Letter to the Editor: Sonnenblick Comments on Proposed Audi Dealership
Gerald Sonnenblick, Ray Catena's attorney, speaks about reducing the size of the proposed Audi dealership and locals' objections.
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Ray Catena advised that he would be willing to eliminate the service center, car washes for customers, etc., and use the existing 60,000 square foot vacant office building as a showroom and administrative office, resulting in significantly less traffic then the existing building would produce as an office. While we know that there are not any real environmental issues, the objectors concerns regarding emissions, traffic, noise and the like would be eliminated. The Planning Board could revise the proposed Master Plan accordingly. The Township Committee, if it so decided, could adopt an appropriate ordinance and the local residents should be satisfied.
In that regard, I called Susan Hergenrother, a vocal objector, to suggest a meeting with Greenfield Road residents to discuss their possible support and provide them with the manner in which the existing substantial buffer planting could be further enhanced and fencing provided, if they so desired. I did not receive a return phone call. Rather, Ms. Hergenrother responded negatively by publishing a letter in the Patch and transmitting it to the News Transcript. Her letter contains no facts to support her position but is full of innuendos, personal attacks and disingenuous statements. She complains of not being heard at certain Planning Board meetings but ignores that more than 12 hours of testimony have taken place at the Planning Board and almost all of that time used by the objectors. The fact that the Township Engineer and Planner’s reports and testimony concurred with the positions of the Applicant’s Planner and Engineer, is obviously of no consequence.
Ms. Hergenrother and the other objectors did not produce any factual testimony that auto dealerships would adversely affect air quality (consider that during peak hours 5,000 autos, trucks and busses pass through the intersection), or contaminate the soil. The disposal of motor vehicle fluids are strictly regulated by state and federal governments. She then writes that a resident’s son has a serious pulmonary problem, which is true, and infers that the proposed use will have a detrimental affect on his health. To give effect to her inference, she questions the applicant’s attorney’s “indifference” to the health ofthe young man when he objects to the introduction of an internet article from Pakistan concerning the obvious detriment of lead exposure to children in “high risk lead contaminated areas” adjacent to foreign auto and battery repair shops which have contaminated and continue to contaminate the soil and drinking water. The article is totally irrelevant to the issues at hand, but on this issue and others, Ms. Hergenrother has no interest in fair comment.
Manalapan residents should be aware of the facts. Former Mayors of both political parties and many residents throughout the Township, including Monmouth Heights, supported the proposed zoning from both a planning and economic beneñt to the Manalapan. With the elimination of the service department, car wash, etc., there should be little, if any, objections.
Even former objectors from Monmouth Heights have expressed their satisfaction of the revised proposal. However, the issue for at least some objectors has taken a life of its own.
Facts, and not emotional appeal, should be the basis upon which appropriate decisions are made.
Thank you.
Very truly yours,
Gerald N. Sonnenblick
For the Firm
Mike
12:19 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Are the revised plans available online?
Tom Madden
1:16 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
To paraphrase the style of Jerry's writing: WE KNOW no one wants the dealership here, except Ray Catena, his employees, and Jerry, and his firm (oh yeah, and people he is friends with in Monmouth Heights, or Mayors he knows personally).
THEY SHOULD respect the residents (400+) opposed to this effort, and withdraw the application, before risking a NO vote.
The downgrading of the dealership is a tactic, to lull people into thinking this is ok. Its not.
There are no positive aspects to this proposal that are valid to be considered. People voicing support of the effort, in virtually all cases appear to be friends/neighboars/former political co-horts from the era that he was active in Manalapan politics.
We want no changes to the master plan that has guided smart growith in Manalapan for decades. You are seeking an exception to this. The perception to this, if granted will be that anything goes in Manalapan, which will be the point where Manalapan "jumps the shark".
George Hartigan
4:50 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Tom, just a question. How many residents are there in Manalapan Township?
Tom Madden
4:57 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Don't have the exact number handy, but I believe when I did the calculation of tax benefit to an individual resident. It would be $2... not $2 per hundred of value... literally two dollars. Hope I've anticipated your point after my answer. I don't think anyone who has to drive through that area would be in favor of more traffic (despite Jerry's waving of words... Saturdays would be more of a hell on that intersection than they already are are.
I'd sign you up on the petition FOR as number 6, but they don't accept petitions.
George Hartigan
5:08 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Perhaps if everyone knew what you knew we might agree. How do you know what taxes Catena pays now and what he would pay if the dealership goes through? Secondly, If you don't have a number on hand, how do derive the calculation of $2, not $2 per hundred of value? Actually, you didn't anticipate my question. I just wanted to juxtapose your claim of 400 residents who don't want it with the actual amount of residents in the township. I understand where you and others are coming from, but why do you assume that the other 30 some odd thousand residents don't want it?
Tom Madden
5:27 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
i don't see a clamoring for yet another dealership on 9. I see a clamoring for people who bought property zoned a particular way, for it to remain that way, for the uses that were in place. Seriously, aside from the $2, what resident would want a dealership there, now a dealership without a service department. Using Catena's own numbers, he expects to sell 600 cars a year.... which will undoubtably not be all to manalapan residents, since its a regional territory... So 400+ people > number of potential new Manalapan Audi owners.
Seriously Manalapan has survived thus far without dealerships, specifically banned, and planning/zoning is not to take into consideration economic downturns... so it must be voted down.
The stated numbers I've heard are 70k in taxes, stated by Susan Cohen at the start of the proceedings. No one has stated or disputed that number. So given there are 30k residents, my calulations are pretty close. Actual number of residents in manalapan does not equal number of people who want dealerships, or want their taxes lowered by two actual dollars, given that choice. Unless the Tax Assesor testifies at the meeting on Thursday, I will continue to believe the number our Mayor stated at the first meeting I attended.
David Finkelstein
6:03 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
George,
The reason sonnenblik attacked Susan personally is because at the last Planning Board meeting she - on behalf of all 38,000 residents - took 45 minutes to present months of research - compiled by about 30 residents - that completely refuted almost everything said on behalf of the Catena dealership. Our larger concern is that the Master Plan is being rewritten to accommodate much more than that neighborhood can bear.
We have shown that there will be no tax benefit accrued from Catena, rather a tax loss. We will be at the Committee meeting on Wednesday and the Planning Board on Thursday and will be happy to share our information and hope you have an open mind.
In this case, the Community has stepped up to say that this is an unwelcome change. Over 25 businesses along Rte 9 and Gordons Corner Rd have passed out our flyers. People who listen to the facts realize how devastating this will be for our section of town. We would not wish this on any section of Manalapan and we look for your support in the same way we will defend your neighborhood - if threatened.
sonneblik's comments in the above letter are not exactly the reality on the ground and we will address that - objectively - with facts - not with name calling and personal insults - because we can!
Jerry
9:05 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I haven't been involved in the meetings or the back and forth so forgive me if I don't know all of the facts. Since the biggest issue is the percieved increased traffic at an already overcrowded intersection, I am wondering whether having Catena pay to reconfigure the jughandle at Route 9 & Taylors Mills Road has been put on the table in exchange for planning board approval. This could result in a bigger benefit to the town than the supposed tax benefit discussed above.