Suburban Trends Guest Column 6/18/03

FACT OR FICTION, MAYOR HOLT’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT

By Thomas C. Mac Allen
Professional Engineer
Formerly Vice Chairperson
Ringwood Planning Board

Suburban Trends Guest Column
June 18, 2003

Once again it is spring in Ringwood. The primaries are over, and with four council seats up for election, like the smell of failing septics, politics is in the air. In response to Mayor Holt’s Guest Column (Getting the Facts Straight, June 8) I must say he has done an excellent job of twisting the “facts”.

He would attempt to lead the reader to believe that Ms. Atlas is anti -children and anti-family. In reality I have never seen evidence to that “fact”, and I find it an insult to the intelligence of the average Ringwood resident that Mayor Holt would think that they would believe such a misstatement.

What I have seen from Ms. Atlas are statements refuting Mayor Holt’s contention that development is the tax savior of Ringwood; and in those statements she has brought forth the fact that residential ratables come at a cost. One of those costs is the cost of educating the children that live in those houses. This is a fact. Mayor Holt contests this theory by saying people in these new homes do not have children, however he provides no evidence for this theory just conjecture. Are we really to believe people without the intent to have children are purchasing five-bedroom houses? Along with the fact that it costs money to educate the children, it costs money to plow the streets in winter, to clean out and maintain catch basins and to periodically repave the street. It is also a fact that only a small portion of the local taxes actually come to the town, or at least that is the excuse the council uses when ever there is a tax increase. Essentially the ratable argument is like a dog chasing its own tail, while more tax money comes in, the cost of services increases. Even if there is a minor gain, which is of question, the impact to quality of life issues such as traffic, clean water and the beautiful vistas that we all moved to Ringwood for far outweigh the financial gain.

While we are at it, Mayor Holt, let’s discuss some more “facts” about development in Ringwood, which was the catalyst for your guest column. Let’s discuss the proposed development of 39 houses off Burnt Meadow Road, known as West Brook II.

Fact: At the recent planning board meeting, the applicant’s surveyor stated that the Town’s Steep Slope Ordinance has no standard procedures in place on how to compute the slopes. Thus the towns diluted slope ordinances referred to by former Planning Board member, Tim Tuttle, as the “Wallace Zoning Relief Ordinance” (Record Nov. 21, 2001) results in an arbitrary and inconsistent assessment of environmentally steep slopes.

Fact: The applicant’s engineering report indicated his roadway drainage will only control 2% of the site. Actual figures are in excess of 20%.

Fact: The applicant’s engineer has stated his culvert crossings do not require application to NJDEP for permitting. Reality, even the Borough engineer upon his latest review of the project has indicated the applicant’s drainage areas are wrong and will require NJDEP permitting.

Fact: The applicant’s engineer has indicated he meets all the requirements for water quality. Reality, only slightly over 30% of the proposed drainage system is directed to water quality basins with nearly 70% being directed essentially uncontrolled into an environmentally sensitive wetlands and the trout production stream.

Fact: The applicant’s engineer testified that there would be no increase in runoff from the site. Reality, when questioned, he admitted he had never performed any calculations to prove this and that his statements had no basis in fact.

Fact: Despite all these misstatements and errors, the Planning Board already voted once to approve this application. It is only because of the applicant’s error in noticing the community that this environmentally sensitive site is going through the rigorous review that it should have in the first place.

These are the “facts”, Mayor Holt. Some times it takes public scrutiny to bring out the “facts”. Don’t be so fast to shun the ideas of others by name calling and derogatory comments. As mayor you should be above such actions and embrace the views of others, evaluate them and make an educated decision based on the “facts” without being blinded by chasing your tail for ratables.

The public should be aware that on June 30th, Mayor Holt and the rest of the Planning Board will continue to hear more “facts” and possibly take a vote on this very sensitive application. I am sure they would appreciate having the public in attendance to air their concerns and support for this application.

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