READER'S WRITE

I recently got a lot of email about the progressive steps being taken to manage Atlantic Highlands' future growth and its COAH destiny- both of which are now intertwined at least on the McConnell tract. I am writing to ask both of you to make sure your team's other members vote unanimously to support in every way, the eminent domain petition's intent.

This is a great point for our council to forcefully defend against what city planners call "the tragedy of the commons" - where in the name of private development, the public arenas- waterfront, parking, traffic flow, infrastructure (sewer, potable water, school taxes)- become so overburdened that they fail- and thereby drive people out of town. It is happening in many NJ areas right now. Taking a stand against dense waterfront development will dramatically increase the dollar value of all our land and has invaluable human benefit to the fabric of living in this area. The applications by Hov Corp appear to represent an instant population increase of about 200 people- or about 5% of our town's population. And we easily meet COAH's need without these projects, which use it as a shield.

I'm a corporate wage earner, but for my adult life around town, I have also been a small-scale builder/developer, an open space advocate and a user and supporter of sensible COAH programs. Yes, those things can all work together and I am familiar with many success stories. I have been amazed and grateful that our town often "works" when it comes to these issues- ie the Hofbrau House application a few years ago. I have been disappointed when unnecessary compromises are permitted -ie Cottage Gate, which reminds me a LOT of the sardine-like, jarringly designed, traffic- generating mistakes in Insta-town, CA a/k/a Silicon Valley. Do we really need to have every stoplight take 3 changes to cross?Does every wooded parcel need 3 story cluster homes? When do we say - enough?

There is no second chance to stop the crowding that make NJ a famous butt of jokes outside the state. I've been staying in San Fran this winter, where anti-sprawl advocates wear T-shirts that say "No NJ here!!. I can only smile when I think of how our peninsula area of the County is so nicely balanced- in particular, Atlantic Highlands. Hovnanian Corp - a for profit group of stockholders- would better serve themselves and the rest of the housing community by focusing on rebuilding blighted areas of cities that already have traffic system supports and have a real need for new housing in or near major city centers. Its time to stop builders from forcing themselves on outlying boroughs with the ' cheaper to use' open and waterfront space and small roads and town systems.

There is no such thing as a 'positive cash/ tax ratable' from new housing stock- this is an 1800's notion that no longer has a place in modern planning dialogue. In fact, the reverse is true-more housing density always drives up taxes and service costs, whether it is 3000 units waterside in Long Branch or 80 along our bay. Now that more is known about waterways, greenscapes, and open space's effect on property values and the human spirit, those are the approriate driving facts for land use decisions.

Please continue your great work to stop short-sighted use of these two spaces, and PLEASE get everyone on board for a unanimous vote in support of the eminent domain process in these instances. Monmouth County cannot afford to give away any more bayfront for housing. A lot of people are watching this very closely and I am hoping there is no hesitation on this issue.

Bill Iler
Atlantic Highlands, NJ