Green Acres Hearing Tuesday In Howell On Water Line Project

HOWELL, NJ — There will be a public hearing on plans by New Jersey American Water to install a water main transmission line in Howell Township, town officials said.

The special meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in the meeting room at the Howell Township Municipal Building, 4567 Route 9 north in Howell.

It is a Green Acres public hearing on the plan by Monmouth County to divert a quarter of an acre of open space that is part of Howell Park Golf Course (identified as Block 50, Lot 46, Howell Township) in connection with the New Jersey American Water Howell To Lakewood Transmission Main Project, according to a notice on the Monmouth County website.

Two forms of monetary compensation are applicable for the proposed Major Diversion of a portion of the parcel owned by the County of Monmout, the notice says. A 10:1 monetary compensation applies for the value of the land within the diversion area, and separate monetary compensation applies for the replacement of trees to be lost as a result of the project.

In addition to the public hearing in Howell, there will be a second public hearing at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, at the freeholders' meeting room in the Monmouth County Hall of Records, 2nd Floor, 1 East Main St., Freehold.

All information submitted by Monmouth County officials to the Green Acres Program about the proposed diversion of parkland is available for public review at the Howell Township Clerk’s Office at the Howell Township Municipal Building; at the Howell Public Library, 318 Old Tavern Road, Howell, and at the state offices of the Green Acres Program, 501 East State St., Station Plaza Building 5, Trenton, NJ.

If you are unable to attend Tuesday's public hearing, you can submit written comments on the diversion application.

Those comments should be sent to Andrew R. Coeyman, supervisor of Land Preservation Services, at Monmouth County Park System, 805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738, with a copy sent to: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program, Bureau of Legal Services and Stewardship, Mail Code 501-01, 501 East State St., P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420.

Public comment on the diversion application will be accepted during the public hearings or in writing until April 16, 2019.

The work is Phase 2 of a project to install 34,000 linear feet of new transmission line, a project that first went before Howell officials in 2017. A report by Jersey Shore Online said the transmission line will increase capacity of water distribution, enhance fire protection, improve system reliability and support future growth.

New Jersey American Water issued a news release Thursday saying it additionally is working to replace about 7,210 feet of aging water main in the Howell service area, at a cost of $1.28 million. The company is replacing water main that was installed as far back as the 1970s with new ductile iron main along the following streets:

• Forrest Hill Drive, from Monticello Drive to Old Bridge Drive
• Taunton Drive, from Newbury Road to Newbury Road
• Old Bridge Drive, from Newbury Road to Taunton Drive
• Newbury Road, from Taunton Drive to Westbrook Road

The project also includes replacing three fire hydrant and 89 utility-owned service lines along the pipeline route.

"This $1.28 million investment will continue to improve water service reliability and increase water flows for household consumption and fire protection in this community. This improvement is part of New Jersey American Water’s multimillion dollar program to accelerate the renewal of water infrastructure that is reaching the end of its useful life in more than 100 communities across the state," the company said.

The work is being performed by Perna Finnigan and is expected to be finished by the end of May, weather permitting. Work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Final street restorations on will be completed by the end of fall 2019.

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