Trees go down, tempers flare up in Upper Freehold
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD — Tree-cutting at the Galloping Hills development on Emley's Hill Road has residents seeing red.

Several complaints about the site work were brought before the Township Committee at its Aug. 7 meeting.

The 60-house subdivision received final approval in January 2006. At that time, Lee Ann Hoffman, the engineer for the applicant, PRC Group of West Long Branch, said the 181-acre subdivision would be developed using the township's cluster option, which offers a 35 percent bonus density to developers willing to preserve at least 50 percent of their tract as dedicated open space. Hoffman said approximately 90 acres of the tract would be preserved.

In 2005, Township Attorney Granville Magee determined that the preserved portion of the tract was primarily made up of wetlands. The Township Committee repealed the bonus density option last year, citing this project as one of the reasons for doing so.

Former Mayor Bob Abrams urged the Township Committee to look into the tree removal being done on the property. He reminded the committee of the Pennsylvaniabased Orleans Development Company's clear-cutting for the Woods development on Sharon Station Road, which he said was a "fiasco" that should never happen again.

Abrams said the developers are removing "virgin forest" at Galloping Hills unlike any other forest in the township.

"They've cut enough wood to heat every home stove in Upper Freehold to keep warm with," he said, lamenting the lack of a tree ordinance in the town.

Marc Covitz, a member of the township's Environmental Advisory Committee, called the situation at Galloping Hills a nightmare, and asked if the township could make a last ditch effort to preserve the tract. He noted that the development would be surrounded by preserved land.

Committeeman Stanley Moslowski Jr. said it is important for residents to pass the proposed 2-cent increase in the open space tax on the November ballot if they want to keep such development out of the township.

Committeewoman Lori Horsnall Mount said she wants to make sure that the PRC Group is adhering to the conditions of their approval, and wants a written report from Township Engineer Glenn Gerken and Zoning Officer Ron Gafgen regarding the site. In addition to Gafgen and Gerken, some members of the committee will also visit the site.

According to Colleen Orio, director of marketing for the PRC Group, her company began site clearance in accordance with all state and local approvals.

"We fully intend to comply with all restrictions and applicable regulations," Orio said. "At this point in time, we have been pursuing this development for over six years, including nearly three years of litigation."

Orio said the PRC Group was never approached by anyone interested in acquiring the property for preservation.

Neighboring resident Ronald Taft told Planning Board members that residents have seen endangered Cooper's Hawks and their nests near Galloping Hills.