White Twp. - The Warren County
freeholders joined the ranks of local and state officials opposing the proposed
Highlands legislation Wednesday. The freeholders unanimously approved a resolution
opposing the legislation, which would create a 15-member Highlands Planning Council
to oversee planning and zoning in the region. The legislation is intended to
preserve land and protect water quality, according to proponents. Freeholder
John DiMaio said the bill was probably written before the report of the Highlands
Task Force was issued in March. "This was preordained by the governor's office," DiMaio
said. "They're taking people's property rights away from them without compensation.
It's adding another layer of bureaucracy. Once this bill is passed and rules
are promulgated by bureaucrats, it'll be worse. Taking authority away from local
officials is a big mistake." Local officials know what is best for their towns,
not a state agency, said Freeholder Director Rick Gardner. All of the money municipalities
have spent on creating master plans is being "thrown out the door" by the Highlands
legislation, Gardner said. He suggested the state instead provide an incentive
for developers to revitalize urban centers and not build in rural and suburban
areas. There are already programs in place, like Green Acres and the Farmland
Preservation program, to preserve land and prevent overdevelopment, said Freeholder
Everett Chamberlain. The Highlands legislation will also reduce the value of
properties in the region because of the strict guidelines, Gardner said. He called
such a move "undemocratic." "We all want to protect open space. We all want to
protect farms. We all want to protect water," DiMaio said. "But this is not the
way to do it." A public meeting of the Highlands Task Force is scheduled for
7 tonight at Voorhees High School. Municipal officials from Warren County will
meet separately with a representative of the governor's office this afternoon
at the county administration building. * * * Copyright 2004 The Express-Times.