GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 980915
Phil Reynolds
GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
TABLE OF CONTENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<*> BUILDERS MAY HAVE TO FUND GROWTH
<*> FRIENDS OF HOLLAND MOUNTAIN GAIN REGIONAL SUPPORT
<*> COURSES: EARTH MOVING & POND RESTORATION - OCT 29 & NOV 5
<*> SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STEWARDSHIP COURSE
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BUILDERS MAY HAVE TO FUND GROWTH
Date: 980915
From: Star-Ledger, 980915
Fees would offset school construction
By Tom Hester, Star-Ledger Staff
Ask Montgomery Township school officials about the impact of housing
development on their school district, and they'll spurt out the
details with the alarming urgency of someone calling 911 for help.
Since 1995, more than 4,000 housing units have been approved for
construction in this affluent Somerset County town and school
enrollment has doubled - from 1,585 K-12 students to 3,166.
During the past five years, the township's school budget has jumped
from $32 million to $45 million. The district has spent more than $45
million to build a middle school and expand the high school and an
elementary school, and is buying and expanding a shuttered building
for use as an elementary school. In the near future, a new high school
may have to be built to accommodate the growing student population.
It's no wonder that Montgomery officials - just like their
counterparts in West Windsor, South Brunswick, Monroe, Hillsborough,
Hopewell Township, Readington and other booming communities statewide
want developers to pay "impact fees" to help offset the cost of new
school construction brought on by new development.
A coalition of 160 local governments and school boards have joined in
urging the Legislature to permit such fees. And yesterday, over the
objections of developers, the Assembly Local Government and Housing
Committee approved bipartisan legislation that would allow
municipalities to levy fees against builders.
Besides requiring builders to contribute to the cost of new schools,
the bill would allow towns to impose impact fees to help finance new
parks, flood control projects and sewage treatment improvements
brought on by the housing they erect. At present, towns have the
authority to levy impact fees only for road, sewer and water line
costs.
In the past year, 28,000 new housing units were erected in New
Jersey, according to state figures.
"There is tremendous development occurring in New Jersey and that
development has meant an increase in property taxes," said Assemblyman
Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon), a co-sponsor of the impact-fee proposal.
"The overwhelming sentiment of the eight million people of this state
is that we should do what other states have done and have impact
fees."
The measure was sent to the full Assembly for consideration and a
twin bill is awaiting action by the full Senate, but the legislation
is not assured smooth sailing. Similar proposals that would allow
impact fees for school costs have stalled in the Legislature for a
decade, mainly because of the opposition of the powerful New Jersey
Builders Association.
Joanne Harkins, the Builders Association's director of land use and
planning, said the proposed fees would force builders to pass the cost
on to new homebuyers.
"This is a very significant change in public policy," she said. "The
fee will come out of the cost of buying a house and make housing more
expensive."
Harlkins believes it would be less costly for taxpayers if a school
district floated a bond issue to finance construction rather than levy
a fee on new homeowners.
Under the legislation approved yesterday, a municipality would have
to set an impact fee that would bear a reasonable relationship to
needs created by the new development. A fee could not be placed on
low- and moderate-income housing.
A number of fast-growing states, including Maryland, Vermont,
Washington, California and Florida, currently use impact fees to
offset the cost of school construction, said William G. Dressel,
executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.
"A new development invariably creates an increased need for municipal
services, services on which developers depend to make the homes they
build marketable," said Dressel. "It is only fair, therefore, to
ensure developers make contributions to provide such services as
educational facilities and infrastructure improvements. We believe
this is an inarguable point."
In Montgomery, the new school enrollment figure includes 365 children
who were enrolled during the summer. The 1,270-unit Pike Run housing
development, which is still under construction, will bring 500 to 600
more children into the district.
"Pike Run, for example, is making no contribution for a school," said
Montgomery Schools Superintendent Jamie Savedoff. "That development
alone will produce enough children for an elementary school. All that
cost will be borne by the local taxpayer."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
FRIENDS OF HOLLAND MOUNTAIN GAIN REGIONAL SUPPORT
Date: 980915
From: AIM Community News, 980909
By Carol Punturieri
In an effort to preserve the environmentally sensitive 850-acre
parcel off Route 15 in Jefferson Township known as the Baker Firestone
property from development, The Friends of Holland Mountain (FOHM) have
successfully enlisted the support of over nineteen fellow
organizations including the Environmental Defense Fund, The Highlands
Coalition, and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. With these
organizations and others such as the Sierra Club, the Friends of the
Rockaway River, the Pequannock River Coalition, and the New Jersey
Audubon Society, FOHM is in the process of placing many environmental
issues surrounding the Baker Firestone development before the township
officials, the developer, and the public.
