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Madison group to air Exxon site concerns
Florham Pk. plan to add hotel, housing may hurt environment, leaders say
BY NAVID IQBAL
DAILY RECORD
MADISON -- Leaders of Madison Matters, a civic group, aren't too worried about the New York Jets' decision to move to neighboring Florham Park.
They are concerned, however, about the talk of an adjacent 500 units of housing, a hotel conference center and resulting traffic at the 400-plus-acre Exxon Mobil Corp. property, and they've called a meeting for tonight to get borough officials to keep an eye on such developments.
David Arthur of Madison Matters said the Jets' impact on the area in an environmental sense will most likely be "negligible," but added that "There are a lot more environmental issues than the Jets."
"It's hotel conference center, 500 age-restricted housing units. What are they going to do with the existing structures? How will people get in and out? Those are the sorts of things that we want to make sure Florham Park understands," Arthur said.
Tonight's meeting, at 7:45 at the Madison Community House, 5 Cook Ave., is open to the public, and expected to attract a sizable crowd. Madison Mayor Woody Kerkeslager, Councilwoman Astri Baillie and Councilman Donald Bowen are expected to attend.
Madison Matters was instrumental in mounting a challenge to Florham Park when it rezoned the Exxon site to allow 2 million square feet of office and hotel space in 2002. Madison, Chatham and Chatham Township sued Florham Park over traffic and environmental issues, especially in relation to a concrete paving which may have prevented rainfall from replenishing an aquifer.
A Superior Court decision in 2004 established conditions for redeveloping the Exxon site. Redevelopment would be governed by state standards for water management and would require Florham Park to conduct a regional traffic study, according to the settlement.
Arthur hopes the meeting will push Madison lawmakers to press for, among other things, a traffic study.
"We need to empower our representative to be on top of this," Arthur said.
Florham Park Mayor Frank D. Tinari was not available for comment Tuesday.
Madison group to air Exxon site concerns
Florham Pk. plan to add hotel, housing may hurt environment, leaders say
BY NAVID IQBAL
DAILY RECORD
MADISON -- Leaders of Madison Matters, a civic group, aren't too worried about the New York Jets' decision to move to neighboring Florham Park.
They are concerned, however, about the talk of an adjacent 500 units of housing, a hotel conference center and resulting traffic at the 400-plus-acre Exxon Mobil Corp. property, and they've called a meeting for tonight to get borough officials to keep an eye on such developments.
David Arthur of Madison Matters said the Jets' impact on the area in an environmental sense will most likely be "negligible," but added that "There are a lot more environmental issues than the Jets."
"It's hotel conference center, 500 age-restricted housing units. What are they going to do with the existing structures? How will people get in and out? Those are the sorts of things that we want to make sure Florham Park understands," Arthur said.
Tonight's meeting, at 7:45 at the Madison Community House, 5 Cook Ave., is open to the public, and expected to attract a sizable crowd. Madison Mayor Woody Kerkeslager, Councilwoman Astri Baillie and Councilman Donald Bowen are expected to attend.
Madison Matters was instrumental in mounting a challenge to Florham Park when it rezoned the Exxon site to allow 2 million square feet of office and hotel space in 2002. Madison, Chatham and Chatham Township sued Florham Park over traffic and environmental issues, especially in relation to a concrete paving which may have prevented rainfall from replenishing an aquifer.
A Superior Court decision in 2004 established conditions for redeveloping the Exxon site. Redevelopment would be governed by state standards for water management and would require Florham Park to conduct a regional traffic study, according to the settlement.
Arthur hopes the meeting will push Madison lawmakers to press for, among other things, a traffic study.
"We need to empower our representative to be on top of this," Arthur said.
Florham Park Mayor Frank D. Tinari was not available for comment Tuesday.
posted by Jones Lang LaSalle NJ News Blog at 12:18 PM
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