‘- Dover Township has taken the progressive step of bonding to fund open space acquisition, BUT directly linking that bonding to Board of Education bonding will likely result in less open space being saved. Building schools and conserving open space are separate concepts, and should be represented to the public as such.
– Read about SBB’s role in Rezoning 1400 acres near Fischer Blvd.
July 17, 2003
Mayor Russo and Township Committee
Dover Township
33 Washington Street
Toms River, NJ 08753
Dear Mayor and Council,
On behalf of Save Barnegat Bay, which is supported by about 1200 families annually, we are writing to request that the open space bonding ordinance now under consideration not be formally linked to bonding or other funding sources of the Board of Education.
According to recent press accounts, the Board of Education will likely use their funds to create a driveway through to Fischer Boulevard, which we regard as an environmentally unsound proposal and as detrimental to the interests of Fischer Boulevard area residents.
We note that Ocean County Soil Survey mapping shows that area soils are unsuited for a road on account of wetness. We also object to the creation of a driveway to Fischer Boulevard because it would fragment natural habitat.
We believe that linking Dover Township’s bonding to that of the Board of Education gives the appearance that the Board is promoting open space, when it may actually planning to expand its physical plant. When bonding is represented to the public as being for open space purposes, it should be exactly that.
We support bonding by the township for conserving open space, but respectfully request that it not be linked in the ordinance to Board of Education bonding.
We admire the Township’s aggressive approach to open space acquisition.
Sincerely,
William deCamp, Jr., President
Jennifer O’Reilly, Associate Executive Director
Frank Kenny, Board Member
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Also, read about SBB’s role in Rezoning 1400 acres around Fischer Blvd.
