Opinion: Holmdel Voters Need to Consider Change This Election

To Holmdel Voters,

Our Township Committee (TC) recently mailed out a rant, at the expense of the taxpayers, about their PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) for the redevelopment of the Lucent property. Such a rant might have been appropriate prior to the public hearing on the PILOT plan but now? I don’t doubt their sincerity but their view of what makes, and has made, Holmdel special is at odds with my view and I hope with the majority of voters.

I spent 6 years on your Planning Board, starting in 1966, assuring that our ordinances were enforced and provisions enacted to preserve Holmdel’s rural character. I had been President of the Young Republican Club, primarily a group interested in preserving Holmdel’s special character.

I recently attended a meeting of our Township Committee, during which four changes to our Zoning Ordinance were adopted after the hearings. In response to concerns expressed by attendees, the Mayor stated that “we listen to our professionals”. I learned, while on our Planning Board, that professionals are frequently motivated by considerations at odds with Holmdel’s interests and listening to residents is often far more enlightening. Our professional Planner stated, when the Somerset Plan was first presented, that it was consistent with our Master Plan. In my opinion, this is total nonsense!

The character of the area is being changed dramatically and the traffic generated will be over 12 hours each day, 7 days a week. And under the terms of the PILOT, the money received by Holmdel will be a fraction of the normal tax for 30 years, which might as well be forever for present residents.

If you want to change the direction that Holmdel is headed and restore, in our Governing body, an interest in maintaining our rural character, please join me in voting in November for Karen Strickland and Janet Berk . Your tax rate is sure to be lower and the quality of life in Holmdel is sure to be better!

Very Sincerely,

Larry Smith

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