Committeewoman Says DOT Should Improve Maintenance Yard

To the Editor:

I just read your informative story on the DOT's plans for ramp changes affecting Bedminster. I would like to add a few items that were not in the story but will be of major interest to Bedminster residents.

At the Feb. 19 township committee meeting, I stated that we should ask the DOT to improve the appearance of their maintenance yard on Route 202/206. (As you know, DOT was working with a developer to swap this property for a new maintenance yard when the deal fell through. My opposition to the proposed dense, commercial development was the major issue in my campaign and, I believe, the main reason I won the election as a Democrat.)

The yard is an eyesore and, at the Jan. 16, 2013 meeting with DOT, I asked them to paint, landscape or, at a minimum, put up a large fence and some evergreens so that we did not have to look at it. When I brought this up at our Feb. 19 meeting, the other members agreed to put it in our letter to the DOT, along with our other additions to their plan.

Another important issue is the future development of that site. The township committee declared it an "Area in Need of Redevelopment" before I was on the board. This designation gives the town increased control over the development of the property. Several months ago, at a public meeting, I asked them to rescind that designation because we no longer had a developer and a plan. They refused. .

At the meeting with DOT, I asked the DOT representatives what the future plans were for that site. They were engineers and this was not in their department, so they said we should ask the DOT commissioner. At the Feb. 19 meeting I brought this issue up. Mayor Steve Parker stated that he spoke with  Commissioner Simpson who said "they have no intention to sell the property." 

I stated that I would like to see that in writing. I also said that just because there are no current plans does not mean that they will not sell it in the future.   At the time of the controversial commercial development, DOT was looking for a larger, more centrally located maintenance yard. Has that changed? That site is situated at a central, congested and major intersection in our town and we need to be kept apprised of the DOT's plans for it.

The other members of the committee are satisfied with Commissioner Simpson's statement to Parker, but I am not and I intend to pursue this with the DOT so that we have something in writing and assurances that they will keep us informed.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Freeman

Bedminster Township Committeewoman