The following letter was printed in the Wednesday, March 17th edition of the Suburban Trends.

February 5, 2004

                                                                                   

Editor

Suburban Trends

 

To the Editor:

 

We are writing in response to the March 7th guest column by Jonathan Dunleavy on the Bloomingdale Horse Farm.

 

There is little doubt that my group was included in the “environmental extremists” Dunleavy referred to, since Dunleavy defines an “extremist” as anyone who cares about natural resources but doesn’t agree with his misguided views. For the record, we challenge him to name a single environmental group that shares his ideas on “smart growth.” Are all of them “extremist”?

 

In regard to Mr. Dunleavy’s un-recusal, we are certain he still has a conflict of interest and will benefit financially from the Horse Farm rezoning. But this issue will be properly settled in a courtroom, not by who said what to whom in a hallway. After all, does any really believe that his conflict vanished when his vote became critical?

 

Dunleavy offers 4 different options for the Borough where only rezoning the Horse Farm “works for Bloomingdale” Yet the logic offered in reaching this conclusion is utterly bizarre and misleading.

 

For example, no builder or agency can force the Borough to put COAH housing on the Horse Farm, since the property is not in their current Town Center. We explained this to Dunleavy, who was completely surprised by this information. This leads us to wonder what other critical information has not made its way to John and his cohorts. The truth is that only by extending the Town Center can the Horse Farm be opened to a “builder’s remedy” lawsuit. Of course, extending the Town Center is also the only way that Kevin Boswell, the developer, can rake in mega-millions, and isn’t that what really matters?

 

Dunleavy claims we have never “offered any answers.” Yet, repeatedly we have advised the Borough to seek a “vacant land adjustment” in their affordable housing obligation due to a lack of buildable land in their present Town Center.  This will prevent unwanted development, spare environmentally sensitive land (including Federal Hill), help stabilize taxes and limit sprawl by keeping the current Town Center intact. This would also allow the Borough to sell their current excess sewer capacity to another town, as Butler did for a $2 million windfall. And that lowers taxes for EVERY Borough resident. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Mr. Dunleavy or Mayor Ollenschleger would finally acknowledge and review such suggestions? Don’t hold your breath, since pursuing any sensible option means the end of the Horse Farm as a developer’s goldmine, and developers, not taxpayers are running this show.

 

We could certainly go on, but why waste newsprint when these highlights are sufficient to prove our point. Mr. Dunleavy is woefully misinformed, his statements are inaccurate and his bias is clear. At a time when most communities are seeking to restrict sprawl it is sad to see a self-proclaimed “environmentalist” so recklessly and needlessly out of step.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Ross Kushner

Executive Director