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Ball field’s buffer questioned

POMPTON LAKES - Ball field’s buffer questioned
(by Leslie Scott - Staff Writer - January 28, 2009)


POMPTON LAKES - Some changes have been proposed for the Willow Field sporting complex.

As the borough awaited approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to build this site, the Pequannock River Coalition (PRC) requested that the plan be altered to protect the endangered species found in the area.

PRC Executive Director Ross Kushner said a Red-shouldered hawk and a wood turtle make their home at Willow Field.

Although these animals are not found on the federal list of endangered species, they are on the state list, Kushner said.

To protect them, the PRC requested that the wetlands buffer be increased from an ordinary resource value of 50 feet to an exceptional value of 150 feet.

“We are not opposed to them building the fields. We just want the wetlands areas to receive the appropriate protection,” Kushner said.

“When you have species that are on the brink like the Red-shouldered hawk and the wood turtle, you really need to work to preserve their habitat or you could lose them entirely,” Kushner also said.

Engineer Nordan Murphy of Alaimo Group of Paterson said he was not sure, at this time, how this could affect the scope of the project.

Willow Field is 18 acres. The sporting complex would consist of a parking area, concession stand, one baseball field, two large soccer fields, and one practice soccer field.

“It depends, when the DEP looks at it, what areas they determine has the turtle habitat and what areas are supporting the Red-shouldered hawk. There are several different areas of wetlands and it depends on which ones they determine,” said Murphy.

Councilman Ellis Marples said he fully supports the goals behind the PRC but he disagrees with this request and believes the proposed buffer zone is sufficient.

“We are trying to strike a balance between preserving the environment and providing a playing field for our young people and I think that the current buffer zone accomplishes that very effectively,” said Marples.

The governing body has been working on this project for over a year and recently it has encountered one obstacle after another, which have impacted the start of construction. Most recently, the DEP requested that the borough include a detention basin at the site.

“I think the concept of a retention basin that close to the river is irrelevant. I think the water needs to drain correctly into the river and we will preserve the environment accordingly,” said Marples.

The borough submitted a waiver request to the DEP asking that a detention basin not be included and has yet to hear a response, Marples explained.

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