Letter to the Editor: BAC Proposal 'Wrong in So Many Ways'

To the Editor:

Please Vote NO in the May 7 Berkeley Heights Special Election. The last thing I want to see on the way into my neighborhood is a 1+ acre size building and a busy parking lot. We worked hard to purchase our house, an investment for our future.

This commercial development is sure to squash our home values and desirability of the neighborhood. The proposed location for this humongous building is wrong in so many ways. Let me count the ways:

1. Emerson Lane neighborhood is a quiet tree lined residential area and has been for more than a century. This REALLY B-I-G building does not belong there. Vote NO on May 7 to preserve a family neighborhood.

2. There has already been one fatal accident at the intersection of Emerson Lane & Hillcrest Road. Now with the new housing development on Bellewood Drive, which is directly opposite Emerson Lane, the intersection is even more challenging. Adding a busy, 18 hour a day, business just increases the risk of another accident. Vote NO on May 7 for everyone’s safety.

3. According to residential appraiser data sources – the home values in the Emerson Lane neighborhood could be reduced by as much as 10%. After homeowners file tax appeals, how will Berkeley Heights replenish the loss revenue? Increase the tax rate which affects all residents of Berkeley Heights. Vote NO on May 7 to keep taxes low.

I am a Warren township resident and despite the tax benefits to Warren, I oppose this project. I reach out to you, my neighbors in Berkeley Heights: Please Do The Right Thing – Vote NO on May 7.

Debbie Smith

Warren Township