United Water Property Raises Traffic, Environmental, Home Value Concerns

After nearly two years of evidence, testimony, questions and cross-examination, the New Milford Zoning Board began Thursday night the last leg of the application to develop the United Water property adjacent New Milford High School.

The applicant, New Milford Redevelopment Associates (NMRA), is looking to develop a 70,500-square-foot supermarket, a 4,300-square-foot bank and 24 affordable housing units. NMRA recently filed a suit against the Borough of New Milford for preventing their ability to build affordable housing. 

Nearly 75 members of the public came to the meeting to speak and share their feelings about the potential borough changing development. Only 22 of them had the chance to speak. Everyone will be given an opportunity before the public comments section is closed.

The following list reflects just some of the concerns raised by New Milford residents:

Traffic

• Regarding seniors who walk to the Senior Center located directly across from the property in question.
• Regarding who is in town. A teacher of 22 years spoke to how teachers get to know who is coming and going from the area surrounding their school. This development would prevent this.
• Regarding deliveries. The applicant has stated that they would route trucks away from certain streets, but how could this be monitored and/or enforced?
• Traffic studies were scarce and only studied standard peak and off-peak traffic times. No traffic studies presented showed how traffic would be impacted during a variance, such as a football game or other school event.

Environment

• Loss of Heritage Trees
• Vehicle leakage in parking lots ultimately runs off into the Hackensack River after rainfall.
• Construction would generate noise and dust that would effect the surrounding environment, which includes New Milford High School.

Other Issues

• Lower property value assessments of surrounding properties would result in those properties paying lower property taxes to the borough.
• The applicant’s experts conducted studies that were only concerned with the property in question and did not sufficiently look into how the surrounding neighborhoods would be affected.
• Would families be less likely to allow children to walk to school?
• How would local business be affected? Would folks be more likely to shop in a grocery store rather than longstanding local businesses?