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BODY POLITIC by Jack Archibald, Atlantic Highlands Councilman

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McCONNELL PROPERTY SHOULD BE CLEANED UP BEFORE SALE TO HOVNANIAN

There is no question that Atlantic Highlands is a desirable place to live. For that reason, developers have been targeting the few empty parcels available and bringing forth proposals that could change the character of our town. One such proposal is the Hovnanian plan for the McConnell Fuel property located on the west shore of our town.

In July 2004, the company presented Mayor Pete Donoghue and Council with a much larger plan for the site and alluded to the presence of contamination. The Administration was told about possible contamination on the site, and for the past 365 days, they have done nothing about forcing a cleanup. And now, Hovnanian is back with another plan on the same site. Like any applicant, the Hovnanian group has a right to seek a variance for the property and they now have an application before the planning board to be heard this month.

The inaction raises some questions about the Donoghue administration. Why haven’t they pursued a cleanup of the site? Why won’t they insist that the property be cleaned up prior to any application being presented to the planning board? If the hypothesis from Hovnanian is that more units are needed to help fund the cost to clean up the contamination, then why has the burden been placed on the purchaser of the property? Shouldn’t the Democrat majority insist that the property be deemed residential clean by the current owner prior to discussing any types of variances?

Republican leadership insisted that properties along Many Mind Creek be cleaned up by NJNG prior to any property sales. The Democrat administration should insist on the same standards from the current owners of the McConnell property prior to hearing any applications for variances. Don’t bet on that happening because the Administration has neglected the issue for the past year and more importantly, they have failed to keep the public informed about the property in question.