Activity Report
March 2004

• SHOPRITE:

  Rocky Swingle met with several architects and a graphic designer to create an alternate site plan for the proposed development at the corner of Klockner and Nottingham Way. WZBN, a local cable news station, aired a segment on the project the night before the first Planning Board meeting.

  The first of two Hamilton Township Planning Board meetings was held on March 26. Approximately 300 people attended. Mayor Gilmore, Assemblywoman Greenstein, and Council President DeAngelo all testified against the project. The primary concerns among the neighbors were traffic and safety issues. Rocky Swingle presented the alternate site plan to give Levin an idea of what the community would accept. Laura Lynch and Ed Pfeiffer also testified against the project. Levin Management conceeded nothing to the public and stuck with their original site plan.

  Neither the Sierra Club nor Kramont (the owners of the adjacent, semi-vacant Suburban Plaza) have received answers to letters and questions sent to Levin.

  The next Planning Board hearing will be May 6 at the Steinert High School auditorium.

  The Central Group gave Rocky Swingle $200 towards publicity for the next hearing.

  As a result of the preservation of Klockner Road Woods and of the work to save the ShopRite site, a group called Save Hamilton Open Space has formed.

• SHRIMP FARM

  Ed Pfeiffer and Bonnie Tillery are looking into Hamilton Township's approval of a shrimp farm in a rural part of the Township. Our concerns are that large enclosures resulting in massive areas of impermeable surface do not percolate water the same way a farm would. We are worried that such a large production will be a foot in the door for intesive factory farming in NJ. While aquaculture has proven to be self-contained and relatively clean, we have more questions about this farm. Ed and Bonnie are looking for more details. The issue has not yet been discussed with the Executive Committee.

• ROUTE 92

  NJDEP's permits to the NJ Turnpike Authority for Route 92 have expired. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign held a press conference to announce this. Meanwhile, the Turnpike Authority has stated it will re-apply for the permits. DEP Commissioner Campbell stated that he will not decide to approve or turn down the new application until he sees the EIS, which is due out in late April.