Supporting their mutual goal to preserve the Highlands region, the
following individuals and organizations have pledged their support:
Jeff Tittel, President of the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club;
John Brunner, Executive Director of the Musconetcong Watershed
Association; H. Neil Zimmerman, President of the NY/NJ Trail
Conference; Randy Brockway, Trustee of the Friends of the Rockaway
River; Sally Dudley, Executive Director of the Association of New
Jersey Environmental Commissions; Thomas A. Gilbert, Mid-Atlantic
Conservation Advocate for the Appalachian Mountain Club; Leigh Ann Von
Hagen of Friends of Furnace Pond in Netcong; Lenard J. Soucy, Jr. from
The Raptor Trust; Constance Stroh, President of the Upper Rockaway
River Watershed Association; John Gebhards, Executive Director of the
Sterling Forest Partnership; Ross Kushner, President of the Pequannock
River Coalition; Marie A. Curtis, Executive Director of the New Jersey
Environmental Lobby; Ronald J. Tipton of the World Wildlife Fund based
in Washington, D.C.; William R. Neil, Director of Conservation from
the New Jersey Audubon Society; Edward Sekula, Chairman of the Netcong
Environmental Commission; Phillip F. Bishop, President of Friends of
Sparta Mountain; David Mortenson, Chairman of the Rockaway Township
Environmental Commission; the Vernon Civic Association; and the Deidre
Ramos Forest Legacy Program.
The Friends of Holland Mountain was organized as a non-profit
citizen's group dedicated to the preservation of the natural character
and resources of Jefferson Township and the Highlands region. At the
present time, they are concerned with the future of the Baker
Firestone tract as it involves so many acres of forest and wetlands
and is under immediate threat of development.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
COURSES: EARTH MOVING & POND RESTORATION - OCT 29 & NOV 5
Date: 980914
From: oc...@aesop.rutgers.edu
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Cook College Continuing Professional Education Programs
INTRODUCTION
When we were kids, most of us played in our sand boxes with toy
trucks, steam shovels and bulldozers. We had fun building roads,
houses and fortresses, and there were no time constraints, payables or
receivables. The only rule of the game was to have a good time.
Now that we have grown up, our projects and responsibilities have
grown as well! While we can still have a good time, we must know how
to intelligently plan and implement a realistic earth moving project
before tackling an activity. A well-planned project can ensure that
you meet your timelines, guard your wallet - and protect your
reputation. The following programs, "Earth Moving: Phasing, Sequencing
and Methods" and "Pond Restoration Methods" will show you how to plan
and implement a successful earth moving or restoration project from
start to finish. They will address the daily activities necessary to
be both environmentally sound and financially successful. Our programs
are intended to be interactive, so be prepared to share your ideas and
get involved!
WHO SHOULD ATTEND THESE PROGRAMS
Moving the earth is a complex process that involves a team effort in
order to be successful. A well-planned project requires input from
professionals such as designers, mortgage lenders, attorneys,
regulators, contractors and owners of record. This course is for you
if you are a:
+ Site, Road & Utility Contractor
+ Landscape Architect
+ Civil Engineer
+ Equipment Sales Representative
+ Landscape Designer and Contractor
+ State DEP, County and City Regulatory Agency Employee
+ Land Use and Development Professional
+ Mortgage Lender
+ Planning Board Member
+ Golf Course Construction Firm
+ Plan Reviewer
+ Attorney
+ Owner of Record
......................................................................
EARTH MOVING: PHASING, SEQUENCING AND METHODS
October 29, 1998
Earth moving and construction practices can impose a significant
strain on the environment, your patience and your wallet if they are
not planned properly. The responsible, conscientious professional
working in this field must take the time to consider many factors when
planning and implementing a successful project.
If your job includes moving the earth for any construction activity,
regardless of location, this one-day course is for you! Earth Moving
Sequencing and Methods will address the practical aspects of the
construction process and industry. You will learn:
+ Application, phasing, sequencing and methods used in any
successful earth moving project
+ Improved methods for using equipment, labor and materials
+ Estimating, scheduling and record keeping
+ Successful bidding procedures
+ Soil erosion and sediment control procedures
+ Pumping discharge controls used to minimize siltation
+ Dewatering techniques for saturated materials
+ How to avoid costly litigation
POND RESTORATION METHODS
November 5, 1998
Ponds present a challenge to pond owners, land managers, developers,
grounds maintenance professionals and regulators. While relatively
small in size, their unique and dynamic biology may cause rapid
changes in water quality, vegetation, sedimentation and functional
value if not designed and managed properly. If your job includes the
design, construction, maintenance or management of pond resources, you
must understand the key components of living ponds in order to keep
them healthy and to prevent loss of value. This one-day program will
show you how! You will learn about:
+ Dredging and restoring ponds
+ Dewatering procedures for pumping and saturated materials
+ Identifying equipment and their uses
+ Landscape considerations and maintenance
+ The permit process in New Jersey and beyond for pond dredging
activities
+ Planning your soil erosion and sediment controls
+ Keeping photographic and daily records
+ Testing and recycling of dredged materials
This program will focus on pond dredging, restoration and review
for new pond construction.
......................................................................
PRINCIPLE INSTRUCTOR
John W. Deering, President, John W Deering, Inc., Bethel, CT.
