SECAUCUS – Mayor Michael Gonnelli sent a letter on Sept. 16 to New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, chair of the Red Tape Commission, requesting a hearing to review issues involving the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC).
In the letter, Gonnelli raised concerns regarding several zoning variances requiring NJMC approval. In one case the Town of Secaucus worked with developers “to find a design that was amenable to a majority of the residents in the area,” but that would require two variances – one of which the NJMC then denied. In another case, the mayor cited a project that followed NJMC zoning regulations exactly, resulting in minimal open space, problems with parking, concerns about fire equipment access, and drainage issues.
Also raised was the matter of a traffic light installed at an intersection serving two strip malls and a fast food restaurant. Secaucus, having paid over $3 million in “transportation impact fees” to the NJMC, on several occasions requested funds to pay for the traffic light, but was completely ignored, said Gonnelli. He also referenced alleged misinformation provided to the town by the NJMC regarding a dredging project after Superstorm Sandy.
“We cannot continue down this path any longer. The 14 towns of the Meadowlands District are suffering under the present leadership of the NJMC,” the letter concludes. “I hope you do accept my offer to have a Red Tape Commission hearing in the Meadowlands so you can hear directly from towns and developers as to how dire the situation has become.”
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