Councilmembers Discouraged By Highlands Restrictions

Councilman James Freda expressed frustration at Thursday's meeting over having to seek exemptions from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to expand the parking lot at the Boonton Avenue field because of New Jersey Highlands restrictions. But he was not the only councilmember frustrated with the process.

Both Freda and Councilman Dan O'Dougherty spoke about borough projects that are on hold until the borough receives the exemptions, a process the councilmen said could take up to three years.

Development projects in municipalities that are included in the must seek exemptions to move forward, depending on the project. The mission of the Highlands Council is to protect natural resources and drinking water.

Freda had spoken to the borough council last month about expanding the parking lot at the field, which is located next to the Taylortown Reservoir, so parents would no longer be forced to park on Fayson Lakes Road. But since the field is so close to the reservoir, Mayor Bob Collins said the borough would need to receive Highlands exemptions.

About 20 to 40 more spaces are needed, Freda said.

Freda said Friday that while has allowed some parents to park in their parking lot across the street, having children and adults crossing the busy Boonton Avenue in the dark is a safety concern. Cars also commonly park alongside Fayson Lakes Road, Freda said, creating a dangerous situation for those who have to walk to and from their cars through the busy intersection.

Freda said that usage of the field has always been popular, the parking lot always busy. But over the past several years, he said he noticed that more cars are being parked near the field and that it is becoming more of a hazard to not have more room in the lot.

"I've noticed it just getting crazier and crazier," he said.

He also said it is a concern that needs to be addressed immediately, and that, in his opinion, it is unfair that surrounding towns are allowed to develop without having to seek Highlands exemptions, but Kinnelon has to wait.

"Everything we need to do in this town has to go through the Highlands, and it's not a simple task," Freda said. "It costs the town money, it costs the town time and then you have Butler, that approved and built the in less than a year."

O'Dougherty said the borough needs to wait to receive Highlands exemptions to complete construction work on the Kinnelon Department of Public Works (DPW) garage.

"We still do not have our Highlands exemption and we cannot move forward without our Highlands exemption," he said.

The borough had initially sought to begin construction work on the garage in the spring, but could be waiting several years to get the approval, O'Dougherty said. Freda said the borough has already been waiting nearly two years to move forward with the garage construction project.

The mayor told the councilmembers he will try to reach out to the Highlands Council to see if something can be done to move the projects forward.

Freda is hoping the mayor is successful.

"As long as our neighbors can sit here and continue to use water, Kinnelon will sit here and follow the rules," he said.

Clarification: In order to move the projects forward, the council would seek Highlands exemptions from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.