Members of the Eagle Ridge development filed a lawsuit HERE against the Lakewood township committee to invalidate the master plan with claims that a certain committee member benefits from Lakewood growth. article in NJ.com
"The suit alleges ... "has many clients with Lakewood properties affected by the ordinances. Among his clients are the three principles of GDMS Holdings, owners of the Eagle Ridge Golf Course." Reached at his business, Lichenstein said he was told by town attorney Steven Secare "not to comment.""I would like to, but I've been advised not to because of the litigation," he said. Coles defended Lichenstein, calling him "meticulous" in making sure his business interests were not in conflict with his town duties. "He checked with the town attorney before the vote to see if there was a conflict and he was assured there wasn't," Coles said. "And on the final approval, he was out of town and did not vote."
"This is the straw that breaks the camel's back," said Harold Herskowitz, owner of Toys for Thought in downtown Lakewood, and a vocal opponent of the townhouse and multi-family development. "They (town officials) say we need the housing because our community is growing, but what they're really doing is bringing people in from Brooklyn. And the developers advertise that everything is in walking distance because the Brooklyn people don't drive. So now you have people trying to cross highways with a bunch of kids. It's a disaster waiting to happen."
In Lakewood, the argument over development can be boiled down to a few words. Enough is enough, is the position of residents who want to halt what they think is unabated development. Enough is never enough, is the position of developers and, according to a recent lawsuit, they're getting all kinds of help from the township government. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Ocean County Superior Court by the Fairways at Lake Ridge Homeowners Association, demands that several town development ordinances -- including the town's master plan adopted in December -- be invalidated.
The new ordinances and master plan will clear the way for construction of 517 townhouses with 517 basement apartments, for a total of 1,034 residential units on what is today the Eagle Ridge golf course. The development plan includes almost 70,000 square feet of retail space encompassing two buildings, five community centers and a clubhouse.
Named in the lawsuit are the Lakewood Township Committee, the Lakewood Planning Committee and GDMS Holdings LLC, the golf course developer.
The suit maintains the Eagle Ridge Golf Course was switched to a high-density development zone in an "11th-hour" move as the 2017 master plan made its way through the governing bodies.
Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles, elected to office in 2001, said he had not seen the suit and therefore could not comment. "I don't know any of the specifics," he said.
The lawsuit claims the ordinances and master plan should be invalidated for several statutory land use violations and because one committee member, Meir Lichenstein, benefits from Lakewood growth.
Lichenstein, a Lakewood Township Committee member since 2004, is the owner of MSL Management and Development Corp. of Lakewood, a property management company with extensive New Jersey residential, retail and commercial clients.
The suit alleges Lichenstein "has many clients with Lakewood properties affected by the ordinances. Among his clients are the three principles of GDMS Holdings, owners of the Eagle Ridge Golf Course." Reached at his business, Lichenstein said he was told by town attorney Steven Secare "not to comment." "I would like to, but I've been advised not to because of the litigation," he said.
Coles defended Lichenstein, calling him "meticulous" in making sure his business interests were not in conflict with his town duties. "He checked with the town attorney before the vote to see if there was a conflict and he was assured there wasn't," Coles said. "And on the final approval, he was out of town and did not vote."
The development is a huge source of controversy in Lakewood, as opponents argue that it will add to congestion and make the township's roads more dangerous.
"This is the straw that breaks the camel's back," said Harold Herskowitz, owner of Toys for Thought in downtown Lakewood, and a vocal opponent of the
townhouse and multi-family development. "They (town officials) say we need the housing because our community is growing, but what they're really doing is bringing people in from Brooklyn. And the developers advertise that everything is in walking distance because the Brooklyn people don't drive. So now you have people trying to cross highways with a bunch of kids. It's a disaster waiting to happen."
There were 17 traffic deaths in the township last year. The pedestrians killed ran the gamut of Lakewood residents: a 3-year-old riding a bicycle, a nurse who lived in an adult community, a day laborer and a homeless man.
....
"You can pack a room with 200 people," said Rob Robison, who heads the Fairways homeowners' efforts to beat back the development. "It all seems to fall on deaf ears."
