HOWELL – At the Jan. 22 township council meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution stating the governing body’s opposition to the proposed solid waste transfer station on Randolph Road.
The site, proposed by Resource Engineering, LLC, would be located on Block 5 Lot 4 at 34 Randolph Road in the township.
The resolution states: “Resource Engineering has indicated that it will receive Type 13 and Type 13C waste at the proposed solid waste transfer station,” and “transfer stations are specifically prohibited in all zones in Howell pursuant to Zoning Ordinance 188-67 of the Township of Howell.”
According to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, Type 13 consists of bulky waste, such as furniture, appliances, or vehicle parts; Type 13c refers to construction and demolition waste.
The resolution goes on to state that the Board of Chosen Freeholders must also consider the “absence of sufficient existing or available sites for solid waste facilities and develop and implement a solid waste management plan which meets the needs of every municipality within the County.”
Following a heavily attended planning board meeting on Jan. 25, 2018 where residents came out in droves to oppose the project, Howell Township Council sent a letter to the freeholders declaring their official stance against the waste transfer site on Feb. 21, 2018, due to “the availability of solid waste management services.”
Since that time, a traffic study has been commissioned for the area, according to township officials, but has yet to take place.
On approving the resolution, Councilman Thomas Russo told The Howell Times, “I think it was the right thing to do. It is important that we as the new governing body let the residents know that we do not approve of any proposed expansion of the current waste facility.”
During the meeting, Councilman John Bonevich made a motion to exclude the resolution (PA-16), among others, from the consent agenda in order to give it more significance.
“We just wanted to vote on it separately…It was adopted. We just thought it deserved more attention than to be grouped in with 25 other resolutions,” he said. “In this last election all three new council members ran in opposition to the waste station. Now as newly elected I thought we should follow through on that promise and show unity.”
