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Residents press Southampton officials on Rancocas Creek flooding and mosquito/West Nile concerns
Summary
Multiple residents told the Southampton Township Committee they are worried about rising water levels in the Rancocas Creek and possible mosquito-borne disease near an Allied Recycling site; municipal staff said the OEM inspected the creek and that DEP permits would be needed for any cleanup.
During the public-comment period at the March 19 Southampton Township meeting, several residents raised environmental and public-health concerns tied to local waterways and a nearby recycling site.
Stacy Capano of East Mae Avenue told the committee she was concerned about increased water flow in the North Branch of the Rancocas Creek and asked whether the township and county could find a joint solution. Municipal Clerk/Administrator Kathleen D. Hoffman said the Township OEM inspected the creek, that the county has been documenting levels, and that removal of silt or debris would require a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection permit; she said the county is coordinating with FEMA and County Bridge to explore options.
Larry Foster of East Mae Avenue said he believed county and FEMA documentation of creek concerns was incomplete. Matthew Ryan asked members of the public to indicate who is affected by the creek. Pat Topham of New Road expressed concern about an Allied Recycling site, saying the county mosquito commission found mosquitoes at the Allied site were infected last summer; she asked what the township will do this season. The transcript records the resident's assertion but no lab results or county follow-up were presented at the meeting. Kathleen Hoffman indicated the county is involved in evaluating the site and possible mitigation steps.
Ridge Road resident Larry Engle asked whether the township would involve the State Police with data gathered from digital speed signs; he said he has not observed an improvement on Ridge Road. The committee did not record a formal commitment to involve the State Police in the meeting minutes.
Deputy Chief of the Hampton Lakes Fire Department also reported monthly department statistics and told the committee that recent accident data showed crashes were caused more often by texting than by alcohol.
No technical test results or firm timelines for creek cleanup and mosquito mitigation were provided at the meeting; residents were directed to county and state permitting processes as the next step.
