes, who is an ob/gyn.
Julianna Garreffa of the South Orange Environmental Commission said she was concerned that the proposed stormwater management system did not meet Department of Environmental Protection standards. She also expressed concerns about the impact of the development on drinking water since waters from the forested land feeds the Canoe Brook tributary and replenishes aquifers that contribute to the water supply for many residents of surrounding towns.
Another resident of South Orange, Cynthia Thompson, of the SOMA Action Network, pointed out that the proposed site would not have access to public transportation, which would likely be needed by the residents utilizing the affordable housing units.
“We need affordable housing that has access to public transportation,” Thompson said.
Judith Stark, co-director of environmental studies at Seton Hall University, used the Dr. Seuss character, the Lorax, to make her point. The Lorax is a small, orange, mustachioed creature from the 1971 children’s book of the same name known for his catchphrase “I speak for the trees,” and for acting as a guardian of nature, opposing environmental destruction.
Stark said the trees at the site produce much needed oxygen and pointed out that New Jersey is the most densely populated state, adding that density supports the argument to maintain as much open space as possible.
Elliott Ruga, policy and communications director of the Highlands Coalition, which advocates for the protection of the Highlands’ natural and cultural resources, talked about the soil at the site, which he said is rare and important.
Chief Vincent Mann, who is the Turtle Clan chief of the Ramapough Lenape Nation, said the site had many sacred places for his people, including a serpent wall and directional trees. The trees were used as markers. A “serpent wall” is a hand-laid stone structure, representing a snake that winds across the landscape.
“Remember the original people who are still here,” Mann said.
Joseph Malieth, of West Orange, wore a dressing gown and sleeping cap and gave a “Christmas Carol” themed presentation on the need to reject the proposed development.
Paul Trachtenburg, who said he was 87 years old and has lived near the site for 20 years, spoke about the lack of support for the project.
“I can’t be alone in being incredibly impressed with the testimony you’ve heard,” Trachtenburg said. “I implore you to do the right thing.”
An email sent to the Planning Board seeking comment was not returned.
The next Planning Board special meeting concerning the development will be on Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.
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