By Stephen Appezzato
FAIR HAVEN – The council chambers were packed with residents concerned over the borough’s plan to purchase a derelict lot abutting the municipal dock to create a small waterfront park.
At its Oct. 23 meeting, the borough council voted 4-2 to introduce an ordinance which, if passed Nov. 13, would authorize the purchase of 21 Fair Haven Road, bringing the project one step closer to fruition. The move was met with passionate protest from neighbors around the Fair Haven dock who are skeptical of the plan.
Residents from the Fair Haven Road neighborhood are concerned about a range of factors, such as uncertainty over project costs and plans and the traffic impact it may have.
“I think everyone is concerned as to what is going to happen there and the open-ended planning around it,” said resident Peter Gotch.
Another resident, Caryn McCann, was concerned with the project’s potential cost. “We do now have a definition of acquisition costs, but we don’t have a development cost. That implies that we have an unlimited, unended, uncapped, undefined budget for the development of this project,” she said.
Neighbor Kristen Murphy echoed this, warning the council, “Once you acquire that land, you now have responsibility for that land.”
McCann and others asked the council to draft “guard rails” for the project, setting a finite project budget. Council member Tracy Cole, who cast one of the votes against introducing the ordinance, agreed.
In October, the borough passed two resolutions authorizing applications for the county Municipal Land Preservation Incentive Program and a state Green Acres grant. Funding from those two programs would provide approximately $1.5 million for the borough, covering most of the $1.8 million cost of the property.
Council member Chris Rodriguez reminded residents that these grants are an opportunity for the borough to recoup tax dollars residents pay to the county and state and spend it locally.
Currently, grant conditions stipulate the project must go toward open space and recreation opportunities for residents, leaving questions as to what can and cannot be constructed.
Because of this, residents wanted a commitment from the council that the park concept would be “passive” so as not to worsen traffic issues.
Some residents felt blindsided by the recent activity. Still, the council was clear this matter has been listed on every relevant agenda, tax letter and focus letter addressed to the community. This decision has also come after years of consideration by prior councils about acquiring the lot.
The council listened to residents with open ears and pledged to move forward in partnership with the community, noting that decisions on the lot will be made with the entire borough in mind, not just those residents who live nearby.
“We’re going to follow what’s in our master plan and go over two years of deliberation and discussion and thoughtfulness in whether or not this a good move for the borough of Fair Haven, for the entire borough, for 6,000 residents,” said Mayor Josh Halpern.
Council members Drew LaBarbera, Kristen Hoey, Chris Rodriguez and Laline Neff voted to introduce the ordinance.
This is just the beginning of the acquisition. While formal plans for the lot – if purchased – have not yet been drafted, it seems the council envisions a small park with waterfront benches, similar to the Williams, Albert and Robards Park on De Normandie Avenue, parallel to Fair Haven Road.
“Less is more. It’s a great location. I don’t know that it needs to have much there,” Neff said.
Council member Elizabeth Koch joined Cole in opposition to the ordinance at this time. “After listening to the comments and the true concerns of our residents that live in that neighborhood, there are a lot of factors to consider,” Koch said.
21 Fair Haven Road was walloped by flooding during Super Storm Sandy. Discussion on acquiring the property has occurred for years, spanning different councils. The pending ordinance is the closest the borough has come to purchasing the lot.
A public hearing and adoption vote will occur at the Nov. 13 council meeting. If the ordinance passes, the borough can proceed with the due diligence process and site evaluations, leading to a potential purchase.
The article originally appeared in the November 2 – November 8, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
