The Bernards Township Planning Board is having a Master Plan review on Tuesday night, March 16th at 7:30pm in the courtroom of the Municipal Building.  Public comment is encouraged.

The Master Plan is relatively quiet on the quarry.  The content, quoted below, is basically lifted unchanged from the 2003 Master Plan.  In 2003 that brevity may have been appropriate.  But six years later, as quarry operations have basically stopped, we will soon be stuck with a big hole in the ground.

Most of us agree that there are health (eg. ground water, Passaic river watershed) and safety issues (eg. someone falling, drowning) that have to be dealt with.   My personal belief, although some may argue with this, is that the township is in the best position, ultimately, to properly manage those issues.  We can’t rely on a homeowner association or private landowner to take proper care for the long term.

The Master Plan states their goal, in relation to the quarry, is to “preserve open space,” but why not expand that a bit to say something like “preserve open space, protect citizens health and safety …”? We all know the risks, and we all feel this is a very important issue.  What is gained by ignoring the issue?  Lodging those concerns in the Master Plan will give weight and support to future arguments in regard to the eventual quarry rehab plan, etc.

Please come join me at the meeting. Or you could send me an email, or comment here, and then I can pass on your concerns to the PB.

Relevant sections in current master plan draft:

On page 7:

I. Goals and Objectives Element
Section: Non-Residential Development

6. Future uses for the quarry that can preserve open space and protect the Long Hill ridgeline should be explored.

On page 23:

II. Land Use Element
Section: Mining District

This district encompasses the existing Millington Quarry lands where an active Quarry operation continues. In recognition of the future conversion of this use to a residential end use after Quarry operations cease, low-density residential development is intended in this area, at a density of 1 unit per 2 acres. The Quarry District accounts for slightly over 1% of Bernards Township’s land area.