Serious Challenge to Nature and Quality of Life

Hi. My first blog, and it took a real threat to move me to do this. If you don't yet know it, the township of West Orange, New Jersey is weakening a tree ordinance that will allow the removal of 27,000 trees to make way for a housing development of 129 single family homes. The trees sit in the wetlands and streamed area behind the West Essex Highlands (off Eagle Rock Avenue) and adjacent to the towns of Essex Fells and Verona.



There are other issues inherent in this project to be considered such as water run off, likelihood of increased taxes, pollution and traffic all of which pose a threat and/or inconvenience to the people living not only near the proposed project, but any where in town.



But do we have to look further than the trees to see the forest? I don't think so. Trees, nature, wildlife often define a town, making it appealing, livable, desirable, even healthy. Imagine New York City without Central Park and you get the idea. (and the trees currently proposed for destruction are 1,000 more than in the entirety of Central Park!)



The developer for this project has proposed several approaches to building of varying size and scope over the last several years, and up till now has been held at bay because of the concerns about traffic and safety issues.


The movement to stop this project definitely needs to expand beyond the We Care committee, the Sierra Club and the people living in the West Essex Highlands and adjacent towns. The effects of weak environmental ordinances and over-development are far reaching.


There's a planning board meeting on Wednesday, March 12, at 7:30 where some of these issues will be addressed.