Residents urge pause on hilltop redevelopment over reported PFAS contamination; council says permits won’t issue until DEP clears site

Residents pressed the Lambertville City Council to slow redevelopment and require complete environmental answers after a public commenter said most tested private wells showed contamination.

Beth O’Brien, who identified herself during the public-comment period, told the council that "92 wells have been tested... 89 of those wells are contaminated with PFAS and are not safe for consumption." She asked whether the city would advance redevelopment agreements, tax abatements or construction approvals before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) completes source identification and determines whether the site is appropriate for residential use.

A second resident, identifying himself as Jeff of 33 Wilson Street, supported those concerns and urged the city to seek court assistance or other legal mechanisms to secure DEP access to a suspected source property. He warned that clearing steep slopes and removing roughly a dozen acres of trees for hilltop development would create stormwater, traffic and erosion challenges.

City officials said the redevelopment agreement and council approvals would take DEP findings into consideration. A council representative said that while the redevelopment agreement may be considered prior to the DEP finishing its work, "no construction can go forward" and that building permits and site-plan approvals would not be issued until the DEP deems the site appropriate for residential construction. Officials acknowledged that DEP site-access negotiations were ongoing and that the city has had periodic contact with DEP attorneys and staff about the investigation.

The mayor and staff also pointed to related planning needs: council members said they will press ahead with stormwater management planning, and the council introduced Shane from CME as the new stormwater management engineer who will assist on technical issues.

What remains unresolved from the meeting was whether non-permit activities such as preliminary clearing or other site work could proceed before DEP clearance; council staff said they could not give a definitive answer in the meeting and would report back. Residents repeatedly asked the city to insist on complete environmental answers before approving actions that would increase risk to current or future residents.

The council did not vote on any redevelopment approvals at the meeting. Officials said some implementing ordinances tied to a recently adopted mediation agreement with Fair Share Housing will be introduced at a later meeting and that certain components must be adopted by the end of March under that agreement’s timeline.

Ending: The council closed the public-comment period and agreed to follow up: staff will provide additional information and the council will continue monthly contact with DEP about well testing and site access.