Now Direct Mailed to OVER 2,250 HOMES in LeisureTowne and 195 HOMES in Hampton Lakes
Outrage over Outages Committee Tells Crowd It Can Only Do So Much
Neighborhood Nuisance PG 4
Medford Condemns Home as Posing Danger to Public
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Vol. 2 – No. 51
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From Seven to Ten Making a Local Call Now Requires an Area Code
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August 18, 2018 – August 24, 2018
‘Unprecedented’ Pinelands Commission Fails to Approve Controversial Clearcutting Application By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
• 15-Member Body Rejects Its Director’s Recommendation in Historic Vote • Commission Breaks Away from Longstanding Application Protocols, Setting New Precedents • State’s Two Environmental Agencies Likely to Litigate Against Each Other in Public Forum • Commission’s Staff May Not Be Able to Assist with Litigation Due to Disagreement • Bass River Mayor Calls for Joint Meeting to Create Statewide Solution to Aging Fire Towers Photo By Ryan Marchese
NEW LISBON—The Pinelands Commission entered uncharted waters on Aug. 10 after a site application to clearcut 16 acres of white pine and loblolly pine trees near a fire tower in the Bass River State Forest did not earn enough votes for passage, despite a recommendation for approval by the governing body’s Executive Director, Nancy Wittenberg. The decision was historic, as longtime veterans of the 39-year old commission could not recall a time in the 15-member body’s history when a staff recommendation was rejected. “We will sort it out and take our time because this is unprecedented,” said New Jersey Deputy Attorney General Bruce Velzy, who is assigned to represent the commission. Just as unprecedented—game changing from a commission procedural standpoint—was the raucous 50-minute back and forth over the application that took place amongst members leading up to the 5-1 vote, which included four abstentions and fell short of the needed eight vote majority for approval. The comment period on the application, submitted by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, ended in June at least technically. The commission’s longstanding practice has been to mostly forbid comments on an application, as part of a meeting record, once a comment period is closed. The period is assigned an end date to provide an applicant a chance to respond to questions and concerns and the executive director’s recommendation is based on the testimony provided during that period. This practice, however, was challenged last month by Commissioner Edward Lloyd after members of the public attending a July commission meeting were told that they could not comment on the clearcutting application because its comment period had passed See UNPRECEDENTED/ Page 16
INDEX Automotive................ 23 Business Directory.... 14 Community.................. 9
Health........................ 11 Marketplace............... 20 Hobbyist.................... 13 Opinion........................ 7 Local News.................. 2 Worship Directory........ 9
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