State Redevelopment Hearings: Number One, It Is Done

On Monday night (2/13), Shelly Kennedy and Mark Terribile attended the first of six scheduled public hearings for the New Jersey Draft State Development and Redevelopment Plan in the Theater in the Campus Center building at Stockton College near Galloway, New Jersey.  A variety of concerned citizens and developers spoke in opposition to the Plan.  A few residents spoke in favor of it.  And a contingent of environmentalists and planners were on hand to object to residents' objections.

The proceedings were carried out with no amplification, and many people with softer or higher voices struggled to be heard.  The assembly, which Mark estimates at about ninety people, was respectful and gave each speaker full and quiet attention.  Some of the speakers were clearly associated with Tea Parties, and others appear to have been alerted and mobilized by them.  After all speakers who signed up were heard once, the official presiding attempted to shut the meeting down, but was reminded of the requirements of the New Jersey State Open Meetings Law, which requires all public comment to be heard. 

Shelly and Mark captured much of the evening on video, now being uploaded to YouTube.  The lack of amplification made recording the audio difficult.

Five pubic hearings remain.  We encourage everybody to attend who can.  This is a bad plan: bad for New Jersey, bad for the the citizen, bad for the homeowner, bad for the landowner, bad for our freedoms.  Turning out in force places our opposition and our objections on the record.

And do not be afraid to tell friends, acquintances, your dry cleaner, your pizzaria owner, and all the rest.  Small businesses often rely on home equity for their financing, and they may be especially aware of the effect of zoning changes on their home values.  (If you want to print flyers, the PDFs may be found on our main Agenda 21 page under References and Friends.

First Statement by Mark Terribile to the Planning Board, Press, and Citizens
Second Statement by Mark Terribile to the Planning Board, Press, and Citizens

Report from the State Planning Commission Meeting

Environmental Advocacy Groups Well-Represented

On Wednesday 1/19/2011 four members of the Bayshore Tea Party attended the monthly meeting of the New Jersey State Planning Commision.  These meetings are open to the public and allow limited time for comment by all attending.  The meeting agenda revolved around the State Strategic Plan for Development and Redevelopment.  Most of the meeting was dedicated to procedural matters, but some details were discussed.

When the time came for open public comments, two BTPG members spoke.  On the other side, three environmental advocacy organizations had speakers.  They were known to the commission by first name, and they appeared to be experienced and regular speakers before government hearings.

Nor were they bashful.  One of them answered the BTPG speaker by describing advocates for homeowners and property owners as "extremists" and raised the specter of "unfettered development."  Since "fetter" means to handcuff, to chain, or to lock in leg irons, he clearly meant that the right of property owners should be bound in chains.

We need to anwer these people every time they appear at a public hearing.  We need to have people in numbers to counter the regular appearances and professional style that they bring to bear on our government.  It is, after all, our government.

Please see the schedule of public hearings and find one that you can attend.  If you can attend more, so much the better.  And keep your eye on our calendar and the calendars of our anti-Agenda21 allies.  We are planning meetings, rallies, and education.

Republican National Committee Rejects Agenda 21

Released by the RNC:

Resolutions Exposing UN Agenda 21

WHEREAS, the United Nations Agnda 21 is a comprehensive plan of extreme environmentalism, social engineering, and global political control that was initiated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio di Janeiro in 1992 and,

WHEREAS, the United Nations Agenda 21 is being covertly pushed into local communities throughout the United States of America through the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) through local "sustainable development" policies such as Smart Growth, Wildlands Project, Resilient Cities, Regional Visioning Projects, and other "Green" or "Alternative" projecs; and,

WHEREAS, this United Nations Agenda 21 plan of radical so-called "sustainable development" views the American way of life of private property ownership, single family homes, private car ownership and individual travel choice, and privately owned farms; all as desructive to the environment; and,

WHEREAS, according to the United Nations Agenda 21 Policy, social justice is described as the right and opportunity of all peoples to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment which would be accomplished by socialist/communist redistribution of wealth; and

WHEREAS, acording to the United Nations Agenda 21 policy National Sovereignty is deemed a social injustice; now therefore be

RESOLVED, the Republican National Comittee recognized the destructive and insidious nature of United Nations Agenda 21 and hereby exposes to the public and public policy makers the dangerous intent of the plan; and therefore be it further

RESOLVED, that the U.S. government and no state or local government is legally bound by the United Nations Agenda 21 treaty in that it has never been endorsed by the (US) Senate, and therefore be it further

RESOLVED, that the federal and state and local governments across the country be well informed of the underlying harmful implications of implementation of United Nations Agenda 21 destructive strategies for "sustainable development" and we hereby endorse rejection of its radical policies and rejection of any grant monies attached to it, and therefore be it further

RESOLVED, that upon approval of this resolution the Republican National Committee shall deliver a copy of this resolution to each of the Republican members of Congress, all Republican candidates for Congress, all Republican Candidates who qualify for RNC sanctioned debates, and to each Republican state and territorial party office.

Chief Sponsor:
Helen van Etten
Republican National Committeewoman for Kansas

Co-Sponsors:
Carolyn McLarty
Republican National Committeewoman for Oklahoma
Kim Lehman
Republican Natioan Committeewoman for Iowa
Paul Reynolds
Republican National Committeeman for Alabama 
Demetra DeMonte
Republican National Committeewoman for Illinois
Solomon Yue
Republican National Committeeman for Oregon
Donna Cain
Republican National Committeewoman for Oregon
Cindy Costa
Republican National Committeewoman for South Carolina
John Sigler
Republican State Chairman for Delaware
Steve Scheffler
Republican National Committeman for Iowa
Peggy Lambert
Republican National Committeewoman for Tennessee
Jim Bopp
Republican National Committeeman for Indiana
Bruce Ash
Republican National Committeeman for Arizona
DeMarus Carlson
Republican National Committeewoman for Nebraska 

New Jersey State Strategic Plan

The State of New Jersey Has a Plan ...
For Your Town, Your Home, Your Car, and Your Life.

