United We Can Win

There are still people, including some elected officials, who believe that New Milford will lose to the S. Hekemian Group. These pessimists want to let the developer build their giant supermarket, a bank, apartments and LOTS of paved parking on the United Water property adjacent to New Milford High School. They are afraid to let our Zoning Board make an informed decision based on the testimony. The naysayers are afraid that our very qualified zoning board will deny this application and it will go to the courts in Bergen County on appeal. The pessimists believe that there is no way the court will uphold a denial of the variances by our zoning board.
But here's the good news: Recent appeals have not sided with the developers. On 8/26/13, a state superior court judge upheld Hackensack's Zoning Board decision to deny variances to Hackensack Hospital. Despite the medical center's assertions that their project was "inherently beneficial," the judge said the application got a fair hearing and the board was reasonable in their determination that this project would harm the neighborhood more than it would benefit the public. Residents and officials had argued in the hearings that approval of the variances would bring traffic hazards, congestion, and parking problems to their neighborhood.
Sound familiar? These are some of the same arguments that New Milford residents have brought forth. We have the additional argument concerning flooding. This is a battle that can be won. Then New Milford can follow in Hoboken's example and take control of this property to ensure that it remains green. Hoboken fought a developer, they won and they just had a ribbon cutting to welcome their community to their new park and athletic complex. 
Isn't it time for ALL of New Milford's elected officials to join this fight to save the last piece of undeveloped land we have? Mayor Subrizi, Councilmen Robalino and Colucci, and the New Milford Board of Ed: Won't you help us save our town?