Thanks to Sparta Responsible Development, warehouse not a ‘done deal’

Thanks to the Sparta Independent, in April 2022, I learned about an application to build an 800,000 (since reduced to 700,000) square foot warehouse off Demarest Road (Sparta).

The project made no sense to me then and two years later, even more educated on warehouses, makes less sense to me now.

New Jersey warehouse guidelines state that facilities larger than 500,000 square feet should have direct access to interstate/major highways. This location is on a rural road 14 miles from an interstate!

The good news is this application is not a “done deal,” and we have the ability to work together to affect the future of Sparta and Sussex County.

Fortunately, and largely in response to this application, a grassroots organization, Sparta Responsible Development, was formed by other concerned citizens. They took a deep dive into the question: “Does this really make sense for our town?” Their board has engaged with the New Jersey Highlands Coalition and subject experts, researched, attended countless meetings, and determined that this would have wide-ranging negative implications for our community.

Factual expert testimony will be required and comes at a cost. Environmental specialists, community planners, land use lawyers and more are needed to demonstrate that this project is not a good fit for Sussex County and its residents.

I’ve heard that an anonymous donor gave $20,000 toward preserving our collective place. I want to publicly thank them and SRD’s board for their countless volunteer hours. It will take more but if everyone donates what they can and participates, we can have a voice.

I encourage anyone remotely interested - for, against or undecided - to visit http://www.spartaresponsibledevelopment.org to donate and learn more.

Like many, my husband and I made a conscious choice to make Sparta/Sussex County our home. Outdoor recreation, less traffic, better air quality, community safety, small-town amenities and programs like 4-H were among the attractions. There were trade-offs to this lifestyle and we willingly made them. Thirty-nine years later, not once have we regretted our decision.

As a longtime resident, I love the name Sparta Responsible Development. Development is inevitable and not necessarily bad if done within the context of “What do we value about where we live? What do we need to protect?” (i.e. clean drinking water, road safety) and “Does this align with the character of our community?”

Shirley Miller

Sparta