Monmouth Commerce Center Developer Files Another Appeal: Reports

HOWELL, NJ — The long-lasting battle over the development of Monmouth Commerce Center continues.

After a New Jersey Superior Court judge upheld the decision by the Howell Township Planning Board to deny approval of the project on July 20, the developer is once again challenging that ruling.

The developer filed another appeal on Sept. 1, according to the Asbury Park Press. Court records show that the entity is also trying to recover a total of $327,963 paid to the township for the application and escrow fees.

The application was for nine warehouse buildings totaling 1.24 million square feet, parking for 706 vehicles, 142 trailer parking spaces and 234 loading spaces on a 99,5 acres property by Randolph Road and Oak Glen Road.

In a meeting in January of last year, the board unanimously voted against the project.

One of the main points of contention with the application was the effect it could have on traffic. Residents were concerned about the prospect of tractor-trailers traveling along Randolph Road and Lakewood-Farmingdale Road/Route 547, where traffic already is a serious problem.

Judge Owen C. McCarthy stated in July that there was sufficient foundation for the board to properly deny the application.

"The argument that the applicant did not receive a fair hearing is rejected," the judge said.

READ MORE: Howell's Rejection Of Monmouth Commerce Center Upheld In Court

Dawn Van Brunt, who founded the group Howell for Open Land and Preservation of the Environment (HOPE) and has been advocating against the development, said that she was disappointed about the ongoing litigation.

"I had hoped the property owners would have walked away from this project and worked with the Township to explore a better use for this 100-acre property, rather than be tied down with years more of litigation," Van Brunt said in an email. "The judge basically said, just because you can build something like this, doesn’t mean you should."

Van Brunt hopes the appellate court will agree with previous decisions.

"Hopefully, the NJ Legislature will act quickly on passing new laws that will curb warehouse sprawl impacting entire regions like this project will if it is built," Van Brunt said.