Save the Ravine Alliance appeals Wyckoff Planning Board's Ravine development approval-donations sought to offset costs
The Save the Ravine Alliance is challenging in court the Wyckoff Planning Board's decision to allow development of the environmentally sensitive Deep Voll Ravine tract.
"It was a bad decision," said Save the Ravine Alliance attorney Stuart Lieberman, "the ravine is not sufficiently protected and frankly, it ought to be preserved as open space."
The Alliance is seeking contributions to its legal fund to offset the cost of the appeal. Donations should be payable to the Save the Ravine Alliance and sent to the Save the Ravine Alliance, P.O. Box 476, Wyckoff, New Jersey 07481.
The appeal, filed in New Jersey Superior Court, states that the Wyckoff Planning Board's decision to grant significant steep slope variances was improper, particularly as a smaller development of the 13-acre ravine tract could have been permitted with no variances.
"There was no legal basis for granting this ordinance relief," the appeal states, "especially in light of the fact that the properties were bought after the [Wyckoff Steep Slope] ordinance was in effect and a development could be created whereby the developer would realize a suitable return on investment without granting any or very minimal relief from the ordinance."
The citizens of Wyckoff expressed their support for open space preservation when they approved the creation of its open space trust fund in 2006, and it makes no sense to be chasing these ravine ratables when we have alternatives. A study on the Barrister ravine development showed it would actually cost Wyckoff taxpayers a net $75,000 in school and municipal service costs (see below). Eighty percent of the funding for the purchase of the ravine site can come from the state and the county, and we should use those grants and the Wyckoff open space trust fund to do exactly that.
The appeal also says that the Wyckoff Planning Board ignored testimony from engineer Keithe Merl of Princeton Hydro, who said that the stormwater management proposal by the developer was deficient and did not conform with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requirements at the time of the Board's approval.
The appeal further states that the developer, Barrister Home Construction, Inc., then proposed a vastly different and significantly larger stormwater system to the DEP. The appeal calls the decision by the Wyckoff Planning Board to approve the stormwater system "arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable" as it was done despite expert testimony that it was not adequate.
You can read the full text of the appeal here: Save the Ravine Alliance Appeal
"It was a bad decision," said Save the Ravine Alliance attorney Stuart Lieberman, "the ravine is not sufficiently protected and frankly, it ought to be preserved as open space."
The Alliance is seeking contributions to its legal fund to offset the cost of the appeal. Donations should be payable to the Save the Ravine Alliance and sent to the Save the Ravine Alliance, P.O. Box 476, Wyckoff, New Jersey 07481.
The appeal, filed in New Jersey Superior Court, states that the Wyckoff Planning Board's decision to grant significant steep slope variances was improper, particularly as a smaller development of the 13-acre ravine tract could have been permitted with no variances.
"There was no legal basis for granting this ordinance relief," the appeal states, "especially in light of the fact that the properties were bought after the [Wyckoff Steep Slope] ordinance was in effect and a development could be created whereby the developer would realize a suitable return on investment without granting any or very minimal relief from the ordinance."
The citizens of Wyckoff expressed their support for open space preservation when they approved the creation of its open space trust fund in 2006, and it makes no sense to be chasing these ravine ratables when we have alternatives. A study on the Barrister ravine development showed it would actually cost Wyckoff taxpayers a net $75,000 in school and municipal service costs (see below). Eighty percent of the funding for the purchase of the ravine site can come from the state and the county, and we should use those grants and the Wyckoff open space trust fund to do exactly that.
The appeal also says that the Wyckoff Planning Board ignored testimony from engineer Keithe Merl of Princeton Hydro, who said that the stormwater management proposal by the developer was deficient and did not conform with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requirements at the time of the Board's approval.
The appeal further states that the developer, Barrister Home Construction, Inc., then proposed a vastly different and significantly larger stormwater system to the DEP. The appeal calls the decision by the Wyckoff Planning Board to approve the stormwater system "arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable" as it was done despite expert testimony that it was not adequate.
You can read the full text of the appeal here: Save the Ravine Alliance Appeal