Skylands
CLEAN's
20-plus Year History
2011
- Citing
lack of available funding, CLEAN decides to close its office and
operate without staff. The group's remaining Trustees evaluate the
organization's options and decide to go dormant for one year.
- One
of the families displaced by sinkholes moves toward settlement with the
Borough of Ringwood.
2010
- CLEAN
provides information to state officials defending their decision to
deny Valley Ridge a crucial stream crossing permit. Our submission
includes streams and wells not included on their original site plan.
The developer hopes to obtain the permit and revive an expired
Highlands exemption.
- CLEAN
introduces a hands-on nature program for underpriveleged children at
West Milford's Camp Hope. It includes a trained naturalists showing the
children a variety of live animals.
- A
new office is opened at Highlands Meadow Farm, a preserved 15-acre
parcel overlooking the Monksville Reservoir. CLEAN holds a
ribbon-cutting in April. The farm house, circa 1908, serves as a
meeting place and office.
- An
advisory committee is appointed to assist CLEAN's education and policy
efforts.
- CLEAN's
director joins the Upper Ringwood Superfund Citizens Advisory Group
(CAG).
- Saddle
Mountain Quarry petitions for an extension of their license. CLEAN
volunteers push for tigher controls on their operations, stronger water
monitoring, and to stop the quarry's excavation below the elevation of
Westbrook Road.
2009
- Village
on Ridge, a 62 unit housing development in West Milford, petitions the
WM Planning Board for an extension of its approvals. CLEAN challenges
the validity of their Highlands Exemption, which is rescinded by NJDEP.
A legal challenge by the builder forces the DEP to restore the permit,
and the developer continues to fight to complete the project.
- The
Borough of Ringwood is awarded an additional $400,000 grant to for
acquisition and demolition of Upper Ringwood homes declared
uninhabitable due to sinkholes. Since 2005, the Borough obtained more
than $1 million in state funding, including a $180K grant from DOT.
- CLEAN
staff and volunteers work to restore the building and grounds of the
1908 Harry Vreeland home, a preserved homestead on a former farm above
the Monksville Reservoir.
2008
- CLEAN
advocates for Upper Ringwood residents forced from their homes due to
sinkholes. Former DEP
Commissioner Bradley Campbell agrees to represent Roger DeGroat, one of
the affected residents who lost a portion of his yard to a sinkhole.
The Borough of Ringwood failed to repair the site in spite of a
$238,000 grant awarded for that purpose.
- West
Brook Mountain, 160 acres of mountainous land draining to the pristine
West Brook, is permanently preserved as Open Space.
- CLEAN
gears
up to oppose flaws in the 2nd draft of the Highlands Regional
Master Plan that promote more growth on Preservation Area parcels in
our area.
- CLEAN
verifies that approximately $177K in grant money dedicated to the
repair of Roger DeGroat's sinkhole has been diverted toward other Upper
Ringwood expenses.
2007
- CLEAN
questions West
Milford
planning officials on Greene Valley Estates, where homes were
built without final site plan approvals.
- Valley
Ridge
and Eagle Ridge, totalling 388 homes, lose their Highlands
Exemption on August 10, 2007.
- Water's
Edge
withdraws application for 96 townhome development on Upper Twin
Lakes site in Wanaque, a project that CLEAN opposed.
- CLEAN
celebrates
20th anniversary with October 13th awards dinner, honoring
co-founders Jon Berry and Jeff Tittel, as well as Councilwoman Wenke
Taule for her efforts to assist Upper Ringwood residents in remediating
the Ford Superfund site, CLEAN counsel Michael Kates, Greenwood Lake
News editor Ron Nowak, Pequannock River Coalition Executive Director
Ross Kushner, Trustee Peter Gonzales and Peter Kellogg for their
support of CLEAN.
- CLEAN
and
others participate in a "Save the Highlands" rally in West Milford
to bring attention to flaws in the Highlands Regional Master Plan.
Changes are later made to the Plan thanks to our members advocacy.
2006
- CLEAN
challenges Valley Ridge, a 100-townhome development on 27 acres in West
Milford. The project's Highlands Exemption is called into question.
