"It's unfair to wait for DEP review" Claims KIP 20's Attorney Before Board

Map of Water Sources in Holmdel from CILU

Much of the water drunk by residents of Holmdel is sourced from the Swimming River Reservoir facility, which draws its water from streams all over town. Including the Ramanessin Brook which has sources that originate all over Red Hill, including near the proposed location of the KIP 20 LLC development to turn a 5 acre farm field into a commercial zone. Others, such as ourselves, have long drawn water from wells on our properties. Either way the source is the same, this is the water we all drink.

That is why the DEP requires review of all such proposals and they cannot be submitted as "complete" to a township board without a letter from the DEP. Last night, KIP 20 LLC asked the Holmdel Township Zoning Board for a "waiver" from this requirement, so that the plans could be declared "complete" and the process then proceed. Their arguments in favour of this waiver were that their own engineers had thoroughly examined the property and found nothing to object to and that the DEP process was slow and it was, in the words of their attorney, "it's unfair that we should wait [for DEP review]." After all we, the developers, are telling you, the Zoning Board, that there isn't a problem. So just trust us, m'kay?

Fortunately, the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Blumenthal, remarked that the board had made similar mistakes before and weren't inclined to do it again. To be clear, such a DEP letter is a required part of such a planning application. However, they did say that the Engineer for KIP 20 could consult with the Townships engineer, to persuade them that we should just just trust the developer. Should we? You be the judge, I have included a map of Holmdel's water sources (taken from the CILU website here). In a vote, the application was deemed incomplete.

I should point out that Dr. Blumenthal also took the time to highlight that the proposed stormwater runoff basin, along the front of the property at Red Hill Rd, was adequate only for 2.5 acres and not the 5 acres actually under consideration.

After this the board moved on to other matters. The KIP 20 team was seen in a huddle in the lobby of the townhall for over an hour afterwards. Passers by overheard remarks such as "they're not going to do it." Let's hope so! Let's keep the Gateway to Holmdel as the rural environment we all know and love by not turning it into a strip mall development. There's a place for that, it's Route 35!