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Letter to the Editor

Time to have your say

Andy Boyar
Posted 9/23/22

Highland

To the editor:

The public is encouraged to participate in a public hearing on Camp FIMFO to be held at the Eldred Town Hall at 7 PM on September 28.   The proposed redevelopment …

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Letter to the Editor

Time to have your say

Posted

Highland

To the editor:

The public is encouraged to participate in a public hearing on Camp FIMFO to be held at the Eldred Town Hall at 7 PM on September 28.   The proposed redevelopment for Kittatinny Campgrounds on Rt. 97 in Barryville is the largest project ever proposed in the Upper Delaware River Corridor.   

The upcoming public hearing is our opportunity to be heard, whether for or against the proposal.  

Attending the public hearing does not of itself register one way or another with the Planning Board. It is only by adding your voice at the podium, that your views will matter.  

 Ordinarily, business investments are welcome in any community provided the positives outweigh the negatives and the community has all the facts.   We rely on the Planning Board to get us answers and address our concerns. But what if there are too many unknowns, too many unanswered questions?  

Foremost among the open questions, is this project simply too big?  Full occupancy at the campsites plus walk-ins for the waterpark and mountain coaster will potentially double the population of the Town of Highland.  

Here are some other points to ponder:

• What about the impact on ambulance and emergency services?   

• What about the burden on the local taxpayers for safety issues?   

• What effect will the daily use of 29,000 gallons of water have on the aquifer (and the dug wells of neighboring properties) not to mention the on-site disposal of 34,400 gallons of wastewater?  

• Will the stocked Beaverbrook be protected or exploited for campsites?  

• What effect will there be on the near-by nesting eagles?   

• Are hundreds of cabins packed side-by-side consistent with town zoning and in keeping with a federally designated scenic and recreation river?

• What about the flood-plain, amplified music, light pollution and campfire smoke?  

• What about Phase II and Phase III which have been casually mentioned but without details?  

• Shouldn’t the overall plan be revealed? 

• What about the traffic safety on the already crowded Route 97? 

• Won’t this be the most densely populated single site in the entire area?   

• Is the whole thing just too much for a small community like ours?  

This is a project which will have an enormous impact on Highland’s future.  Should local taxpayers be so burdened, especially since FIMFO intends to seek tax abatements? I urge you to show up at the hearing and share your thoughts, questions and concerns.  

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