Basking Ridge Files Cross-Motion, Says Quarry Breached Agreement

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Bernards Township has filed its own opposition in response to a lawsuit filed by Millington Quarry Inc. (MQI) in the latest ongoing saga for control over the 179-acre property on Stonehouse Road.

In the cross-motion filed on March 20, the township alleges that MQI breached the 2014 settlement agreement and township quarrying ordinance by failing to submit a revised rehabilitation plan by October 2016 to show how they intend to clean up the "environmental contamination" on the property.

This comes in response to MQI filing their own suit on March 13. MQI's suit claimed the creation of the newly formed Bernards Township Quarry Advisory Task Force violates an April 29, 2014 legal settlement where only an Oversight Subcommittee was allowed to be formed to address any issues concerning the implementation of the last approved plan — the 2011 Millington Quarry Rehabilitation Plan. (See Related: Millington Quarry Files Lawsuit Against Bernards Township)

In the township's cross-motion they are asking the court to order MQI to submit a revised rehabilitation plan by April 30 to allow the township and public to see how they are addressing rehabilitation issues on the property. To see the township's entire cross-motion click here.

"MQI's motion simply seeks to chill resident input on public issues of great importance relating to the quarry and future lake, and mask that MQI breached the Settlement Agreement and Township Quarrying Ordinance by failing to submit a revised rehabilitation plan to the Planning Board nearly eight years after MQI last submitted a plan in 2011," according to the cross-motion filed by township attorney John Belardo.

A hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled to be heard before Judge Thomas Miller on Friday, March 29 at 9 a.m. at the Somerset County Courthouse, 20 North Bridge St., Somerville. Mark Morgan of Parsippany is representing MQI in the suit.

The controversy over the quarry property came under fire following a redevelopment concept plan and new zoning proposal for the property that called for a hotel, housing, restaurants, retail stores, a farm and a lake. (See Related: Residents Not Happy With Proposed Quarry Plan In Basking Ridge)

The opposition from residents stemmed from concerns of contamination and over development. Residents even formed a Stop The Quarry Plan (STQP) group to oppose the plans. The township committee ended up rejecting the plan last January as a result. (See Related: Basking Ridge Rejects Quarry Plan)

STQP is encouraging residents to attend the hearing on March 29 and have created an event. For more information click here.

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