For many months residents of Marlboro, as well as Aberdeen and many concerned citizens living in other contiguous towns, have been closely following Marlboro Planning Board’s public hearings regarding Ohad Associates’ proposed Northpointe multi-unit housing development with deep concern and trepidation for the safety of both current and future residents in that neighborhood.
While we are relieved that the Planning Board voted against Ohad’s current development plan, we must raise our collective voices to decry those elements of their plan that would jeopardize the health, safety, and well-being of the hundreds of families and their children who do, and would, live in and around said development.
IN AND OF ITSELF, EACH ELEMENT REPRESENTS A SERIOUS HEALTH/ SAFETY HAZARD.
TAKEN COLLECTIVELY, THESE ELEMENTS PRESENT A LEVEL OF HAZARD TO HEALTH AND SAFETY THAT CANNOT AND MUST NOT BE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE BY ANY CONSCIENTIOUS PUBLIC OFFICIAL AT ANY LEVEL:
1. CONTAMINATED SOIL: A 2010 site investigation “…revealed the presence of DDT, DDE, dihedron and lead arsenate on the property”, which had been an orchard for many years. Aberdeen residents are deeply concerned that the developer has presented no acceptable plan to control the potential spread of contaminated soil onto resident’s land; as well as into Gravelly Brook which runs next to the property. This is additionally alarming in that Gravelly Brook runs through a public park and near two schools.
2. UNMANAGED TRAFFIC: The 385 unit development will have a single entry/exit onto Lloyd road, which is already over-crowded. This will create a serious traffic hazard for current residents, as well as for the near-by High Point School for special needs children. The developer’s own traffic engineer testified that the area is already at an “F” level, highly congested. Adding 385 high-density residences with a single road in and out will reclassify “congested” to “impassable”.
Although the development is planned for property within Marlboro, the hazardous results will impact citizens in Aberdeen and Matawan as well. The citizens of District 13, who will be negatively impacted by the construction of this development, ask that this high-density development not be permitted to be built.