That bump in the road is the Village Keepers Inc., the non-profit group opposing the project and doing as much as it can to block the road to completion.
The latest effort is in the form of a string of letters to the Planning Board claiming procedures were not followed properly and appealing the recent approval of the Maplewood Village Alliance. That will be reviewed at the board's September meeting while the site plan review launched Tuesday will continue at a special meeting on Aug. 31.
The letters, obtained by Maplewoodian.com, offer both the complaint correspondence from Village Keepers and the stern responses from the attroney for the Township in this matter and the lawyers for Maplewood Redevelopers, the company overseeing the project for JMF Properties of Whippany.
See all of the letters HERE.
The issues raised by Village Keepers through its letters from its attorney, Richard Schkolnick, include claims that the Township is failing to show a "significant financial hardship" in selling the former post office site and demolishing the existing building, and that Mayor Vic De Luca and Township Committeeman Jerry Ryan -- who are TC representatives to the Planning Board -- be disallowed from voting on the project as Planning Board members.
The Township response from Attorney Jennifer Credidio, who is serving as the legal counsel in this case, denies the Village Keepers claims, stating "the Township disputes the characterizations of facts and law set forth in Mr. Schkolnick's correspondence."
Attorney Andy Norin, who represents Maplewood Redevelopers, also weighed in with his own defense of the procedures, telling the Planning Board in his letter that such objections amount to "getting bogged down in spurious procedural issues."
Read them all HERE.
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