Developers, with the approval of local Planning Boards, have been hacking away at the top, face and base of the cliffs for decades (recently netting has been draped over the cliff in North Bergen to prevent falling rock due to recent development). Over the years numerous citizen groups have tried to stop the gouging and drilling but were stymied due to the lack of a legal means to prevent development. That has changed.
Last year the State and Hudson County adopted new rules that provide the legal basis for protection. What we need to do now is get the rules enforced. Sorry to say, but not unexpectedly, many powerful Hudson politicians are trying to prevent that enforcement in their never-ending search for more and more taxable development. Unfortunately, as they should have noticed by now, the tax income does not cover the costs for services the municipality must bear from new development.
The decision to enforce the new rules lies with the Hudson County Planning Board and the Hudson County Freeholders. The members of these groups are undoubtedly feeling the heat. Let’s give them some relief.
* Sign the online petition.Send it to your friends.
* Contact Hoboken’s Hudson County Freeholder, Anthony Romano aromano@hcnj.us and urge that the Freeholder Board support the enforcement of the Steep Slope rules that THEY approved last year.
Thank you!