HARMONY TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
3003 BELVIDERE ROAD, PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY 08865
Phone: (908) 213 - 1600 Fax: (908) 213 - 1850
“Living Together in Harmony”
MINUTES
HARMONY TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
09 November 2005
Present: Karen Buckley, Jim Wright,Bill Rosebrock , Harry Cosimano, and Brett Bragin
Absent: Karen Rose (1st Alternate), Dave Bruckman, Tim Sullivan
Others Present:Scarlett Doyle (representing American Developers) and Thom Almendinger (Duke Farms Naturalist, assisting Ms. Doyle)
I. Opening: The regular meeting of the Harmony Township Environmental Commission was opened in accordance with the Sunshine Law at 1947 hrs.
II. Minutes: The minutes from the July 2005 meeting were reviewed. Jim Wright motioned to approve them, the motion was seconded by Bill Rosebrock. All were in favor.
III. Correspondence:
A) Receiveda notice of a Highlands Forum to be hosted by ANJEC in Sussex County on Saturday November 12th
B) Receiveda flyer regarding the NJ Clean Power Choice program.
C) Receiveda notice that ANJEC has many Resource Papers available; e.g. The Environmental Commission handbook($10 each); Site Plan Review procedures; Protecting Our Streams, etc. Karen would like to purchase a copy of the EC handbook for each member.
D) The HTEC receivedseveral messages between October 11 to November 8. Two calls were regarding the NJ Audubon’s new program to assist farmers with funding for habitat enhancement projects. Anoter call wes regarding and underground oil tank removal and contaminated soil that was stockpiled in a driveway. Another call was related to dump trucks full of sludge being stored at the Harmony Dale farm site, and another call was regarding a person leaving garbage out on Richline Road without paying for it to be collected and creating a nuisance.
E) Receivedan excerpt from the Highlands Herald regarding myths about municipal conformance with the Highlands Regional Master Plan.
F) Receiveda letter notifying that Shaw Environmental was preparing a stream encroachment permit on behalf of PPL, associated with the cleanup of the flyash in the Delaware River.
G) Receivedan e-mail from Bill Sharp of the National Park Service regarding theirinterest in the PPL flyash spill (see Old Buisness).
H) Receiveda postcard from the Delaware River Greenway Partnership regarding a natural resource protection forum to be held on Saturday December 10.
IV. Old Business:
A) American Developers - From 2000 - 2115 hours American Developers presented theirnew habitat plan layout. Highlights include; 1) there will be no common or public ownership of the proposed habitat areas. According to Ms. Doyle, if it was in common ownership it would become a “dog park”, and if it was in public ownership everyone will call the Township when there are problems. 2) all trees, shrubs, etc., will be native species. 3) Neither shrubs nor woody seedlings are mentioned in our ordinance, but they would like to plant 3 shrubs per (required) tree as well as woody seedlings. 4) There will be a homeowners association, and there will be restrictions on the habitat areas (in the deeds). However, the HTEC asked who will be checking to make sure that the restrictions related to the habitat areas are upheld? We are also concerned about how potential buyers will be made aware of the deed restrictions on the habitat areas? We fell there is the need to show the habitat areas on each property survey map (“the file map”), and labeled to show that no structures, no cutting of vegetation, etc. is to occur within that portion of the property. Ms. Doyle assured us that this would be done. Mr. Rosebrock suggested that one way to enforce the restrictions would be to make it a condition of re-sale that if the habitat areas are not kept in proper condition, it would “cloud the title” and end up costing the seller more money to fix it before the property changes hands. Ms. Doyle said she would write-up the details of our discussion and e-mail it to Chairperson Buckley for the entire EC’s review and potential “buy-in” on this habitat enhancement plan.
The Land Use Board is scheduled to hear more testimony from American Developers regarding theirEIS on 11/17/05.
B) PPL Flyash Spill -Bill Sharp of the NPS sent an e-mail to Karen, which said the have been monitoring the situation since the beginning, and they have been involved in the NRDA process. They were not more involved because they typically leave things to the local municipalities.
PPL has not been doing much site preparation at the Sanico site, as the October high water appears to have moved a lot of the ash out of the area.
C) NRI - Brett will present the NRI to the Warren County Environmental Commission at theirnext regular meeting, on November 17th.
V. New Business: NONE
There being no further business, the November 2005 meeting of the Harmony Township Environmental Commission was adjourned at 2200 hours.
Respectfully submitted,
A. Brett Bragin, Secretary
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