Op-Ed: Resident says new warehouse proposal has negative ramifications

This editorial letter is intended for all Howell residents and those in surrounding towns.

Once again, we’re faced with a massive warehouse construction set in the middle of a country road. Because Howell Township still runs its planning board meetings via zoom, and because some residents may not have social media or find it difficult to log onto zoom meetings, many may not be aware of the newest proposal, so let me introduce you to Victory Road, in the southern portion of Howell Township and the newest area of attack.

It’s a one-mile stretch that runs between Rt. 547 (Squankum Road) and Maxim Southard Road. It still personifies the rural, country setting that originally caused it to be referred to as “living in the sticks."

Horses, goats, ducks, alpacas, chickens and countless family pets share the area with all types of wildlife such as foxes, barred owls, geese, deer and the occasional coyote. Our approximately 24-foot-wide road isn’t a straight run—there’s a sharp "S" curve that greatly reduces traffic speed, and several more slight curves, especially near the railroad tracks, which currently host an active train run.

In the winter, it’s easy to see the New Jersey Natural Gas liquified natural gas tank that’s on Rt. 547, and in the summer, overhanging trees form a canopy along the "S" curve. Water pools and gathers at the eastern end of our road, where it’s not unusual to see ducks and Canadian geese swimming in a field that floods after heavy rains.

Bear Creek runs behind the houses to the northeast. It is a water aquifer which runs into the Manasquan Reservoir water system. There are several streams and culverts that run under the road due to the high water table. Essentially, it’s remained rural and minimally inhabited for decades.

Now that you have an idea of what Victory Road is like, this letter is to inform each and every resident of Howell and other towns of the newest warehouse proposal. Maybe you’re not aware, maybe you feel it won’t affect you, maybe you even feel that progress and developments have a right to move forward. There are people who believe,“Why bother trying to stop it? They’ll do what they want anyway.”

But we can’t live with that defeatist attitude.

As much as we may love our little back road, we understand our feelings have little to do with an approval or denial, so let’s forget the sentimentality and present some facts: Our road was built with minimal traffic flow in mind. We are concerned about surface wear when it was paved and graded only for minimal traffic, not trucks weighing thousands of pounds whose routes will inevitably cause damage and necessary repair work (the cost of which will be passed onto all Howell taxpayers).

We are concerned that the heavy machinery, destruction of land and construction of a mega warehouse may have an effect on the New Jersey Natural Gas liquified natural gas tank.

We are concerned about our property values. We are concerned about the effect that the constant flow of tractor trailers will have on our air quality, noise quality and our overall quality of life.

We are concerned about the safety of our children when the school buses stop to pick up students or leave them at their homes. Cars traveling on Rt. 547 will be greatly impacted by trucks attempting to turn from Victory.

We all have ground wells as our water supply, so we’re concerned about runoff or debris that will leach into our water. If this proposal is passed, it will force residents to hook up to the municipal water supply, which will incur water and sewer financial hardships. And we are more concerned that our planning board may approve these plans without due consideration to the residents, whose concerns, besides being valid and actual, should be tantamount and come before any developer.

The lawyers and professionals hired by the warehouse developers seem to believe this project will be minimally invasive…at least, that’s the impression we get. Lawyers costing upwards of $10,000 are simply out of our financial reach. But there are several Victory Road residents with prior and personal experience to address some of our concerns: among them is a former tractor trailer driver whose lifelong experience says that no tractor trailer can safely and easily maneuver turning into and off of Victory Road from the proposed site.

We also have an engineer who has pointed out the obvious paving issues, which could potentially cost Howell thousands upon thousands of dollars in repairs once the summer heat softens the blacktop and creates damage by the heavy vehicles.

We all hear a train that intersects Victory and travels several times a week, which will create traffic issues when trucks have to stop. But mostly, we have residents who love the area, love the country atmosphere and are willing to fight to stop this warehouse from moving forward.

The weather’s turning nice….take a ride down into Burlington County or Rt. 537 near Great Adventure, and see how the Garden State is turning into Warehouse Central. We are so sorry to know of the other approved warehouses such as the ones on Fairfield Road or Randolph Road. Not one resident wanted them!!!

It’s time for the powers that be in Howell to take notice and help the residents retain our rurality and quality of life.

Diane Lindstrom
Howell

NOTE: A GoFundMe to stop the warehouse on Victory Road has been organized by Mirjana Scarselli. For details, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/preserve-victory-road.