Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident raises infrastructure and water-capacity objections to West Essex Highlands plan
Summary
A resident urged the council to account for off-site infrastructure costs and questioned New Jersey American Water capacity claims for the contested West Essex Highlands development, and said the plan lacks demonstrated sewer and utilities capacity.
Joseph Panulo, a nearby resident, pressed the council during public comment to reconsider the West Essex Highlands application after the council declined a related resolution on June 10. Panulo said the developer introduced previously unrecorded concepts at a prior hearing — including a will-serve letter from New Jersey American Water and an extension agreement — and he said the project remains unproven for basic utilities.
Panulo asked who would pay to extend water and sewer to a site he described as about eight-tenths of a mile from existing lines and on bedrock, citing an early estimate of roughly $330,000 to install sections of 12-inch water main on adjacent roads. He said the engineering is incomplete and that the town could absorb substantial off-site costs if the developer is not required to fund them. He also noted the planning board had denied the application and predicted an appeal.
Council members and the administration declined to answer detailed technical questions in public, citing pending litigation and lack of expertise. Later the administration announced it received a court order granting the township a temporary immunity from new builder’s remedy suits, which pauses additional filings while the municipality moves forward on compliance and negotiations.
Council and staff signaled they will not respond to specific engineering cost estimates at the meeting but committed to reviewing resident materials and asked staff to follow up. Panulo also warned a linked planning-board application (PB-2603) proposing a traffic signal and parking expansion at a country club may seek multiple variances, including steep-slope relief and removal of trees, and could lead to further appeals if not enforced.
The council urged residents who have technical documents or communications with utilities to submit them to the clerk and staff for administrative review; the council said legal and planning staff would handle any required follow-up while litigation risk remains.
