In an interesting update to the ongoing environmental disaster at the Toll Brothers site the Borough of Upper Saddle River has instigated a Stop Work Order on Toll Brothers Preserve and One Lake Street, (along with Mahwah Orchard Ridge). In a late evening Swift 911 on July 23, 2019 the details were sent out to resident and also on the borough website.
In a win for the few relentless residents who have religiously dogged this 2 year ongoing problem construction has been halted:
The order demands that all work be halted other than work required to further stabilize the property.
Not just at The Preserve but also One Lake Street.
Some interesting points:
Although Toll Bros brought up the fact that it was a significant rain event, shortcomings were addressed.
Be reminded of the fact that this has been going on for 2 years. There is a long history with detailed photographic evidence of all the “significant rain event”(s) that have occurred, yet until now nothing was done. However, finally Toll Brothers is being required to actually address the problem and resolve it.
Finally.
But why didn’t it happen on July 11 or earlier this year in May or any of the other numerous times that rain resulted in flooding across the Carlough Drive or nearly weekly pumping into Pleasant Brook?
Why has it taken so long? So much time, so much soil, silt, pollutants, toxins.
Could it be that an election is looming and the mayor needs to actually be seen to do something? Be proactive, show leadership. Justify your vote.
An interesting turn of events.
More to come.
Better Late Than Never, or Too Little Too Late?
The mayor of Upper Saddle River has ordered a full work stoppage at both the Apple Ridge and 1 Lake Street projects. While it is good news that our government is finally acting to protect our community from the grave public health and safety hazards posed by these projects, it’s time that our mayor learned that in this case, better late than never is actually too little too late. During the 720 days that these projects have threatened our community, hundreds of gallons of polluted stormwater runoff has entered our brooks and streams. The citizens who have rose up to demand our government protect them from the environmental crisis at Apple Ridge have been ridiculed, marginalized, laughed at and ejected from Council meetings.
Meanwhile, after 720 days, the damage has been done. The full impact of Apple Ridge may not be felt for five, ten or fifteen years. It will be our children and grandchildren’s problem.
The failure of leadership that put these projects in motion in the first place and then subjected our community to a 720 day assault on our environment and public health is just one example of the failures of this administration, over the past eight years, to lead, manage, protect and act in the best interests of Upper Saddle River and its residents. It should be known that from the beginning, the administration strayed from their original plan to remediate the Apple Ridge property to instead cut down trees, remove sod and remediate the land all at once!
And so today, as the mayor scrambles to act 720 days into these disasters, still no one at Borough Hall is willing to take responsibility for the decisions made regarding Apple Ridge.
This is not acceptable. This is not the leadership that Upper Saddle River urgently needs and deserves. We deserve better.
Today, Boswell Engineering and Toll Brothers are meeting behind closed doors. Why does the mayor and council refuse to hold a public meeting with citizens or address the Apple Ridge and 1 Lake Street projects in a public forum. Just more of the backroom secret dealings that got us into this mess in the first place.
USR deserves better. It’s time Upper Saddle River had leaders who will not only act responsibly, but take responsibility, and our current administrator does neither. They do not seem to have the ability, not the will, to govern responsibly.
If elected, I, along with Marc Garbar and Leandra Galasso, promise you that the era of irresponsibility will end and I will put my name on every decision I make. It’s time to stop the madness.