Dear Neighbors,

If you thought the end of the year would be slow for local news, you were wrong.  There are a couple significant updates including the potential settlement of the first of the three TDR lawsuits, an update on funding for the new municipal center and the real likelihood that many residents who live in Sterling Chase, along Bridge Road, and Bella Road will be required to hook up to public sewage at their own expense.   

TDR Lawsuit Update:  The attorney for the township has signed a settlement agreement for the first of the three lawsuits resulting from the August 2002 changes to the Transfer and Development Rights Program (see Sept. 17, 2003 Issue of E-News for more information).  However, the settlement is not official until it is approved by the Township Committee.  The settlement will be discussed and possibly voted on at the October 17th Township Committee meeting.

In the settlement, Lumberton Township agreed to allow Cave Enterprises (the owner of the Flying W and Golden Pheasant Golf Course) to build nine more holes for the golf course, a driving range, a practice area, a pool complex, a clubhouse facility and several homes along the golf course and on any other land it owns contiguous to the Golden Pheasant/Flying W complex.  The township also agreed to amend the township's sewage plan to provide a public sewage hook up to the Flying W and Golden Pheasant at Cave's expense and to allow Cave to put up three billboard signs on Route 541 between Route 38 and Fostertown Road.  Finally, the township agreed to allow Cave to spread out the payment of his farmland rollback assessment taxes over five years with no interest.  The land that will be developed commercially is all zoned residential agriculture so essentially the agreement is an approval for many significant variances to the township's master plan (or land use) plan.

In exchange, the township got Cave to agree to maintain an average lot size for one house per five acres.  

There is also another large impact of this settlement.  When a public sewage line is run, any home with "access" to public sewage is required under New Jersey law to hook up to the public sewage at the home owner's expense.   The cost of hooking up to public sewage can range from $5,000 to $20,000.   The exact path of the sewage line is to be determined.  Typically, it is taken from the nearest location and run along roads, across other public land and easements to the destination.  In this case, the nearest sewage connection point will be in the section of Coventry Glenn that is under construction.  If the Township Committee approves the settlement, home owners along 541, Bella Road, Bridge Road and other areas in close proximity to the Flying W and Golden Pheasant are at risk of having to incur a large out of pocket expense.

Sewage Line for SANCOA Denied:  SANCOA is a small business on the corner of Stacie Haines and Ark Road.  SANCOA applied for approval to have a pumping station built on their property so they can connect into public sewage.  In the township's master plan, the SANCOA site, unlike the Flying W and Golden Pheasant, is planned for public sewage.  However, the Planning Board denied the request mostly over concerns with the route of the sewage line.  The sewage line would run from Powell's Mill through Sterling Chase across the property of the South Jersey Regional Airport and down Stacie Haines Road to SANCOA.   The path of the sewage line is determined by the Mount Holly Municipal Utility Authority.  Neither the township nor SANCOA have any say over the connection path.  If the sewage line were run through Sterling Chase, many of the residents of Sterling Chase would be required to hook up to public sewage at their own expense.  Ultimately, this issue will probably be decided in court.

Green Acres Funding:  The township was awarded a $400,000 matching grant from the State Green Acres program.  The grant will be used to purchase the Raab Farm next to the Municipal Center.  The land will be used for the new township recreation center.  To use the Green Acres grant, the township will be required to come up with an additional $400,000 in matching funds.  The township was awarded $100,000 from the county earlier this year which can be applied to the township's $400,000 obligation.  The remainder of the township's burden will be funded from the Lumberton Open Space Fund. 

Cellular Tower Update:  Because of audio tape recording problems, OmniPoint Communications was given another opportunity to present their site plan to the Planning Board on November 6th.  OmniPoint presented the same site plan for a 300 foot cellular communications tower behind the municipal center to the Planning Board that they did on June 5th.  (For more details, see the June 9th edition of Lumberton E-News.)  In June, the Planning Board denied approval, but this time around the Planning Board approved the plan.  The lease of the township's land for the tower will generate about $1,500 per month in revenue for the township.  

Foxcroft Estates:  The Planning Board denied the request for several variances required to build a seven home development across Ark Road from Fenimore Road.  The owner was asking for a variance to have several lot sizes smaller than five acres so long as the lot sizes averaged out to five acres.  The owner was also asking for a variance for a smaller set-off from the curb than Lumberton's construction code requires.  Numerous other questions were raised in terms of the street lighting, lack of sidewalks, and proximity to wetlands.  After the meeting, I overheard the owner and his attorney rather irately indicated their intention to challenge the decision in court.

New Lumberton Parents Support Group:  Debra Moorer and several other parents are starting a new support group for parents of children with special learning needs such as autism, dyslexia, physical handicaps and other learning disabilities.  The mission of the support group is to help parents of children with special needs navigate the medical establishment, school system and various government agencies to get the help that they need for their special needs children.  For more information on the program, people can contact Debra directly at 609-261-4161 or CExplrr@aol.com. 

As always, thanks again for reading and sharing the newsletter with your friends.  Have a great and safe Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,