Montclair Progressive or Corrupt

The Montclair Times, April 18, 2013, article “A new vision for the future”, quotes Janice Talley “The goal is to integrate land use with improved circulation – use of roadways for cars, bikes and walking.”

The 2006 and 2016 Master Plan reexamination includes 38 recommendations to resolve parking and dangerous roadway issues. The only accomplishment in two decades is the creation of a Township department named “Complete Streets”. This department is financed with taxpayer dollars; there was no developer contribution to pay for the strain on the municipality’s infrastructure.

Transportation/Parking/Traffic Objective #2 and General Recommendations #18

Increase the use of non-automobile transportation. Reduce dependency on the automobile by providing convenient and cost-effective alternatives, such as intra-local shuttle buses to train stations and shopping areas.

Consider shuttle buses for other transportation needs (over and above commuter shuttle bus route).

Traffic congestion and reckless driving have compromised the safety and security of all residents.

The Planner claimed in The Montclair Times articles dated as long ago as 2014, that the new Master Plan’s emphasis on “transit-oriented” development would address the serious traffic issues that have only gotten progressively worse.

• Montclair Times, March 27, 2014 “Transportation Safety – Look alive Montclair” – The new transportation policy comes from the new Master plan and its emphasis on “transit-oriented” development. The township hopes to come up with alternative transportation strategies rather than just relying on the car. We’re looking to provide additional options.

• Montclair Times, May 15, 2014 “Coming in 2015: Shuttle service, green initiatives and more for Valley & Bloom” – A shuttle service is also in the works that, according to Driscoll, would at minimum connect Valley & bloom with the Bay Street and Walnut Street NJ Transit train station. Township planner Janice Talley told the Times that the elements of the development, such as parking come after careful vetting and public comment.

• Montclair Times November 6, 2014 “Shuttle may provide congestion relief” – In a statement to the Montclair Times, Brian Stolar, president of Pinnacle (developer of Sienna, Valley & Bloom, MC Hotel, 2 So. Willow, The Clair) was quoted “We will offer shuttle service for Valley and Bloom and The MC Hotel during peak times to Montclair’s train stations. We have had discussions with the township about coordinating so that town residents can also utilize the shuttle service during non-peak hours. There is no shuttle bus service in Montclair, other than the senior shuttle service provided by the County.

• Montclair Times April 23, 2015 “Signed? Sealed” Delivered?” – Martin Schwartz (Planning Board member Jan 2012 – Jul 2020) said the board’s original research indicated that the majority of residents wanted preservation and more oversight on construction projects. “The reason for this opposition is that the plan did not reflect what the public wanted, the question is why, after getting feedback, did we then roll out a plan that is in opposition of that?” Willis has issues with the unification of the land use and circulation elements and does not see how the plan solves traffic congestion in Montclair.

• Montclair Times September 14, 2015 “You can’t always park where you want” – Tenants have nowhere to park in vicinity of the MC hotel and Valley & Bloom construction site. “People aren’t paying attention to the fact that others live there. That it’s not just part of the center of town.”

The Planner claimed a shuttle service would be part of the Valley & Bloom project (originally known as “Centro Verde” as the developer claimed “green initiatives” would be utilized) explaining that elements of development such as parking come after careful vetting and public comment.

^{Montclair Township Unified Land Use + Circulation Element May 2015}

Variances and allowances for providing reduced parking are a key feature of every planning and zoning board meeting that I have attended in the past four years. And after that careful vetting process and public comment, the public’s concerns are dismissed and ignored, despite the overwhelming evidence that the testimony provided by developers’ “experts” is a complete fiction.

Furthermore, there is no dedicated private shuttle services operated by the Valley and Bloom project, even though the Planner promised there would be.

Throughout the rapid overdevelopment of Montclair spearheaded by the Township Planner, traffic studies have never considered the impact of other projects, large or small, with developer experts dismissing the public’s outcry to do so. Montclair Times, February 21, 2019 “Rapid development poses some risks for Montclair” – “Another risk of juggling several large developments in various stages is that their traffic studies may not consider the impact of other projects.”

The traffic engineer report for the Seymour Street project makes no mention of the huge Lackawanna Station project a block away event though both are owned by Brian Stolar of Pinnacle.  The traffic report reads: It was determined that a number of (future) projects are relatively small…and other were either built or unlikely to move forward in the near future. Traffic engineer Going said it’s standard practice not to include nearby projects if they haven’t been approved.  Whatever happens in the future doesn’t count, he said.”

Isn’t it the planner’s, Janice Talley, role to ensure traffic considerations are evaluated on a global basis? What is the purpose of a Master Plan that calls for “making Montclair a safe place to drive, walk and cycle” if the Planner routinely ignores the recommendations, giving developers free reign and excusing them from paying for damages to our shared infrastructure?

The process of development in Montclair pointedly disenfranchises the residents in favor of generating the biggest profit to the developer no matter what evidence there is that the fiber of the community is being destroyed.

References

• Montclair Times, 4/18/2013, “A new vision for the future”
• Montclair Times, 3/27/2014, “Transportation Safety – Look alive Montclair”
• Montclair Times, 5/15/2014, “Coming in 2015: Shuttle service, green initiatives and more for Valley & Bloom”
• Montclair Times, 11/6/2014, “Shuttle may provide congestion relief”
• Montclair Times, 4/23/2015, “Signed? Sealed” Delivered?”
• Montclair Times, 9/14/2015, “You can’t always park where you want”
• Montclair Times, 2/21/2019, “Rapid development poses some risks for Montclair”

Read Part VI, the next installment in the series Planning for Failure: Encourage smart development – Part VI of Planning for Failure