Monthly Archives: November 2024

Water, water everywhere?

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Why didn’t the Council consider the environmental risks and consequences BEFORE commissioning a Plan to Redevelop River Road, adding at least another 1,000 residents in a 500+ unit apartment project twice the size of the Ivy? https://chathamchoice.org/2024/10/will-the-truth-come-out/

Why didn’t they consider the effect on our water supply, for instance?

Chatham Borough draws its water supply from the Buried Valley Aquifer system of the Central Passaic River Basin via three deep wells near the Middle School.

https://www.chathamborough.org/forms-documents/forms/maps/1263-chatham-borough-well-head-protection-area-overlay-zone/file

https://www.chathamborough.org/government/forms/public-works/2450-2023-water-quality-report-chatham-water-utility/file https://www.usgs.gov/centers/new-jersey-water-science-center/major-aquifers-new-jersey

https://www.chathamborough.org/forms-documents/forms/maps/1263-chatham-borough-well-head-protection-area-overlay-zone/file

Because “there is no practicable or affordable alternate water supply, as certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency,”https://ecode360.com/6793268#6793268, the Borough Code restricts the use of water, even when there’s no drought.

https://ecode360.com/6796030

Given the scarcity of well water, why did our Council allow the Ivy project on River Road to bring in at least 500 more residents and even put a swimming pool on the roof in the middle of a drought?

https://chathamborough.org/government/news/453-nj-declares-drought-watch

https://chathamborough.org/government/documents/forms-documents/redevelopment-projects-documents/river-road-redevelopment-documents/2181-11-community-impact-statement-bne-chatham-2021-02-23-with-schools-and-updated-bedroom-mix/file

And why is the Council now rushing to build another huge apartment project in the middle of another drought?

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/sections/news-around-new-jersey/articles/drought-warning-declared-in-new-jersey-residents-urged-to-limit-water-use-13

Can our wells satisfy the demands of yet another 1,000 residents, flushing toilets, showering, bathing, running dishwashers and washing machines? Will the new place also include a swimming pool?

What will happen to Chatham if our wells run dry?

Will the Council consider any of the other potential water consequences of overdevelopment, including runoff, flooding, and pollution of the wells and the Passaic River?

Water quality: https://www.chathamborough.org/government/forms/public-works/2448-chatham-swap/file

https://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/pdf/violations2023.pdf

Well head protection: https://ecode360.com/6793268

Storm water: https://chathamborough.org/government/documents/forms-documents/plans-reports/storm-water-reports/2727-2023-stormwater-pollution-prevention-plan/file

Flooding: https://firststreet.org/city/chatham-nj/3412100_fsid/flood

https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/camn4

Water treatment: https://www.rosenet.org/256/Madison-Chatham-Joint-Meeting. https://ecode360.com/6796352

Water pollution: https://www.njwatercheck.com/SystemFinder/433/Detail

Passaic River: https://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/29153/PDF/1/play/

https://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/32341/PDF/1/

Water resources: https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/water-supply-plan/docs/nj-water-supply-plan-draft-2024.pdf

Severe drought

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With water in such short supply, why is the Borough Council looking to build yet another housing project that would increase demands on our wells? https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/letters-to-the-editor/articles/blind-faith

Find out Monday, November 25, 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue or by Zoom: https://www.chathamborough.org/resident/calendar/mayor-council-meeting-13-1730154600

Here we go again

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Do you love the giant Ivy apartment complex on River Road?

Now our Mayor & Borough Council are hell bent on building yet another massive housing project there – one that’s more than twice the size of the Ivy – and without having considered any alternatives or implications.

This project is NOT necessary. The Borough need not build it to meet its current affordable housing quota and, if built, it Will NOT count toward the Borough’s quota (RDP) for 2025-2035.

On Monday November 11, the Council will vote to direct a Borough planner to start drafting just such a plan. You can see it on their agenda here: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/chathamborough/54501977-9f8c-11ee-a93d-0050569183fa-87c420e4-d6a2-4396-b701-70ff66871099-1731095422.pdf

Not only would this new project be massive, we taxpayers would inevitably wind up having to pay for it by granting the developer a corporate welfare PILOT tax exemption.

Is that what you want? Would you prefer that our Mayor & Council consider some options before committing to this scheme? Do you have any questions? Don’t wait until it’s too late to ask them.

Come to the Borough. Council meeting on Monday, November 11, 7:30 pm at Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue. Use the north entrance. Take the elevator to the upper level. Or attend by Zoom: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/chathamborough/54501977-9f8c-11ee-a93d-0050569183fa-87c420e4-d6a2-4396-b701-70ff66871099-1731095422.pdf

Poor response: https://patch.com/new-jersey/chatham/borough-supporting-another-massive-development-river-road-nodx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3WyQLIJjRrA656yOFZhCsqROaE5baV9gYZ9WzT4wwfflvk8LfY5WYe4j0_aem_POd3z1AP3xU68-EadQWMWw

Better follow up: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/letters-to-the-editor/articles/blind-faith

Find out Monday, November 28, 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue or by Zoom: https://www.chathamborough.org/resident/calendar/mayor-council-meeting-13-1730154600