(Shouldn't They Have Told You?) 

The State of New Jersey has released a Draft Final State Strategic Plan: New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan. (PDF)  Draft Final means that the Government of New Jersey means to do it, is ready to do it, and if someone doesn't stand up and stop them right now they jolly well will do it, and the citizens of New Jersey will be expected to meekly, gamely, and forever hold their collective peace.  And it would be very bad news if they did it.

This plan claims in one sentence to respect local preferences (Home Rule) and a few sentences later details how and why local preferences must and will be subordinated to the greater good.  It was written for "stakeholders" including developers, governments, environmentalists, transit planners, and "community development experts."  The residents, voters, citizens and homeowners of New Jersey are barely mentioned.  And how else could it be, when Development and Redeveopment plan was shaped under the influence of ICLEI and Agenda 21?

While the press has ignored this government power grab in favor of self-destructive movie stars and destroying those football players that have not destroyed themselves, a small group of watchful citizens is committing their own hours, evenings, and days to protecting our freedom by monitoring and analyzing this power grab.  These include Tea Party groups across the country.  Read their work and support them, with your voice in the public forum, your votes, your money, and, if you possibly can, your time, effort, and skills.  Tell your friends, your neighbors, and your colleagues at work.

We must draw the line.  Then we must hold the line.  We must stop the darkness rolling in, then we must roll back the night.  We already have some victories: Monmouth and Somerset counties have withrawn from ICLEI, and heads are turning across the country.

And There's a Lot Wrong With It

Findings on the NJ Redevlopment Plan (pdf)

A Citizen's View of the NJ State Draft Development Plan (pdf)

They Have To Give You A Chance To Speak (But Do They Tell You About It?)

This (Re)Development Plan will haunt Garden State citizens for decades, maybe forever.  It ought to be discussed on every news program and on the second page of every newspaper.  It's not.  But there are public hearings scheduled.  If they are to be anything more than rubber stamps, those who would like to be heard must be there, must speak, must get the attention of the people running the meeting by clear and forceful argument and by strong and disciplined emotion, and must—or should—win the approval of other member of the public at the meeting. Click here for the official meeting schedule.

Public Hearings, Locations, and Directions:

The State Planning Commission will convene six public hearings as follows:

February 13, 2012 at 6:00 p.m  (Presentation 7:00 p.m.)	Richard Stockton College, Campus Center Theatre, 101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway, NJ 08205-9441 (Directions)
February 16, 2012 at  6:00 p.m  (Presentation 7:00 p.m.)	Offices of Government Service, Gloucester County Clayton Complex, Building A, 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Clayton, NJ 08312 (Directions)
February 23, 2012 at 6:00 p.m  (Presentation, 7:00 p.m.)	North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, One Newark Center, 17th Floor, NJTPA Conference Room, Newark, NJ 07102 (Directions)
February 27, 2012 at  6:00 p.m  (Presentation, 7:00 p.m.)	Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Haggerty Center, 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township, NJ 07962 (Directions)
February 28, 2012 at  6:00 p.m  (Presentation, 7:00 p.m.)	Monmouth University, Bey Hall, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764-1898 (Directions)
March 1, 2012 at  6:00 p.m  (Presentation, 7:00 p.m.)	Rutgers University EcoComplex, 1200 Florence Columbus Road, Bordentown, NJ 08505 (Directions)

In the event of inclement weather resulting in a canceled hearing, the following date(s) have been reserved:

March 6, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.	Rutgers University, Civic Square Building, Collage Avenue Campus, Special Events Forum Room, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
March 21, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.	State House Annex, Committee Room 1, 125 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08625.

In addition:

Written comments to the State Planning Commission via the Office for Planning Advocacy regarding the draft final State Development and Redevelopment Plan and the draft Infrastructure Needs Assessment at any time up to 30 days after the last public hearing is conducted, N.J.A.C. 5:85-5.2. Submission of written comments may also be directed to the State Planning Commission at osg_ed@sos.state.nj.us. [...]

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Office at 609-292-7156.

The Sacketts Get Their Day in (Supreme) Court

Tuesday, 1/10/2012—Sackett v. EPA has been heard.  Based on the oral arguments, it appears that at least seven Justices strongly favor the Sacketts, and all nine might find for them, though not necessarily on the same grounds.  It appears that the EPA embarrassed itself in court attempting to defend the indefensible.

Tuesday, January 3 2012—UPDATE: According to an article in The New American, SCOTUS will hear oral arguments on Sackett v. EPA at 10:00 AM on January 9th.

Monday, Dec 19 2011— An article on Hotair.com dated Saturday reports that the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has agreed to take the case brought by Mike and Chantell Sackett against the EPA, which claimed that (a) they had no right to develop what the EPA, at its sole discretion, called a "wetland", (b) that the Sacketts owed the US Government $32,500 for each day that the property was not restored, and (c) that the Sacketts cannot bring suit against the EPA until the EPA deigns to use the courts against them.

It appears to be this last part that has goaded SCOTUS into hearing the case.  Hot Air/Town Hall and their source, the libertarian standard-bearing Reason magazine, find both Fifth and Sixth Amendment issues in the case.

Reason article, Town Hall article, BusinessWeek article, Volokh Conpiracy article, SCOTUSBLOG reference, House Energy and Commerce Chair Fred Upton in National Review

It seems fitting that the heros of Lois L'Amour's multigenerational family saga were named Sackett.  That story began in England and came to the shores of the New World.