Mosle Field Lighting Plan Advances In Mendham, Despite Objections

MENDHAM, NJ — Mendham Township Committee members approved a resolution to add lights to Mosle Field during their Monday, May 22 meeting, citing the importance of the project within the community.

The updated version of the Mosle Athletic Field project has been scaled back significantly since the initial proposal and now includes lighting upgrades to the football field and parking lot.

"We need to move this process forward," Mayor Nick Monaghan said.

According to the recreation department, the goal of the project was to improve safety conditions by replacing existing portable diesel-fueled lights on the existing football field with 90-degree downstream lights, as well as installing new lights in the parking lot at the Mosle Recreation Area.

The project will not change the field layouts or configurations, and the department is working with the township engineer to see if they can use renewable energy sources such as solar.

Since public conversations regarding the project picked up earlier this year, many residents have spent time debating the project's potential approval, with much of the community divided on what the best option is.

Residents have expressed concerns about the project proposal in recent months, ranging from potential negative environmental impacts to increased traffic and the lighting implications for residents who live near the fields.

"This project has changed considerably. We are now down to four lights on the football field and six lights in the parking lot, which are shorter. I don't think the lights on the football will even clear the tops of the trees, nor will the lights in the parking lot," Monaghan said.

"I'm trying to imagine to myself how it is that these lights are going to impact people's lifestyles who live up on Carriage Hill Drive. I look at this project and I go, 'Is the light actually going to be shining into people's homes?' I don't think it is," he added.

When it comes to the public's concern about increased traffic in the area, Monaghan and other committee members stated that they did not see why traffic levels would increase with the addition of lights.

Monaghan argued that the same group of people who have been attending the fields for practice and games for the past several years will continue to do so.

Speeding is a concern in the township, but the committee argued that speeding is not limited to the roads around Mosle and instead points to a larger issue within the community.

"Is it a problem where people are late and speeding and going through stop signs and all that? That is a problem everywhere, it happens in front of my house. It's not an issue that's just strictly at Mosle or Carriage Hill, it's all over town," Monaghan said.

As part of the amendments to the resolution made on Monday by committee member Amalia Duarte, the township will add electronic speed signs to Hunters Glen and consider adding speed bumps on the approach to Carriage Hill.

The project's total cost is being split in half with the Twin Boro Bears football and cheerleading programs, a compromise that the committee is pleased with.

Committee member Lauren Spirig stated that she supported the project but wanted to ensure that the environmental impact study was completed and returned to the township before making any final decisions.

Tracey Moreen, a committee member, agreed with the sentiment and questioned why the committee was voting on the resolution before the study was complete. Moreen was the sole abstainer on the resolution.