To Friends of the Highlands,

The 164-acre Kinnelon Weber Tract is a key component of our natural lands. High-density housing now proposed for this tract will destroy high quality wetlands, impact Category 1 trout production waterways, affect surrounding neighborhoods and degrade Morris County's existing parklands.

As part of our efforts to preserve this property we are currently conducting a petition drive. We know that many citizens support this preservation and should have a chance to voice their sentiments.

Attached is a fact sheet on the Weber Tract and a blank petitions for your use. We ask that you collect as many signatures as possible and return these petitions to us by March 1st. A return envelope is also attached.

Thanks!

Ross Kushner
Executive Director

Slippery Slopes

Like many towns, Kinnelon has a strong steep slope ordinance requiring developers to greatly expand lot sizes on steeply sloped properties. For example, a lot with 25% slopes might require an 8-acre area for a single home. Here, however, the proposal is to build on slopes of 30% or more with an average lot size of only 1.25 acres. What precedent does this set for other steep lands in Kinnelon? Will our steep slope protections vanish overnight? Should they?

In addition, the developers own report says that for soils on much of the proposed building site "the hazard of erosion is severe." They can choose between the landslides experienced with a similar site in Mahwah or use extensive "cut and fill" tactics that call for blasting, massive regrading and retaining walls up to 24 feet high. The Morris County Planning Board noted that "A similar gravity wall system recently used at a commercial site is known to have failed." Is this safe or sensible? What will be the impact on surrounding homes? On adjacent Silas Condict Park? On you?

Muddy Waters

The NJDEP recently strengthened protection of our most pristine "Category 1" waterways, including the Pequannock River. Kinnelon's own Master Plan states "the municipal planning board should identify environmentally sensitive areas such as trout streams…" and "…direct development away from these sensitive areas." Does the Pequannock River need more protection? During construction of the nearby Kinnelon Ridge project, with similar slopes and soils, torrents of mud flowed nearly a mile off the site and into the river, fouling it as far south as Pompton Lakes. Although Kinnelon Ridge was required to meet affordable housing obligations, the Weber Tract isn't. Should we disregard our Master Plan? Ignore state protections? Open the door to more devastation?

A Room With A View

A short but steep walk through Silas Condict Park rewards hikers with spectacular views of the Pequannnock River valley, the Apshawa Tract and the Wyanokie Highlands. If the proposed development on the Weber Tract takes place, a new feature in this "viewshed" will be a wall of townhouses. The same can be said for the vistas now enjoyed from trail systems throughout the area. The Morris County Planning Board confirmed this, stating "The site is a mountainous one with slopes exceeding 35%... Although this will provide a commanding view to the residents of the surroundings, by the same token the view of the once tree covered mountain top will give way to visual dominance of the new structures." In other words, nice for the new residents but an eyesore for everyone else.
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The "Advantages" Of Clustered Development

Repeatedly the Weber Tract proposal has been billed as a "clustered" development where the basic concept is to squeeze buildings onto dry, level land thereby sparing environmentally sensitive areas. But in this proposal the "squeeze" is only used to wedge in more buildings, and spares nothing at all. The developer is requesting the destruction of wetlands and wetlands buffers, the loss of scenic vistas, massive disturbance of steep slopes and new buildings towering over existing homes. Not only have these wetlands been identified as having "exceptional resource value" they are also mapped as "vernal pools" providing key habitat to threatened aquatic wildlife. Does this still sound like an "advantage"?

Open Space Or "Lost In Space"?

In November of 2002 Kinnelon residents voted overwhelmingly for an Open Space Tax Fund. The next step in the process should have been the creation of an Open Space Master Plan, establishment of an Open Space Committee, polling of residents for their wants and needs, and identification of key land parcels. After a year-and-a-half none of this has occurred. In fact the lack of these key components makes Kinnelon ineligible for Green Acres matching funds. So preserving Open Space has not only stalled, it has also become more expensive. What exactly did we vote for?

Summing Up

If you've read this far it should be clear that the development proposed for the Weber Tract is not in the best interest of Kinnelon residents. Beyond these issues are a host of others such as traffic woes, loss of critical linkage the Weber Tract provides to open space parcels like the Apshawa Tract, the fact that this land has been marked as a "Critical Treasure" by the Highlands Coalition, is listed as a "Planning Area 5" (environmentally sensitive) in the NJ Development and Redevelopment Plan and was ranked by the NJDEP with their highest category for water resource protection.

So, what can we do?