Special to the USA TODAY Network

Regarding "Should taxpayers buy Revolutionary war land slated for warehouses? Monmouth County might," app.com, Aug. 24:

Dan Radel reported on how many of us are working with our neighbors in Allentown and Upper Freehold to fight two warehouses with a combined size of 500,000 square feet on approximately 60 acres of farmland. I know firsthand the challenges of these community-based efforts to say “no” to warehouses. In our case, the Upper Freehold land in question includes an important British encampment/Revolutionary War site that was on the way to what would become the famous and historic Battle of Monmouth. Each warehouse fight has its own story to tell, but one thing is for certain: New Jersey is too saturated with warehouses.

Collaborating with supportive elected officials — in our case, Allentown Borough Mayor Thomas Fritts and council, and our Monmouth County Commissioners, in particular, Commissioner Ross Licitra — we have been so fortunate to establish new ways to discuss curbing our warehouse development. Clean Water Action NJ has been assisting us with warehouse opposition, as does Zero Emissions and Warehouse Organizer Tolani Taylor. We believe New Jersey needs a NJ Emergency Legislative Summit on Warehouses in 2024. Our local battle remains unresolved, but we have built relationships that will last past this preservation fight to keep the land open, farmed, and the historic elements preserved.

While our efforts continue to support the purchase of the land through creative partnerships with Monmouth County officials and the public, private, and non-profit sectors, I have realized that there is no one person or one NJ agency where we can go to get help. No clearinghouse for warehouse-related information exists, where staff are working all day and every day exclusively on warehouse-related issues. That is why I proposed personally to Gov. Phil Murphy’s chief of staff that our governor consider the creation of a statewide warehouse czar.

I am not alone in my frustration stemming from outreach to various New Jersey state agencies. For the average person, without a team of paid lobbyists, political contacts and huge staffing, outreach efforts become daunting. Issues of air-pollution emissions, from cars and trucks, represent toxic nightmares. Sometimes, to get to one phone conversation takes weeks. Follow-up can take far longer. Just in our township, these two warehouses, if approved, would produce 2,500 tons of pollution annually, based on using EPA formulaic standards for 2,200 cars and trucks daily.

What will Monmouth County do?:Should taxpayers buy Revolutionary war land slated for warehouses?

Preservationist perspective:Proposed Upper Freehold warehouse destroys NJ history — and our environment

Hey, that is another slap that contributes to global warming. And the development is adjacent to the Overburdened Community designation by the state Department of Environmental Protection within part of Upper Freehold. It is across Interstate 195, and we know we cannot build houses or warehouses on that roadway. As of Aug. 28, more than 3,220 local people signed a Change.org Upper Freehold anti-warehouse petition about the water quality and storm water run-off issues urging that the development be stopped. But, within a tangled bureaucratic mess where the average person cannot figure out how to even reach the right people in NJDEP or other agencies, how do the citizens’ voices get heard?

The Planning and Zoning Boards become the last point of refuge for people trying to fight warehouse development, but sadly, many communities like ours, Upper Freehold, developed master plans in the early 2000s that worshipped the ratables myth and dumped warehouses on borders with other neighboring towns. As our town let more development in, more residents moved closer to where the proposed warehouses might be located if approved. To top it off, without a vocal citizenry readily mobilized, the local leaders who are opposed to the idea of preservation and who support warehouses can prevail. It’s so easy to say, “vote them out.” In cases like our town, where one-party rule has dominated for decades, elected officials become jaundiced and arrogant. Many Upper Freehold officials remain opposed to this preservation effort.

Finally, let’s talk facts. When looking at New Jersey statistics one obvious point emerges, New Jersey doesn’t need any new warehouses. A Newmark Research Report from 2022 shows saturation. In Monmouth County 16,589,025 square feet of warehouse space already exists — with a 7.1% vacancy rate. Off Exit 7A, warehouses have 29,407,154 square feet. The same report noted that, including total warehouse space in northern and central New Jersey, the Garden State is home to 677 million square feet of warehouse space. There are underused and empty warehouses in and bordering Monmouth County seeking to lease space.

Are we trying to win the Guinness World Record for most warehouses in the United States? The way we are going the Garden State is going to be renamed the Warehouse State.

New Jersey needs a warehouse czar.

Sue Kozel is former vice chair of the Upper Freehold Vision Committee that became the Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway Committee.

Special to the USA TODAY Network

Jerry Carino’s June 12 article, " 'Kick in the stomach.' Warehouses on site of Revolutionary War fight? Allentown's aghast,” horrified me.

As an Upper Freehold resident who supports historic preservation and environmental protection, I was stunned to read about the proposed AAESUF Warehouse development of 54.62 acres in Upper Freehold lays on historic ground. Revolutionary War Col. Daniel Morgan and his marksmen were sent by General George Washington to confront the British, and this land had a role to play according to the article. In Upper Freehold, we created an Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway, designated by New Jersey, and supported by citizens in Allentown and Upper Freehold. Now, I am afraid if this AAESUF development proceeds, the name of our scenic byway might become the Upper Freehold Warehouse Not Scenic Byway.