- 36-acre Ball Tract preserved by Passaic County.
- CLEAN
continues to battle Eagle Ridge, a 280-home townhome development on 70
acres in West Milford. Lack of water is the main concern. The
developer, K. Hovnanian, sued the NJDEP and the Township in two
separate cases in an effort to push the project through.
- West Milford
tries to obtain a lease for all 800-acres of Jungle Habitat property in
Norvin Green State Forest. It is rumored that the property would be
opened to ATV/ORV use by the Township. CLEAN had successfully fought to
prevent an ATV park on the property in 2002.
2005
- CLEAN
participates in a protest Rally against Eagle Ridge, the
280 townhome development in West Milford. The rally draws hundreds of
Township residents, as well as numerous public officials, including
Senator Robert Martin, who arranges a meeting to discuss CLEAN's
hydrogeological data and resident concerns with Commissioner Bradley
Campbell
- CLEAN
holds an awards dinner for Senator Robert Martin (R-Morris) and
Councilwoman Sue Smith (R-Bloomingdale). Senator Martin was awarded for
his efforts in saving the Horse Farm and Eagle Ridge. Sue Smith was
awarded for her ongoing advocacy on Federal Hill and the Horse
Farm.Bloomingdale finally loses its battle to develop Spring Brook
Acres Farm, a 104 acre parcel on Union Avenue. The Borough claimed that
the project was the only viable way to build mandated affordable
housing. CLEAN, and the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH),
disagreed. COAH revoked Bloomingdale's COAH certification, which opened
the Borough to builder's remedy lawsuits.
- CLEAN
works with Bloomingdale officials and committee members to create a
viable COAH plan for the Borough. The Borough adopts many of the ideas,
and rejects the use of "builder's remedy" style market rate housing
which generates few COAH units.
- CLEAN
staff and
members of Windbeam Trout Club meet with NJDEP officials to advocate
for tough new stormwater provisions for quarries. The new quarry permit
includes some provisions for temperature monitoring, protecting trout
from excessively high temperatures which could result in a fish kill.
The program is modeled after one implemented by CLEAN and Pequannock
River Coalition on the West Brook.
- CLEAN
teams with neighbors who challenged a single-family home in the Cupsaw
section of Ringwood as a potential violation of the Highlands Act. The
impervious cover for the home, which included over 850 feet of
retaining walls, exceeded the 1/4 acre limit allowed in the law.
- CLEAN
educates residents about upcoming referendum put forward by Recreation
Activists proposing to use the Township's open space funding for
maintenance of recreation fields, in spite of an already large annual
budget for recreation. The referendum is defeated, and open space funds
are maintained for land acquisition purposes.
- CLEAN
challenged the Passaic County Planning Department's third round Cross
Acceptance Report, which includes controversial provisions for a
transit village in Pompton Lakes, and a combined Regional Center
comprised of Bloomingdale, Wanaque, and Pompton Lakes. Citing lack of
available sewer and water supplies, CLEAN challenges the plan both at
the County and State level.
- CLEAN
hires second staff member, Associate Director Eve Tomczak, who is
responsible for organizing residents in West Milford and Wanaque.
2004
- The
Highlands
Council is formed in December 2004, just months after the Act is signed.
- CLEAN
receives award
from the Highlands Coalition as "Outstanding
Grass
Roots Group" for 2004. CLEAN was recognized for its
advocacy in favor of the Highlands Act.
- Local
developer Chuck
Forbes' small office park is issued a stop work order on August 10,
2004 as a violation of the Highlands Act, just hours after Governor
James McGreevey signs the Act into law.
- The
Highlands Act
passes on June 10, 2004, and is signed into law by Governor James
McGreevey at the Wanaque Reservoir's Raymond Dam on August 10, 2004.
- Bloomingdale
reopens
Spring Brook
Acres Horse Farm issue by moving ordinance to rezone the farm for
high-density housing. CLEAN promptly files suit against Councilman Jon
Dunleavy and Borough officials. Dunleavy ended an 18 month recusal and
voted for the rezoning, providing a crucial 4th vote that allowed the
rezoning ordinance to pass.