Mr. Deering is a Special Consultant for Land Use, Development,
Construction Sequence and Methods. He is founder of _Earth Management:
The Team Concept_, an interdisciplinary educational initiative and has
over forty years experience in every phase of site, road and
recreational construction, as well as pond restoration and wetland
mitigation. Mr. Deering is currently a member of the task force that
is revising the Connecticut Guidelines Handbook for Soil Erosion and
Sediment Control, and was on the CTDEP committee that wrote the state
Pond Pamphlet. Mr. Deering produces and instructs the Connecticut
Department of Environmental Protection's training programs for
construction practice and procedures for Connecticut wetland
commission members.
WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT OUR INSTRUCTOR?
"John Deering has a wealth of experience to back up his discussions.
I walked away from this class with a new perspective!"
"John is an excellent speaker - I liked his practical hands-on
approach to teaching."
"John's philosophy, that "teamwork" and information sharing are vital
for both project success and preserving our environment, is right on
track!"
......................................................................
ANNOUNCING A NEW SEMINAR SERIES IN EARTH MANAGEMENT
The Cook College Office of Continuing Professional Education, in
partnership with _John W Deering, Inc./Earth Management: The Team
Concept_, is developing a seminar series in "Land Management and
Construction". This series of seminars will provide a certificate for
full attendance. Please call us at 732-932-9271 extension 641 for more
information or to share your thoughts.
......................................................................
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
The early tuition for either of the programs is $185 if received by
October 21, 1998. After October 21, all registrants pay $195. Multiple
registrations from the same company will be charged a discounted
tuition of $165 per person. Take both "Earth Moving: Phasing,
Sequencing and Methods" and "Pond Restoration Methods" for a
discounted tuition of $330. Registrations are accepted by phone, FAX,
mail or in person. Payment may be made by Mastercard or Visa, check,
money order or purchase order. Please make checks payable to RUTGERS,
THE STATE UNIVERSITY. Tuition must be received prior to the course in
order to be admitted.
Phone: 732-932-9271, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Please have your Mastercard or Visa number ready.
FAX: 732-932-8726, 24 hours. Please include credit card information
or a copy of your check, money order or purchase order with FAX
registrations.
Mailing Address:
Registration Desk
Cook College Continuing Professional Education
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
102 Ryders Lane
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
To request more information or additional brochures via the internet:
Email: oc...@aesop.rutgers.edu
Web: http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~ocpe
LOCATION
A map with written directions will be included with your confirmation
of registration.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Registrants may withdraw from each course with a full refund less a
$35 processing fee provided our office is notified at least
seventy-two hours prior to the start of the course. Beyond that time,
registrants may be responsible for the full tuition if they register
but do not attend. Substitutions are permitted.
REGISTRATION FORM
[Cut ----------------------------------------------------------------]
Please register me for the following course(s):
[ ] Earth Moving: Phasing, Sequencing and Methods
October 29, 1998 (AL02C 11098)
[ ] Pond Restoration Methods
November 5, 1998 (EW03C 11198)
REGISTRATION FEES:
* $185 (before October 21, 1998)
* $195 (after October 21, 1998)
* $165 (multiple registration)
* $330 (both Earth Moving and Pond Restoration)
Name _________________________________________________________________
Social Security # ____________________________________________________
First Name for Nametag _______________________________________________
Job Title ____________________________________________________________
Employer _____________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _______________________________________________________
Tel/Fax/Email ________________________________________________________
____ Check, money order or purchase order enclosed for $ _____________
____ Charge to my credit card ____ MasterCard ____ VISA
Card # _________________________________ Exp. Date ___________________
Signature of Cardholder ______________________________________________
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STEWARDSHIP COURSE
Date: 15 Sep 1998
From: afre...@lta.org
Greetings all,
Just wanted to let you know that the Land Trust Alliance and The
Conservation Fund will provide a limited number of $300 scholarships
to land conservationists to help them attend a 2.5 day course titled
"Land Stewardship: The Science and Art of Managing Natural Resources
and People," November 3-6, 1998, at The Equinox in Manchester Village,
Vermont. This course is designed for management-level conservationists
with responsibilities for land stewardship programs.
The deadline for scholarship application is September 28.
For complete information about the course, see our web site
http://www.lta.org or give me an e-mail, snail-mail, or fax number to
send it to.
Funding is provided thanks to generous support from the Peter J.
Sharp Foundation.
Please contact me or Andy Weaver (awe...@lta.org) if you have any
questions about the course or the scholarship application.
Sincerely,
Andrea Freeman
Director of Training & Conferences
Land Trust Alliance
1319 F Street NW Suite 501
Washington DC 20004
ph: 202-638-4725
fax: 202-638-4730
email: afre...@lta.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Back issues of the Garden State EnviroNews are available at
http://www.gsenet.org/library/11gsn/11gsn.htm
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* G A R D E N S T A T E E N V I R O N E T *
* Tel 973-586-4128 MAI...@GSENET.ORG Fax 973-627-8616 *
* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *
* EcoNet Conference: env.nj *
* WWW Site: http://www.gsenet.org *
* Listserver: majo...@igc.org subscribe gsenet-L *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
=END=