Carino’s article pushed me to research more about the project and public policy solutions before I commented. Subsequently, I have learned about a new New Jersey law that can potentially throw a wrench into the development plan, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Justice Law.

The new NJ DEP Environmental Justice Law has designated Upper Freehold as one of Monmouth County’s "Overburdened Communities." This designation allows scrutiny over new development projects or the expansion of existing projects that create certain stressors on the township, in this case reduced air quality due to increased traffic. In a May 18, 2023 memo to the Monmouth County Planning Board’s Development Review Committee, a county official challenged the AAESUF Warehouse proposal’s traffic plan.

More:'Kick in the stomach.' Warehouses on site of Revolutionary War fight? Allentown's aghast

I shared this May 18, 2023 memo with the NJ DEP Environmental Justice staff because there could be up to 1000 + new cars and trucks that travel to this AAESUF warehouse over the course of two shifts. As Vincent Cardone, Monmouth County Principal Engineer, noted that there was “a discrepancy between the calculated trip generation vs. the number of employees per shift, and total parking spaces.”

The numbers tell the story: proposed are 572 parking spaces for cars and 108 loading docks for trucks, with six truck drive-in ramps. Count on 790 daily weekday truck trips per week. Also listed are two shifts for employees with 452 people working per shift (1,356 daily). Whatever numbers you choose, there will be major changes in air quality on Routes 539, 526, 195, Main Street in Allentown, and throughout the “Overburdened Community” of Upper Freehold.

The ramps along Route 195 going into Robbinsville and Upper Freehold, going east and west, will be even more congested, and thousands of us will be subjected to sitting in more traffic polluting the air, and reducing air quality. And, how do you think the lack of breathable air will affect our property values?

On March 25, 2000, I was quoted on the front page of the Asbury Park Press' Coastal Monmouth Edition in an article titled “A Growing Quandry,” by Kirk Moore. The story highlighted my shock that a development expert claimed that "sprawl works." I responded, “This is the first time I heard that ‘sprawl works’… It doesn’t work for me."

My position has not changed in 23 years. This AEESUF project is a public policy and planning nightmare.

Who can credibly propose this type of development that will substantially increase cars and trucks on already congested New Jersey highways, including new potential new traffic from Route 130, the New Jersey Turnpike, and Route 295, does not make sense?

Presently, it takes me over an hour to drive to Rutgers one way to use its archives; will I now have to plan to leave at the crack of dawn or schedule two-hour, one-way commutes?

The detailed explanation of the NJ Environmental Justice Law and its designation of “Overburdened Community” program can be found at https://dep.nj.gov/ej/law/.

In my letter last week to Upper Freehold Planning Board Staff and the mayor, Allentown mayorn and the Monmouth County Planning Development Review Committee, I urged them to contact the NJ DEP Environmental Justice Office, and make sure Upper Freehold can be protected from compromising and dangerous air quality from the AAESUF development. And like a good neighbor, we cannot dump our air pollution on our good neighbors in Allentown.

I urge all citizens to be pro-active by contacting the NJ Environmental Justice Office and also let Upper Freehold officials know that we will not accept the poisoning of our lungs and land due to development pressure and greed.

Sue Kozel is former vice chair of the Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway Committee.

MONMOUTH COUNTY: The Monmouth County Park System is hosting its Art of War exhibit at Historic Walnford, 62 Walnford Road, Upper Freehold.

The exhibit is now open daily from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., March 3, 2023-March 9, 2025. The address is 62 Walnford Road, Upper Freehold, NJ 08501.

An opening reception is planned on Saturday, March 11 from 3-6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and all are welcome to attend. The exhibit features the art forms of World War I and the role artists and their creations played in uniting the country. It includes propaganda posters, uniforms, medals and music that illuminate how illustrators, designers and composers used their talents to aid the war effort.

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Visitors to the exhibit have the option to spend some time exploring Historic Walnford. This historic district features a 19th century gristmill, the elegant Waln family home (1773), a carriage house, and an assortment of outbuildings. The site showcases over 200 years of social, technological and environmental history through the Waln family and offers weekend mill demonstrations April through November. Admission and parking for both the exhibit and the site are free.

For more information about the Art of War exhibit or Historic Walnford, please visit HERE, or call 732-842-4000. For persons with hearing impairment, the TTY/TDD number is 711. The Monmouth County Park System, created in 1960 by the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, is Monmouth County’s Open Space, Parks, and Recreation agency.

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ALLENTOWN – Mayor Thomas Fritts has confirmed what residents have been saying for some time: there is surveying activity taking place on a parcel of land in Upper Freehold Township bordering Allentown that could be a prelude to commercial development.

During a meeting of the mayor and Borough Council on Feb. 22, Fritts provided an update on the parcel that is commonly known as the Stein property.