- West
Milford residents and CLEAN oppose water allocation permit in West
Milford, hiring hydro-geologist Peter Demicco to analyze the well
studies performed on behalf of developer K. Hovnanian for the Eagle
Ridge project.
2003
- NJDEP
Commissioner
Bradley Campbell appears at final hearing of West Brook Hills II, asking the Planning
Board to deny the application based on lack of stormwater management
and lack of DEP permits. The Board unanimously votes to turn down the
application.
- Quarry
denied appeal
by NJ Supreme Court.
- Appellate
Court judges uphold extraction limits for quarry to 1996 levels. Saddle Mountain Quarry
loses appeal that would allow them to continue extraction at nearly
twice the rate.
- Ringwood
agrees to sell Hickory
Road parcel to Passaic River Coalition.
- CLEAN stalls Bloomingdale
Horse Farm
rezoning at State Planning Commission. Bloomingdale required to meet
with CLEAN and Office of Smart Growth to negotiate solution.
- US Forest
Service releases updated Forest Service Study, reveals loss of 5000
acres of land to development in the Highlands annually.
- CLEAN plans
Summit meeting on ratables and sprawl in response to local government
statements regarding open space.
- CLEAN
organizes important MTBE
forum for local Ringwood residents suffering from well
contamination.
- Ringwood
"senior housing"
proposals stall at Board of Adjustment thanks to efforts by residents
and CLEAN.
- West Brook
Hills II
development application re-opened at CLEAN's urging,
- CLEAN
reorganizes, names Robin O'Hearn director and Jeanne Stark as part-time
staffer for membership & outreach.
2002
- CLEAN Staff
and Volunteers travel to trenton to testify against "Stealth Quarry Bill."
The Bill stalls in Assembly.
- MTBE
contamination revealed to Ringwood residents 1 year after leak occurred.
- Two 'senior
housing' project presented for Skyline Drive in Ringwood.
- Bloomingdale
plans development on Horse Farm tract, CLEAN petitions Office of Smart
Growth to investigate.
- 35-acre parcel
of Federal Hill in
Bloomingdale preserved.
- CLEAN
Celebrates 15 Year Anniversary
- X-Treme
Habitat, an off-road vehicle and dirt bike track, is proposed for the
Jungle Habitat site in West Milford. CLEAN organizes residents and wins
resolutions opposing the facility. New DEP policy upholds ban.
- Golf Course
plan slated for 466-Acre Redevelopment Zone in West Milford is
defeated. Council votes to sell the parcel to Green Acres as open space.
- Ringwood plans
sale of 5.7-acre tract on Hickory Road called Carletondale Commons. Mayor Changes Mind on Land
Sale
- CLEAN hires
its second full-time staff member, Robin O'Hearn, as Membership and
Outreach Coordinator.
2001
- 305-acre Tory
Tract preserved
- Voters pass
Open Space Fund in Ringwood, Wanaque, Pompton Lakes, and Pequannock.
2000
- CLEAN is
unsuccessful in legal challenge of R-40V
- CLEAN office
moves to storefront 551 Ringwood Avenue.
- 1,200 unit Powder
Hollow
development approved by Wanaque Planning Board.
1999
- CLEAN and
quarry neighbors brings numerous quarry violations to the attention of
the Borough.
- Ringwood
council denies quarry re-license.
- CLEAN works
with West Milford environmental activists to defeat Idylease development and
challenge amphitheater proposal slated for Newark Watershed.
- CLEAN targeted for position
on land use in political campaign
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
- Ringwood
voters defeat sewers in public referendum by a margin of 3:1.
1993
1992
- Quarry
neighbors organize with CLEAN assistance
- Strong quarry
control ordinance passed by Ringwood Council.
1991
- Saddle
Mountain quarry begins operating; purchases Saddle Mountain.
1990
- Power plant is
defeated by citizen campaign organized by CLEAN.
1988
- Ringwood
borough recycling is adopted at CLEAN's urging.
1987
- CLEAN is
formed in Ringwood.