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Staff flag endangered‑species concerns for Manchester tower plan; DEP continues work on Pemberton fill violation
Summary
Staff told the commission that Manchester Township’s proposed ~70‑foot communications tower sits near threatened and endangered species sightings and will likely need a two‑season drift‑bed survey unless the scope is limited; staff also said the DEP removed most fill at a Pemberton Township site but access and potential groundwater impacts remain under review.
Commission regulatory staff updated members about development applications and local enforcement actions with ecological implications.
Chuck described an application from Manchester Township for a roughly 70‑foot communications tower on a one‑acre parcel in a regional growth area. The site is near repeated threatened and endangered species reports, and staff said the township initially proposed a tower with a small parking lot and equipment pads. In response to a police‑department request to address emergency communications, the township revised its proposal to remove the five‑space parking lot and additional development; staff told the township that a two‑season drift‑bed survey for one of the species would normally be required but that, because the proposed scope has been limited, staff would accept a modified threatened/endangered survey for the tower only and not require the full two‑season survey for the reduced work. Staff are awaiting a sketch from the township showing the scaled‑back design.
On enforcement, Chuck updated commissioners on the ongoing Magnolia Road fill violation in Pemberton Township. He said the property owner has denied staff access, that DEP visited the site and had removed most but not all of the roughly 6,000 square feet of fill, and that staff will meet with the adjacent property owner (New Jersey Conservation Foundation owns the neighboring parcel) to discuss possible impacts to surface and groundwater and next steps.
Commissioners asked for additional maps and visuals to understand building locations, buffers and proximity to stream corridors; staff agreed to provide more detailed mapping on request.
