It is well documented that you have failed to timely disclose important public information on this rezoning since last year to allow all of your constituents to be informed and to promote active participation on the important decisions that are being made by the City Government impacting the quality of life for each of us and for generations to come.

I ask each of you to visit www.EnglewoodOneCommunity.org, an independent non-profit organization and tell the community why you oppose this organization’s mission:

“TO CONVEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE IMPORANT ACTIONS TAKEN BY CITY GOVERNMENT WITH A FOCUS ON SOUND, OPEN AND TRANSPARENT REPORTING, AS THE PRESS IS THE FOUNDATON OF OUR DEMOCRACY AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT”

We asked why the 2022 the Council kept secret the rezoning of the City that each of you approved on November 1, 2022 and failed to share this monumental action to rezone the City with the public a year ago?

We asked why you kept the Public in the dark on your settlement agreement and court documents (published on the Court’s public website) from 2019 to now?

Why did you wait 8 months later on June 27, 2023 to schedule a public meeting on your rezoning ordinance and failed to disclose rezoning documents until then?

Why are you holding a public meeting tonight for a deal approved by each of you last year?

Why did you rezone large sections of single-family neighborhoods across the City to build high density apartments, jeopardize the quality of life for all of us that call Englewood our home to raise our families?

Why do you believe adding up to 4,000 apartments (per the City’s testimony in Court) that would grow our population by 10,000 people is sustainable on our schools and our city, without a single planning study and careful evaluation of the consequences of your rezoning.

Why each of you decided not to embrace the public over a year ago, is personally shocking to me. We find ourselves in a place where the damage is done but is your obligation to take corrective action tonight before it gets even worse.

There is no excuse for the City to force bad planning on the community:

The N.J. Supreme Court holding in Mt Laurel II is clear, the provision of affordable housing “does require bad planning”. Rather, the location of affordable housing must “depend on sound municipal planning considerations in the State”.

Tonight, provided the Council permits us more than a 3-minute to speak , we will present our findings. We will support the Council to work on solutions to get it right!

I ask each of you to forward this reply to every resident you sent your below email to. I trust you will do so.

Thank you,

Regards,
Frank Huttle III, Mayor Emeritus

IT’S TIME TO PAUSE AND GET IT RIGHT!

Tuesday August 8, 2023 at 7:00 PM
Mayor, and City Council Meeting
Municipal Courtroom
73 South Van Brunt Street
Englewood, N.J.