An open letter to the Sparta Town Council, Planning Board and Zoning boards

When I first became aware of the application for the warehouse complex on Demarest Road, I wrote to the Town Council to express my concerns. Since then, I have attended planning board meetings, spoken to others and read many articles and interviews on the topic. Two months later I have more concerns than I did previously.

Since it is my understanding that members of some township boards can only be communicated with in public forums, I am submitting this letter to the Sparta Independent. I thank you for your volunteer service to the community of Sparta and realize that the time, attention and education required to complete responsible due diligence on this project will be significant. In good faith I accept that you are all committed to executing your responsibilities to the highest standards. I will also add that I am not against responsible development that aligns with the character of our town, helps our tax base without creating undue burden, and truly benefits our citizens as a whole. What I have heard to date does not convince me that this development meets the above criteria.

Through my employment I have had the opportunity to spend time in large warehouse “developments” and have toured several super warehouses. Make no mistake this is significantly different than anything currently in the White Lake area, Wilson Drive or greater Sussex County.

As a longtime (1985) Sparta and Sussex County resident I have all the expected concerns around traffic, environment, quality of life and true cost to the township, and understand that expert testimony will be provided. I was dumbfounded to learn that on first pass all of these experts would be provided by the developer. I understand that some funding has now been set aside for the township to hire its own third-party expertise. As a project that potentially will change the face of Sussex County/Sparta forever I applaud this move and hope that we will solicit expertise in all critical areas.

I also hope that every council and board member will take the time to visit other warehouse developments, observe the character and tempo of the surrounding areas, see how far they are from major interstates and talk to the residents of these towns.

We have been told repeatedly that a tenant has not been identified and repeatedly I have listened to the developer and his panel of experts give testimony that seems at worst pure “speculation” or at best “perfect world” scenarios. Often the answers seem conflicting or tailored to the question or concern.

“It could very well be used for cold food storage.” “The building has not been designed with refrigeration.” “We would have to make modifications.” “We’re not sure how that would be done.” “They could go on the roof or alongside the building.”

In print and at meetings it has been stated, “A facility like this might turn their goods two times per year.” Interestingly a quick Google search says a healthy warehouse business turns five to six times per year, with many turning 10 to 12 times. On what number have we calculated the impact of increased truck traffic?

The developer touts the importance of the train and stated that no additional train traffic — currently two nights per week — will be required to serve this warehouse. Do warehouses really only ship two times per week and do these current trains really have the capacity to serve an additional 880,000 square ft. warehouse of goods? Are the trains currently running empty?

At one meeting I believe the tax revenue from this structure was estimated to be $1M. Beyond that I’ve not heard any other concrete benefits identified or seen an appraisal of what the costs against this revenue will be. How will residential property values in the area be impacted? What is the expected impact on other local businesses due to negative increased traffic? Will there be more burden on our volunteer emergency responders? Increased costs for road maintenance? Law enforcement?

Their answer to “why Sparta” was “because it has been a permitted use for 40 (or 50 depending upon when he was answering) years.” Yet my understanding is that the only reason this building would be permitted is because of a recent change to a zoning ordinance? On another interesting note, the train factor was not mentioned at the time. Perhaps they will take any tenant regardless of plans to use the rails. What then does the traffic look like? How much height do refrigeration units on a roof add?

Town Council members have said the zoning ordinance change was not made with a specific project in mind but it was recommended for future economic development. The Sparta Responsible Development Group has audio of the lawyer for this specific development project stating at a Sparta Planning Board meeting that this project was why this ordinance change was made. Sparta residents deserve to know the truth on this. How could an ordinance change this important be made for a project that months later still has so many unknowns? And, what does it mean for future projects?

In certain communities, next to major highways (take a ride down the last few exits of the NJ Turnpike) super warehouses have been built on what might be called the outskirts of town and seemingly the communities have learned to co-exist. I don’t live in the area of town where this is proposed but I find it concerning that a project of this nature would even be considered next to what has been dubbed the new commercial Sparta Town Center, includes significant cluster housing, is located off a two-lane road, and 15 to 20 minutes from Route 80 on a good day.

I welcome any of our officials to respond publicly to these comments with clarification and/or additional information. I believe that the majority of people that live in Sparta/Sussex County came or stayed for quality of life. That has meant inconveniences over the years but for me the benefits have far outweighed the negatives. Hearing about this project was concerning. Reading another Sparta resident, who also happens to drive an 18-wheeler for a living express their concerns on social media why we do not want this kind of construction in Sparta let alone in this location, tells me we all need to closely examine the pros and cons and consider the future. Yes, we need ratables but we also need to preserve the character of our community and remember why we chose to make Sparta/Sussex County our home.

Shirley Miller

Sparta, NJ