Welcome to the Highlands, where their rules make no sense and the protection of the water supply doesn't help those in the Highlands, but those outside the area that use our water. It should also be noted schools are exempt from most highlands rules, but the other town owned property is not. The mayor and state found that out with the new Fayson Lakes Firehouse was proposed. Those that crafted the rules, forgot to include firehouses in the list of exemptions!

OK, so regulations are annoying. And sure, sometimes in an effort to provide one thing (clean water to 5 million people), they create another (annoyance to 400 people who feel turf fields are important.) Sorry, but I fail to see Kinnelon's suffering. Period. You are blessed to live in scenically beautiful area with clean water, good schools, and an affluent standard of living. No pun intended, but cry me a river, people.

I think Kinnelon needs to find someway to market the water drawn from the town's boundries (excepting personal wells). Those on the Highlands Committee aren't looking out for the impact on the Kinnelon residents as much as they are for those in other towns. Can someone tell me how much the water table in Kinnelon has dropped over the last 10 years?

Ironically enough, when a well known contractor wanted to build townhomes on top of Wetlands in the area, some how it all worked in his favor. I urge all interested parties to do their research to find a way because I believe one such way exists. Contact the owner and contractor of Argonne Woods.

Butler isn't in the Highlands preservation area like Kinnelon, so the same rules didn't apply to Argonne which is in Butler.

Awh and CG was so close to figuring out how unfairly the world treats residents of Kinnelon.

Turn the property over to the Board of Education for a $1 and let the highlands exemption for school districts (BOE) apply.

Kinnelon's value falls in it's unique pristine nature. Over the past 48 years of being a resident I have watched the development of the town. Responsibility of its residents have kept it from becoming like every other town around. This alone makes Kinnelon a great place to live. Property values are not diminished by the fact that the school does not have turf, or your neighbor can't place a building 2 feet from your house.The lack of a turf field or regulations about overbuilding and overcrowding provides for a unique community. There have been so many new field's put in during the past few years that a good rotation schedule would make the maintenance of the High School field a non-issue. Property values are not diminished by the fact that the school does not have turf, or your neighbor can't place a building 2 feet from your house. Love Kinnelon for it's uniqueness or perhaps look for somewhere else to reside that is like every other town around.

I don't think that property tax has anything to do with the issue at hand. Goose dropping, health issues, etc. do. Everyone wants the same thing for Kinnelon, a beautiful and prestine place to live and keep for future generations to come. How having beautiful turf facilities jeopardizes that...I just don't comprehend. Some of us have and some of us haven't been here many years. Some day those who have less tenure here in Kinnelon will have the same bragging rights as those who have more time vested! All have the same respect and pride of what Kinnelon stands for. Sometimes longevity has a way of not being able to see the forest through the trees. No pun intended and should look for another place to reside as well.

How in the world do the folks in the Highlands Committee figure that a "turf grass" field is going to change anything to do with water percolation or water volumn being put into the Aquifer. Turf grass is designed to allow water to percolate through it in just the same way that a normal grass field would do. Whats better is that a normal grass field can get worn out and become more of a barren field of dirt that then washes into our local streams when it rains hard out. Just because a field is changed to turf grass does not mean the clouds will some how miraculusly go around Kinnelon. The same rain will fall and the same rain water will seep into the earth as it has done for thousands of years>>>

http://www.fieldturf.com/artificial-turf-environmental-responsibility/
http://www.turf.rutgers.edu/research/reports/2007/249.pdf

http://www.enviroturfservices.com/
http://www.geoturfusa.com/g/why-geo/environment/

When was it decided that we would spend more money on turf fields for athletics anyway? We are about to FIRE A TEACHER supposedly due to budget constraints and the town wants to spend more money on athletic fields? Did you people all get your degrees from Penn State? Where are your priorities?
Academics must come FIRST – before any field improvements at the schools or in the town.

Education is always first priority. My ed-u-ma-cated guess is the budget will be balanced, teaching positions will not be cut next year and teaching personnel will stay the same. And no Penn State here.

There is always other...how do you say...."Fat To Be Trimmed" (line items) before cutting teaching positions and the quality of our education. I think we would all agree.