Officials Fight Earle Plan To Open Housing to Public

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By Joseph Sapia
COLTS NECK – Government officials, citing security, are fighting a plan by the U.S. Navy to open up unused rental housing at Naval Weapons Station Earle to the general public.
The officials – representing federal, state, Monmouth County and Colts Neck governments, along with the Tinton Falls Board of Education – are scheduled to meet for a second time with Capt. Jay Steingold, Earle’s commanding officer, Tuesday, Oct. 18. The two sides previously met on Sept. 19.
“I’m Johnny One Tune. It’s all about security,” said Lillian G. Burry, a member of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and resident of Colts Neck, the part of the base where housing is located. “That’s my biggest concern. I don’t know how you can vet people properly, and their guests, and have free movement.”
“Nobody agrees with the Navy on the decision,” said state Sen. Jennifer Beck.
N.W.S. Earle – which stores and ships ammunition and sprawls on 12,000 acres in Colts Neck, Tinton Falls, Middletown, Howell and Wall – is a closed base that requires approval to enter its grounds. But it does not view public renters as a threat to security.
“Security is our primary concern,” said William Addison, an Earle spokesman. “This is not going to compromise that. We have everything in place. It shouldn’t be an issue.”
Earle, which has about 245 active military assigned to it, is patrolled by a combination of Naval security with military-policing powers and private security guards without formal policing power, Addison said.
Of Earle’s 89 family-style housing units, 22 are unoccupied, and to be marketed to the public, Addison said. Earle’s housing is broken down into three sections with seven units on Green Drive, the former Officers Row; 32 on Green Acres; and 50 on Stark Road, all in the same Colts Neck area, all behind the base’s fence, Addison said.
The units generally have three to four bedrooms in either a single-family or townhouse style, Addison said. He said they will rent for market price, or about $2,400 per month.
Earle’s housing for Navy personnel not in need of family-style housing, such as single sailors or those whose families live elsewhere, is not affected by the rental proposal.
The Navy has an agreement with Northeast Housing, a subsidiary of the Balfour Beatty Communities real estate company, to operate the family-style housing at Earle. In September, Northeast Housing approached the Navy about opening up the housing to the general public, Addison said.
“Currently, they’re not marketing (the rentals),” Addison said. “But they plan to, soon.”
The protocol for the rentals is to first make them available to active duty military assigned to Earle, followed by other active-duty military, military reservists and national guard members, Department of Defense civilian personnel, and retired military – or those with military or defense department identification, Addison said.
In renting the units, an applicant would apply to Northeast Housing, which would then conduct background and financial checks, Addison said. Then, he said, the Navy would do a federal security check. Ultimately, Earle officials have final approval on a renter, Addison said.
A renter would get an identification card and would only be allowed base access through the Route 34 security gate in Colts Neck. A renter would be restricted from various base areas, whose security is maintained by internal security patrols, Addison said.
“In order to live on the installation, you have to follow the rules,” Addison said. “If you break the rules, you lose access.”
Colts Neck Township Committeeman Russell Macnow called the matter “primarily a security issue.” Macnow, for example, questioned how visitors to the renters could be vetted for security.
“I am opposed in the strongest possible terms to the Navy’s plan allowing civilians to utilize Naval Weapons Earle housing,” Beck said. “The current proposal involving members of the general public to be granted access to an active military weapons installation is a dangerous one.”
General public and military-defense department renters could be intermingled, based on unit availability, Addison said. Of the 67 occupied units, renters are primarily active-duty military.
“Given the proximity to military personnel, civilians and their families, and especially in light of the Fort Dix terrorist plot of a few years ago, the first question is, how will they be properly and fully vetted?” said Congressman Chris Smith.

According to Addison, no personal firearms are allowed on the base.
Under the Navy-Northeast Housing agreement, once housing levels go below the 90 to 95 percent occupancy range, or occupancy of 80 to 85 units, Northeast Housing can move down the protocol line, Addison said.
Northeast Housing declined comment, saying the matter is one between the U.S. Navy and the community.
In 1996, the defense department started privatizing military base housing, with Earle coming aboard in 2004, Addison said. However, apparently no general public renters have lived on the property in that time.
“It’s an ammunition depot, it’s not a playground,” Burry said.
How this local issue is going to be resolved is unknown.
“It’s very early on in the game,” said Macnow.
The disagreement between the Navy and civilian officials started when word about the possibility of opening up housing to the general public was mentioned during a recent meeting between the U.S. Navy and Colts Neck Police. That meeting was part of an ongoing negotiation between the base and Colts Neck Police about policing civilian matters on the base.
Colts Neck Police reported the possible renting to township officials, getting the ball rolling over concerns among the government and education officials.
“Colts Neck has many questions regarding the viability of this proposal and the impact it will have on our municipality,” said Colts Neck Deputy Mayor Michael Fitzgerald. “We have many unanswered questions and are adamantly opposed to all forms of the suggestion that civilians should be housed at Naval Weapons Station Earle.”