Mansfield NJ – Corruption In Plain Sight
Farm Certified In Need Of Redevelopment
Huge 588,000 sq. ft. Warehouse Proposed For Site
DEP About To Rubber Stamp Water Quality Plan Amendment
Jones Farm, on Rt. 130, Mansfield NJ
This is a very quick followup to my post the other day about warehouse developments pending DEP approvals.
It involves just one of the 6 pending warehouse developments I noted, a proposed new 588,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Mansfield, NJ. The warehouse is proposed on land called the Jones Farm.
The Jones Farm is located on Rt. 130, a busy highway corridor in south central NJ with nearby access to I-95 and I-295, rail, and Ports (Port Newark is just north and Philadelphia just south).
It is virtually surrounded by development and obviously must be considered valuable prime commercial or residential real estate.
It could also be considered: an important part of the block of nearby preserved farmland in Burlington County; important to the integrity of nearby wetlands and water quality of streams, ponds and Delaware River; space for wildlife habitat; a sink for carbon sequestration (instead of a major new source); or as a buffer to noise, light, air pollution, development and the huge traffic volumes already present on Rt. 130.
Mansfield Township NJ land use officials certified the Jones Farm in the above aerial photo as in need of redevelopment. You can read the complete certification here.
Take a look at the photo and consider if you think this farm meets this statutory criteria for land in need of redevelopment for that certification:
unimproved vacant land by reason of its location, remoteness, lack of means of access to development, topography, or nature of the soil, is not likely to be developed through the instrumentality of private capital.
The farm is obviously not remote.
It has excellent access to nearby development, a well developed transportation network, and access to electric, internet, public sewer and water infrastructure.
It is the target of private capital investment in a multimillion dollar 588,000 square foot warehouse development.
How could Mansfield officials make that false certification and get away with it? Who are they accountable to?
DEP has already public noticed the facts, raised no objections, and said that they are OK with all this and issued a proposed approval:
This notice represents the Department’s determination that the proposed amendment is compliant with the applicable regulatory criteria at N.J.A.C. 7:15, as described below. […]
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:15-4.4(h)1 and 2, the Department considered the land uses allowed in adopted zoning ordinances, future land uses shown in adopted municipal and county master plans, and other local land use objectives. The Burlington County Planning Board conditionally approved the project site plan on August 11, 2020, as provided in a letter dated August 19, 2020. On June 17, 2020, the Township Committee of Mansfield Township adopted Resolution 2020-7 that designated the site, known as the Jones Farm Study Area, as a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment, and adopted a redevelopment plan for the site.
It’s bad enough that the Township did that. But Burlington County and DEP reviewed it and signed off on it.
Corruption, in plain sight.
No press reporting. No opposition by environmental groups. Little if any public awareness.