BAYSHORE REGIONAL WATERSHED COUNCIL

Stone Road Meadows Status Report January 2007

***** Hazlet Area Quality of Life Alliance ***** HAQLA ***** PO Box 94 , Hazlet , NJ 07730 *****

www.bayshorewatershed.org/bw/haqla

“ Stone Road Meadows and the Van Mater Homestead Consortium”

To the many members and supporters of the Consortium to preserve Stone Road Meadows and the Van Mater Homestead :

“We wish to extend our best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year”

Our Mission and Purpose in 2007

This year, we fully intend to persist with and zealously increase the thrust of our struggle and endeavor to preserve Stone Road Meadows and the Van Mater Homestead.

We will renew and strengthen our original Appeals of 2006, to the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Planning Board, and Recreation Commission to purchase, preserve, restore, and enhance these Historic sites and to create a County Park pursuant to the Goals and Policy Statements of the Monmouth County Open Space Plan.

We intend to make our case according to the precepts and stipulations set forth in the Monmouth County Open Space Plan, the Mission Statement of the Board of Recreation Commissioners and the County Park System Criteria for Park Site Selection. We intend to show that these sites, based upon their intrinsic worth, more than adequately meet a preponderance of the criteria required to establish a clear “Justification of Entitlement” to have a County Park created here, at Stone Road Meadows, to serve our Towns in the Western Reach of the Bayshore (Hazlet, Union Beach, Keyport, Keansburg, Aberdeen, Matawan and Northern Holmdel Township).

Increasing the threat to our effort, the current owners of the historic “Van Mater Homestead”, situated on the corner of Stone Road and Poole Avenue , in Hazlet Township , have recently presented conceptual drawings to the Hazlet Planning Board, proposing the construction of a high density residential condominium development at that site. This is an imminent threat to our “Cause” that requires our swift and steadfast response and resistance, if we are to be successful in saving these properties.

Our Actions and Plans:

On January 9, we requested the Hazlet Township Committee to give HAQLA a seat of representation on the new Open Space Fund Plan Advisory Board to create the Plan and identify appropriate and desirable properties to be placed on the Open Space Inventory Plan. (See attachment) We are awaiting their reply.

On January 9, we requested the Hazlet Township Committee to give HAQLA a seat of representation on the new Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan Collaborative which has been implemented to create an intelligent, harmonious, and scenic Development and Redevelopment Plan for the Highway 36 corridor from Aberdeen to Highlands . (See attachment) We are awaiting their reply.

On January 9, we requested the Hazlet Township Committee to amend the Township Master Plan and Zoning Ordinances and the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan to bring them into full agreement with the mission and purpose of the new Open Space Tax Fund Plan (open space, recreation, farmland and historic preservation) and Hazlet Township Resolution #268, (preservation of Stone Road Meadows for open space and recreation) without delay. (See attachment).

On January 23, we informed Mayor DiNardo and the Township Committee that through the talents and dedicated efforts of Stephen Gale of Keyport, a member of the Landscape Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, we are in the process of filing an application to possibly gain entrance of these properties into the National Registry of Historic Places, with the hope of advancing our chances of having them restored and preserved. We requested the Mayor and Committee to lend their assistance should it be required. We will keep them apprised of the progress and outcome. (See attachment)

On January 23, we contacted the Monmouth Conservation Foundation to seek their assistance and expertise in identifying possible sources of funding and in pursuing other possible methods and resources to secure the acquisition and preservation of these sites. We have arranged to meet with them in the very near future to present our Mission and Purpose to them.

On January 25, Lou Andreuzzi went before the Union Beach Borough Council to request them to send letters to the Hazlet Township Committee and the Monmouth County Freeholders urging them to continue to proactively persevere in their stated commitments to preserve the “Meadows and Homestead ”. As a result, the Union Beach Council has directed the Borough Attorney to send letters to that effect and he is currently in the process of doing so.

In addition to appearing before the Freeholders in the very near future, we plan to revisit each of the seven Municipal Governing Bodies who have already provided Letters of Support and Resolutions, requesting them to send follow-up letters, to the Hazlet Township Committee and the Monmouth County Freeholders, urging them to continue to proactively persevere with their stated commitments to preserve, and not to develop, the “Meadows and Homestead” and to create an Open Space County Park here. We will notify everyone as to when we will be appearing before the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Planning Board, and Recreation Commission. We hope you will all consider attending those meetings, in a show of support, to strengthen our Appeal.

Our Vision and Assessment: (See Attachment)

In closing, we strongly assert our belief that we have a very valid and vigorous case to plead before the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Planning Board, and Recreation Commission; with a very real and viable vision of what the highest and most beneficial future uses of these sites can be for the residents living in the surrounding Communities. Going forward with every bit of energy and effort that we can possibly muster, we will not relent in our determination to accomplish these goals.

Please share your comments and ideas with us.

More to Come!

Yours Truly,

John M. Curran III, President, Hazlet Area Quality of Life Alliance

Jmfc3@comcast.net

Lou Andreuzzi, Union Beach Planning Board; Bayshore Regional Watershed Council

LAndreuzzi@aol.com

Co-Chairs, Stone Road Meadows and Van Mater Homestead Consortium

January 31, 2007

Courtesy Of:

Hazlet Area Quality of Life Alliance

***** A community based non-partisan, non-profit corporation *****