Recently I sent the below letter to the Sparta Township Mayor and Council in regards to the recent ordinance changes and consideration of the Sparta Redi-Mix redevelopment plan by Diamond Chip Realty:
Mayor Smith, Deputy Mayor Hertzberg, Councilwoman Quinn, Councilwoman Whilesmith, Councilman Chiariello, my name is John Derby and my family and I have lived in Sparta for the past 15 years. I am writing to inform the council that I (along with my wife and father-in-law who live with me) are against the approval of the Diamond Chip Realty’s application to redevelop the property at the Sparta Red-Mix plant on Demarest Road in Sparta. We, like many of our neighbors, moved to Sparta to get away from the more developed areas of our state. We are not against development, per say, but we are against this project for many reasons, as are many other residents of the community.
A project of this magnitude will have significant impacts on many aspects of our community. These impacts will not be to Sparta alone. The surrounding towns will be impacted as well. The changing of the zoning, and how it was done, of this area is very concerning. While the developer has been vague about the number of trucks that will be moving through the area on a single day, the physical impact of these tractor trailers on our roads and quality of life due to extra traffic are not the only concerns.
The change in permeable coverage will adversely impact the environment by: 1) damaging or destroying the habitats of migrating birds, threatened and endangered species and other native flora and fauna, 2) adding additional strain to our aquifer which is already running at a deficit and 3) increasing the risk for pollution to the aquifer. I know that the environmental commission rejected the proposal due to numerous concerns and I wonder why their assessment does not appear to have been considered.
Additionally, a facility of this size has the potential to over extend the public safety organizations here in Sparta and those towns who provide backup assistance. We rely on a volunteer fire department, whom do an admirable and excellent job, but can be overwhelmed with a house fire during normal working hours. How could they possibly contend with a structural fire at such a large location (even with the assistance of surrounding towns)? How could they, or any surrounding towns, cope with a second fire as a facility of this size would require an all hands response? And without knowing who the tenants will be, what could they possibly be facing? Have you also considered the additional police and emergency medical services responses that would need to accompany the fire department? What about their own additional workload with traffic enforcement for the police or medical calls for the Sparta Ambulance Squad that would arise from this new facility?
Just as importantly, I have serious concerns regarding the council itself. The council’s job is to work in the best interest of the community. It is not to make decisions based on one’s own personal wants and desires. I have been disgusted by the treatment of community members that have voiced their concerns only to be silenced by certain council members. You represent this community and if you are not prepared to listen to the concerns of our neighbors then you have no business being in your position. This has been a disgrace thus far and if this project moves forward, those of you who vote in favor will forever leave a stain on our community. There has been what appears to be a deliberate lack of transparency across the board, from the changing of the zoning ordinance, which the attorney for the redeveloper stated was changed specifically for this development. I want to know what part CP Engineering and the town’s engineer, Stan Puszcz, had in pushing this zoning change through.
The town engineer should be working for the township to protect their best interest but with new information coming to light regarding CP Engineering being paid by prospective redevelopers in the past, this may not be the case. If this is true of this redevelopment plan, it is a clear conflict of interest and I have no confidence in their involvement in town decisions. If there is monetary gain then they cannot be impartial and this is straight up bad consulting. I would strongly recommend that the council look to retain a new town engineer who is not benefiting from both sides and whose primary focus is the betterment of our community. I hope that the council will listen to the community members and reevaluate this proposal. It isn’t too late to rescind the ordinance changes. Please work with the residents to preserve our small-town atmosphere.
John Derby
Sparta