Read More at NJ.com
"The suit alleges ... "has many clients with Lakewood properties affected by the ordinances. Among his clients are the three principles of GDMS Holdings, owners of the Eagle Ridge Golf Course." Reached at his business, Lichenstein said he was told by town attorney Steven Secare "not to comment.""I would like to, but I've been advised not to because of the litigation," he said. Coles defended Lichenstein, calling him "meticulous" in making sure his business interests were not in conflict with his town duties. "He checked with the town attorney before the vote to see if there was a conflict and he was assured there wasn't," Coles said. "And on the final approval, he was out of town and did not vote."
"This is the straw that breaks the camel's back," said Harold Herskowitz, owner of Toys for Thought in downtown Lakewood, and a vocal opponent of the townhouse and multi-family development. "They (town officials) say we need the housing because our community is growing, but what they're really doing is bringing people in from Brooklyn. And the developers advertise that everything is in walking distance because the Brooklyn people don't drive. So now you have people trying to cross highways with a bunch of kids. It's a disaster waiting to happen."
In Lakewood, the argument over development can be boiled down to a few words. Enough is enough, is the position of residents who want to halt what they think is unabated development. Enough is never enough, is the position of developers and, according to a recent lawsuit, they're getting all kinds of help from the township government. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Ocean County Superior Court by the Fairways at Lake Ridge Homeowners Association, demands that several town development ordinances -- including the town's master plan adopted in December -- be invalidated.
The new ordinances and master plan will clear the way for construction of 517 townhouses with 517 basement apartments, for a total of 1,034 residential units on what is today the Eagle Ridge golf course. The development plan includes almost 70,000 square feet of retail space encompassing two buildings, five community centers and a clubhouse.
Named in the lawsuit are the Lakewood Township Committee, the Lakewood Planning Committee and GDMS Holdings LLC, the golf course developer.
The suit maintains the Eagle Ridge Golf Course was switched to a high-density development zone in an "11th-hour" move as the 2017 master plan made its way through the governing bodies.
Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles, elected to office in 2001, said he had not seen the suit and therefore could not comment. "I don't know any of the specifics," he said.
The lawsuit claims the ordinances and master plan should be invalidated for several statutory land use violations and because one committee member, Meir Lichenstein, benefits from Lakewood growth.
Lichenstein, a Lakewood Township Committee member since 2004, is the owner of MSL Management and Development Corp. of Lakewood, a property management company with extensive New Jersey residential, retail and commercial clients.
The suit alleges Lichenstein "has many clients with Lakewood properties affected by the ordinances. Among his clients are the three principles of GDMS Holdings, owners of the Eagle Ridge Golf Course." Reached at his business, Lichenstein said he was told by town attorney Steven Secare "not to comment." "I would like to, but I've been advised not to because of the litigation," he said.
Coles defended Lichenstein, calling him "meticulous" in making sure his business interests were not in conflict with his town duties. "He checked with the town attorney before the vote to see if there was a conflict and he was assured there wasn't," Coles said. "And on the final approval, he was out of town and did not vote."
The development is a huge source of controversy in Lakewood, as opponents argue that it will add to congestion and make the township's roads more dangerous.
"This is the straw that breaks the camel's back," said Harold Herskowitz, owner of Toys for Thought in downtown Lakewood, and a vocal opponent of the
townhouse and multi-family development. "They (town officials) say we need the housing because our community is growing, but what they're really doing is bringing people in from Brooklyn. And the developers advertise that everything is in walking distance because the Brooklyn people don't drive. So now you have people trying to cross highways with a bunch of kids. It's a disaster waiting to happen."
There were 17 traffic deaths in the township last year. The pedestrians killed ran the gamut of Lakewood residents: a 3-year-old riding a bicycle, a nurse who lived in an adult community, a day laborer and a homeless man.
....
"You can pack a room with 200 people," said Rob Robison, who heads the Fairways homeowners' efforts to beat back the development. "It all seems to fall on deaf ears."
Read More at NJ.com