Environmental Minutes | March 1, 2023

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Meeting March 1, 2023, at 7:00 PM

1. CALL TO ORDER- Chairwoman Karen Polidoro
Pledge to Flag
2. Sunshine Law- Read into the record
3. Roll Call – (Commissioners and Associates)
_√_ Karen Polidoro (Chair), _√_ Rupa Siegal (Council Liaison)
_√_ Renee Haider, _√_ Roger Dreyling
_√_ Ken Konya, _√_ Joe Slomian
_×_ Giada Schwam (Student Liaison),
_×_ Siddhi Patil (Student Associate)
_√_ Mihir Majmundar,
_×_ John Riggs
_√_ Surabhi Agarwal
_√_ Theresa Zamorski (Secretary)
Adoption of Minutes–: A Motion to approve the February 1, 2023, minutes made by Renee Haider and seconded by Ken Konya. All in favor.
Applicant A. Forever Iron Door
Preliminary Major Site Plan
Block 3 Lot 11
Speaker: Sharif Aly, Amertech Engineering
The commission had the following concerns:
· The Commission is encouraging all applicants to landscape with buffers between neighboring properties and roadways with as many New Jersey native flowering plants/bushes/trees as possible to encourage pollinators (bees, birds, insects, mammals, etc.) to thrive, including a mixture of annual and perennial plants. The buffers also act to improve local air and water quality.
· Please provide a combination of small trees and bushes as a visual buffer between the highway and the location of the detention basin in front of the property. We suggest leaving as many existing mature trees as possible. All plantings should be native NJ evergreens wherever possible.
· Please consider installation of EV charging stations instead of only EV ready stations.
· The Commission recommends that all lighting be LED, dark sky (downward facing), and motion sensitive, to eliminate as much light pollution as possible during the evening hours.
· Please consider incorporating as many of the attached eco-friendly design options as possible.
· Please consider using companies that have adopted a lower carbon emission concrete manufacturing process which is environmentally friendly and consistent with New Jersey’s initiative to reduce carbon emissions.
· Developments along Route 33 have incorporated sidewalk plans in their design. The Commission recommends that a sidewalk be provided along the property’s frontage on Route 33 or that funds be set aside for a sidewalk to be installed in the future.
· Pease review NJDEP’s GeoWeb historic preservation identified “INDV” classification Monroe’s Environmental Commission Resources
· Inventory dated 2020 also Identifies this property as historic as shown on Figure 3 and discussed in Section 2.0 of the ERI. Please provide a detailed evaluation of historical significance of the property and this proposed development should be reviewed by the Monroe Township Historic Preservation Commission.
· All associated utilities with the existing dwelling on the property (underground heating oil tank, septic system, and water supply well) should be abandoned and/or removed on accordance with local and state regulations. Any indication of contamination impacting soil and/ or groundwater due to past uses of the septic and/or underground heating oil tank should be reported to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s spill hotline.
· The Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) prepared by Amertech Engineering, Inc. For this application refers to the Monroe Township Environmental Resource inventory dated 2006. The Monroe Township Environmental Resource Inventory dated 2020 should be reviewed when preparing all EIS submittals.
· The Monroe Township Environmental Commission is encouraging all applicants to schedule meetings with, and seek recommendations from, the Commission prior to seeking Zoning and/or Planning Board approval in all future application submittals.
4. Committee Reports:
5.
a. High School Student Liaison- Giada Schwam- Nothing to report.
b. Trails and Bike Paths Committee- Coordinator Karen Polidoro – Nothing to report.
c. Storm Water & Streams Committee- Coordinator Joe Slomian- Community Garden Stream Cleanup is scheduled for April 15, 2023, at 9:00AM. Monroe Clean Day Sweep of Monroe will be March 25th, 2023.
d. Energy Committee – Coordinator Ken Konya-Nothing to report.
e. Open Space- Coordinator John Riggs-No Status on Masterplan.
f. Education Committee Report- Coordinator Renee Haider – Joe Harvie Scholarship is due March 10th, 2023.
g. Sustainable New Jersey – Coordinator Renee Haider-Nothing to report.
h. Green Fair Committee Report – Coordinator Mihir Majmundar-
6. Planning Board – Nothing to report
7. Old Business – New Business – Nothing to report.
8. Open to Public –Comments- Nothing to report.
9. Adjournment 8:15 PM MOTION: Renee Haider, Majir Majmundar Second
10. NEXT MEETING DATE: April 5, 2023