March 2015

Ringoes Village Study

The 2014 Ringoes Village Study was undertaken by the Planning Board at the request of the Township Committee to address concerns expressed by residents of the Village. Topics covered in the study include: traffic safety/calming in the village, parking issues, community facilities
including the South Branch Library, property maintenance concerns and zoning changes to enhance the vitality of the village. In an effort to generate as much input from residents as possible, four public meetings were held in 2014 and residential and local business surveys were conducted.
Following input and suggestions from the public the Planning Board in December voted to send the following recommendations to the Township
Committee. These are recommendations that may be implemented only after discussions and public input at Township Committee meetings.

Maintenance Recommendations
Township Committee Action Items
Encourage income-qualified residents to fix-up their properties
by providing tax abatements to offset the increased taxes on the
improved properties
Provide low interest loans to improve residential homes for income-qualified residents
Enact an unsafe building ordinance that allows the Township to
make needed safety repairs on unoccupied abandoned buildings on
private property and recover the cost by a tax lien on the property

Local Residents Action Items

Form a non-profit organization to help residents with property
maintenance costs and to acquire grants for building restoration in
the Village
Form community volunteer groups to assist residents with maintenance issues

Traffic Safety/Calming Recommendations

Township Committee Action Items
Engage the appropriate County and State officials to discuss strategies for traffic calming techniques to slow down traffic in the Village
such as:
Road width reduction at the intersections of Rte. 579 and 179
Streetscapes including cross-walks, signs and bump outs

Conclusion

Designated parking areas in the Village especially along Old

York Road
Radar Speed Signs/Driver Feedback Signs to remind drivers to
slow down
Determine if NJDOTs Complete Streets Policy (which promotes
safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users) can assist in
speed reduction efforts
Seek grants from the State to fund traffic calming efforts

Zoning Recommendations
Planning Board Action Items
Update the Old York Road Pedestrian Plan for improved safety
Review the Circulation Plan Element of the Master Plan that addresses traffic issues
Review the permitted commercial uses in the Village for possible
expansion and greater flexibility as appropriate for the Ringoes
Village character

Community Enhancement Recommendations

Township Committee Action Items
Continue discussions with the County to return the South County
Branch Library to Ringoes
Study abandoned, underutilized or historical structures for possible
community uses
Identify and promote events that encourage community interaction

East Amwell Township

Opposed to
PennEast Pipeline

ou may have noticed signs in your neighbors yards stating Stop the
Pipeline! These signs are referring to the proposed PennEast pipeline, a joint project of several utility giants including a subsidiary of
UGI Corporation in Pennsylvania and an affiliate of PSE&G in New Jersey.
The proposed $1 billion PennEast pipeline would transfer natural
gas that is produced by hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania to link
with an existing pipeline in Pennington. The proposed pipeline would
be approximately 108 miles long and would clear-cut a corridor of up
to 125 feet wide along its path, including through Hunterdon County.

In December, the E.A.D.A.-led Township Committee unanimously passed Resolution # 131-14 to formally oppose the pipeline.
The resolution concludes that the construction and operation of the
pipeline would damage regionally important streams and groundwater, existing farm operations, wildlife habitat, forests and the
natural features and resources they support, and the quality of life
in our region. Our neighboring townships also oppose the pipeline.

As currently planned, the pipeline would cut through Delaware

Township, Hopewell Township and West Amwell, and come within
1.2 miles of East Amwells border. In West Amwell, the route runs
through our unique Sourland Mountain region and threatens its fragile
eco-system. Much of the pipelines route has been carefully planned
through preserved land, which was paid-for with taxpayer dollars.
Even though the route doesnt currently cut through East Amwell, it
could at any time as adjustments are made during the planning stage.

We encourage you to learn more about the PennEast pipeline and

its potential impact on our land and lives. Regional environmental
groups are working hard to oppose the pipeline including the Sourland
Conservancy www.sourland.org, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed
Association www.thewatershed.org, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network www.delawareriverkeeper.org, and the New Jersey Conservation
Foundation www.njconservation.org. Check out their websites and see
what you can do to help. Its a battle between volunteers vs. highly paid
professionals so as a concerned resident, join up and step into the fray!

