Environmental Commission Reorganizes, Outlines Year's Concerns

The members of the Bernards Township Environmental Commission will focus on protecting the community from harmful pesticides and preserving open spaces in 2010.

The committee met for the first time Monday night for a combined reorganization and monthly meeting. The commission welcomed new members and elected a new chairperson and vice-chair.

Pesticide Use

In the regular meeting, along with considering requests for permits and waivers, the committee considered ways to eliminate the use of potentially harmful pesticides, particularly in locations where children can be exposed.

"I think it's a different level of issue when you've got kids rolling around in it," Vogt said.

The board of education did not use pesticides in 2009, following the discontinuation in township parks. A report to the Township Committee in November reported that after the most recent growing season, the use of organic pest control was successful.

The Commission also expressed concern about the potential use of pesticides on Little League fields and the VA hospital soccer field, as well as a preschool in town that had been using pesticides on its grounds. New Jersey law requires that both public and private schools not use pesticides unless they first notify parents in advance and have used non-impact materials unsuccessfully.

Open Space Inventory

The Commission is also performing an inventory of the open spaces that the Township is responsible for maintaining. Commission members are planning to inspect the lots throughout the next year, beginning with the largest parcels of open spaces.

Other lots that gained attention in the meeting were "picnic lots," lots as small as 20 feet by 20 feet, located near the train station and Washington Street off of Route 287.

People who lived in New York City in the 1930s purchased the lots and even paid taxes on them, so that they would have a guaranteed open spot to picnic and get away from the city. The Township came to own the lots by default as later owners did not bother to pay the taxes on them.

"We are gradually getting rid of them, where if there's an adjacent property owner we will usually offer it to them for a dollar. The only thing we worry about is that it doesn't push them above where they can subdivide, and these are so tiny that that has never happened," Malay said. "These are essentially legacies from another era and we are over time removing them from the map."

Reorganization Highlights

Two committee members ended their service on the board in 2009. Last year's chairperson Gwenn Gilmore and committee member Tom Fitzsimons are no longer serving on the committee. Gilmore now serves as an alternate on the Planning Board.

The committee welcomed a new member in Stephen Brown-Klinger. Brown-Klinger was born and raised in the area, and returned after attending college out of state. No other new members were present.

Joseph Speeney was nominated for the role of chairman by Robert Vogt. In nominating him, Vogt mentioned Speeney's emphasis on the organic treatment of school areas and the elimination of harmful pesticide use.

Because there were no other nominations for chairman, no formal vote was required and Speeney was named chairman by unanimous acclamation. Vogt was then nominated for vice-chairman and also approved by unanimous acclamation.

The commission also considered subcommittee appointments for 2010. A member of the commission serves on the Tree Protection committee along with a member of the Zoning and Planning boards. The commission member will go out and make field assessments and then comment on applications for tree removals.

"[It is] to make sure that the tree removal plan makes environmental sense; that's the function of this subcommittee," said Deputy Mayor John Malay, who serves as the Township Committee liaison to the commission. Paula Axt volunteered to serve on the subcommittee.

The Commission's next meeting will be held Feb. 8.