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Probasco Drive in Allentown is adjacent to the Stein property in Upper Freehold on North Main Street (Route 539/524). The large tract of undeveloped land is near an exit from Interstate 195 to North Main Street.

The Stein property is in what Allentown officials refer to as a greenbelt around the borough.

During his comments, Fritts said, “There has been activity on the Stein property. I stopped by last week and a surveyor identified the property as a location for two potential warehouses.

“We are looking into various areas to prevent any development that is not good for Allentown. I have made it clear to (Upper Freehold) Mayor (LoriSue) Mount what Allentown does not want to see. The residents of Probasco Drive are not looking for that vista to be destroyed.”

Fritts said no application that proposes development on the Stein property has been filed in Upper Freehold. He also noted that in the past, officials in Upper Freehold have declined requests that applicants have made for variances from the township’s development regulations.

Regarding the possibility of purchasing the Stein property and preserving the tract as open space, Fritts said, “The management company that manages the estate is not interested in preservation; preservation pays pennies on the dollar.”

“We are doing everything in our power to embrace the fight” against warehouses, the mayor said. “Two warehouses on Main Street, where we already have traffic, would truly be a devastation to this historical borough. We are in this (fight) for the long haul.”

Fritts said if an application for the development of the Stein property is presented to a municipal board in Upper Freehold, he is hoping the members of that board would look closely at any request for variances from their community’s development standards.

As the discussion regarding the Stein property ended, Councilwoman Erica DeKranes said, “We are trying to make sure we know what is going on and to keep our borders the way they are.”

The prospect of commercial development near their homes has been a concern for residents of Probasco Drive for several years.

During a meeting of the mayor and Borough Council on Oct. 8, 2019, residents reported seeing surveyors on the Stein property.

The residents said they were concerned about the type of development that could be proposed on the land that is in Upper Freehold’s Highway Commercial zone.

The possibility of a warehouse or warehouses being constructed on the property was mentioned as a significant source of concern by the residents.

OPINION

Rural and Suburban municipalities are under attack. Overdevelopment and warehouse sprawling are threatening the environment, historical value, and families of our towns. The two recently sent permit applications to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on the Stein property is another attempt at sacrificing the lives, well-being, and longevity of our town and its residents. Bohler Engineering apparently misled Allentown and Upper Freehold’s residents by stating the Stein property would be used for Affordable Housing units, but in all actuality, the owners used this extra time bought from this facade to keep the wheels of their true intentions spinning.

The consequences these proposed warehouses would have is incredibly damaging to Allentown, Upper Freehold, and our surrounding municipalities. These warehouses will cause extremely poor air quality that will later result in high rates of asthma and other air-related diseases along with damaging wildlife by removing their habitat and killing the ecosystem. The development of warehouses would mean more truck traffic, and for Allentown, in which most homes were built in the 1800 and early 1900s, the foundations will crumble underneath the families of our town. Not to mention tearing up our roads and clogging our streets with unpredictable and hazardous traffic. The increased truck traffic will also present a serious threat to our seniors and children, as the students from UFRSD come to Allentown to play at our parks, eat at our restaurants, and support our small businesses. This presents an unneeded threat to them.

The additional utilities such as emergency services, water and sewage needs, etc, for which Allentown will bear the costs, are unfair insofar as Upper Freehold Committee is unilaterally making this decision with zero input from Allentown’s governing body and its residents. All of these issues that new warehouses will bring are irreversible damages but are highly preventable.

Given that Allentown is the central hub for the surrounding area, our governing body will do everything in our power to protect this town and everyone that calls it home. That is why we are asking Upper Freehold and NJDEP to halt all of their plans for the warehouse developments, and we ask you to join us in creating a productive and historical Task Force. This Task Force would comprise two members of the government/elected officials of Allentown, Robbinsville, Upper Freehold, Hightstown, Mercer and Monmouth County Commissioners, our members of the state legislature, and one representative from NJDEP and NJDOT. The vision of this Task Force is to have a public open dialogue to discuss the warehouse development, truck traffic, and environmental protection and all the other common issues with which our municipalities are struggling. These conversations will hopefully lead to us finding a common ground that will benefit the safety, security, prosperity, and longevity of our towns and their residents.

We, the Allentown Governing Body, take our oaths of office to our country, state, and towns with the utmost sincerity and we encourage you to do the same by joining us for these inter-municipality open dialogue discussions. This issue is not unique to just Allentown, Robbinsville, Hightstown, or Upper Freehold, but is being seen in many municipalities across our State. We hope our actions here will show that the small towns of New Jersey have a voice and will not be overshadowed and ignored by large corporations and those trying to seek profit over the safety of our towns and our lives. With that being said, we hope Upper Freehold joins these conversations in good faith as the fate of our towns and state are in jeopardy.

Nikki Darling, Erica DeKranes, Michael Drennan, John Elder, Thomas Fritts, Martha Johnson, and Daniel Payson are members of the Allentown Borough Council