Just Where Do
Our Local
Tax Dollars Go?

e all know the old adage, two things in life are certain, death and taxes, and New Jersey has one
of the highest property tax rates in the country.

How Do We Compare to Neighboring

Communities?
East Amwells tax rate is lower than all of the townships in our area. In fact,
we have the 3rd lowest tax rate of all 26 municipalities in Hunterdon County.

Where does our Local Tax Money Go?

The largest percentage of our local municipal taxes goes for necessary expenses such as road repair, snow removal and our terrific township staff who keep the township running for the benefit of
our residents. To reduce costs we have negotiated and implemented
shared services with neighboring communities and the local school,
and continually look for additional opportunities for collaboration.
A significant percentage of our taxes pay for preserved farmland and
open space, which is one of the best investments we have ever made. Over
40% of our township has been preserved against development since the program began in the early 1980s. One only needs to look across Old York Road
to Raritan Township to see what East Amwell would have been without our
commitment to preservation. If the preserved land had been developed, we
would be paying much higher taxes for roads, schools, police and other services.

Bonding
When you pay your tax bill in East Amwell, do you know where the tax
money goes? The largest percentage, about 71% of our taxes, goes to education.
Our tax dollars help support an excellent primary and secondary education for
our children. Roughly 19% percent of our taxes go to the County for its services.
Only about 10% of our annual property taxes go to our local municipal government. In 2014 the average East Amwell household tax bill was $8,600.00 (according to NJ State Department
of Community Affairs), which means the average amount households paid for local municipal services was $71.00 per month.
Our E.A.D.A.-led Township Committee works hard to keep our
taxes low and despite increased expenses every year, East Amwell local municipal taxes have only been raised once in the past five years.

What municipalities call bonding, families call mortgages or car

loans. Almost everyone needs to borrow for a major purchase, to be paid back
over time. East Amwell has bonded mostly to preserve farmland in danger of
development. Our Open Space tax of four cents per hundred dollars of evaluation helps but wouldnt have covered those large farmland preservations.
Our decisions to preserve land will benefit manygenerations to come
with lower taxes, beautiful vistas, higher property values, and a stable school.
It is only appropriate that future residents share thecost of these benefits.
The interest rates we pay have been very low recently, and we will
have paid off all of our existing farmland preservation bond debt
within the next 8 or 9 years!

Join Us!
As a grassroots, community-based organization comprised of Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters, the E.A.D.A. is always interested in hearing
your interests and concerns. Over the years we have sponsored a number of programs and activities open to the community and we would like to know
what types of programs/speakers would be of interest to you. Please send us a note at info@eada-cwc.org and let us know your ideas and suggestions.
The E.A.D.A. is open to all East Amwell residents who share our values of small, transparent local government, land preservation and protection, low taxes
and high quality of life. For information on how you can get involved contact info@eada-cwc.org

Happy Trails to You

Time to Shed your Cabin Fever and
Join Us on April 19 for a Special
Presentation on trails in East Amwell.

id you know that in East Amwell we have

miles of public-access trails on preserved
and county parkland? Over the past 25
years, East Amwell has worked hard to preserve
open space, especially in the environmentally-sensitive Sourland Mountain. Weve seen the value
of farmland and open space preservation through
lower taxes and beautiful vistas. But another benefit is a network of excellent walking trails. Alan
Hershey, former chairman of D&R Greenway
Land Trusts Board of Trustees and consummate
trail builder, will give a presentation on April 19th
at 3 PM at the Municipal Building, corner of

East Amwells Trail Network

Wertsville Road and Rt 202/31. He will take us
on a virtual tour of some of East Amwells most
beautiful trails, their location and access points.
Most of our public access trails have only been
possible through the preservation efforts of D&R
Greenway and other non-profit organizations.

EAST AMWELL DEMOCRATIC ASSOCIATION

Among the trails Alan will describe are the

Sourland Mountain/Sourlands Ecosystem Preserve
trails (above left) and the Omick Woods trail.
Bring the kids and join us on April 19 at
3 PM at the East Amwell Municipal Building.

BULK RATE
U.S. POSTAGE

P.O. Box 363

Ringoes NJ 08551

PAID
PERMIT No. 209
FLEMINGTON, NJ