Residents trust in Town of Phillipsburg government violated (video included)

Click on the image to the right to see the video of the Council and Mayor receiving 174 letters from the residents of Phillpsburg who do not want a warehouse built on the Peron Howard Street Property, in downtown Phillipsburg next to the Delaware River.

Updated June 20, 2024

The residents of Phillipsburg and the grassroot organizaton Phillipsburg Environmental Watch have won a significant lawsuit against the Town of Phillipsburg. The Town of Phillipsburg has withdrawn their pursuit of defending the lawsuit against Ordinance 2022-30, and as per a consent order signed June 17, 2024, by the Judge presiding over the case, the Town of Phillipsburg will vacate the latest "warehouse ordinance", Ordinance 2022-30.

However, we can't stop now. We have a second lawsuit against a previous "warehouse ordinance", Ordinance 2021-14. We also expect that the devloper may try to have the Council vote for yet another ordinance that will be contrary to the 2013 Master Plan Revision Report and make the Peron Howard Street Property Industrial. We will continue to challenge any ordinances that violate the town's Master Plan and hurts the residents of Phillipsburg.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more informaton on joining the fight against the warehouse.

420 letters signed by 70 Phillipsburg residents have now been delivered to Council members and the Mayor during the April 24, 2024, May 8, 2024 and June 12, 2024 Phillipsburg Town Council Meetings.

The residents wanted the members of the Phillipsburg town government to know that the rezoning of the Peron Howard Street Property to industrial and the proposed construction of a warehouse is a total violation of our trust in the government of Phillipsburg, due to the town government totally ignoring the town’s most recent 2013 Master Plan Reexamination Report. These residents clearly indicated that they do not want a warehouse in downtown Phillipsburg near the residental area of the Flats, along the Delaware River.

letterslaidout 02 The picture to the left shows some of the letters that signed by the residents and delivered to the members of the Phillipsburg Council and the Mayor.

There are links to two documeents that will be of interest directly below:

2013 Master Plan Reexaminaton Report - Link to 2013 Master Plan Reexamination Report
Ordinance 2022-30, the ordinance that rezones the Peron Howard Street propertiy from Riverside Residential to Industrial - Link to Ordinance 2022-30
The residents are requesting that the government of the Town of Phillipsburg rescind Ordinance 2022-30, the ordinance that rezones he Peron Howard Street Property from Riverside Residential to Industrial. Additionally, the residents are requesting that the Town of Phillipsburg stop wasting taxpayer dollars funding the fight against the lawsuit that is trying to overturn Ordinance 2022-30.

An Overview Of The Area Being Discussed

To the right is a map of the area of the Flats that will be most severely affected by a potential warehouse on the Peron Howard Street property. This map will help to provide an understanding of the discussion relating to the 2013 Master Plan Reexamination Report. The report discusses the Residential Area of the Flats, the strip of light industrial, and the 32 acres of currently undevelped land known locally as the Peron Howard Street property.

Howard Street

HowardStreet 2013MasterPlanReport 01 To the left is a screenshot from page 28 of the 2013 Master Plan Reexamination Report. The report specifically states that the area of light industrial is to be reviewed to see if the current zoning is still viable and compatible with the evolving neighborhood. The master plan implies the small strip of light industrial in the Howard Street section of the Flats should be rezoned to something other than industrial. The 2013 Master Plan Report considers the needs of the residential neighborhood first.

The 2013 Master Plan’s position is that the Flats, between South Main Street and down to Howard Street - including the Peron Howard Street Property, should evolve, moving the strip of light industrial zoned area to a zoning that strongly supports, and is more compatible with, the existing and new residential area planned for this section of town.

Existing Zoning

To the right is a screenshot from page 28 of the 2013 Master Plan Reexamination Report. The report specifically states that the area of light industrial is to be reviewed to see if the current zoning is still viable and compatible with the evolving neighborhood. The master plan implies the small strip of light industrial in the Howard Street section of the Flats should be rezoned to something other than industrial. The 2013 Master Plan Report considers the needs of the residential neighborhood first.

The 2013 Master Plan’s position is that the Flats, between South Main Street and down to Howard Street - including the Peron Howard Street Property, should evolve, moving the strip of light industrial zoned area to a zoning that strongly supports, and is more compatible with, the existing and new residential area planned for this section of town.

Proposed Zoning

HowardStreet 2013MasterPlanReport03 This "Proposed Zoning" subsection (under the "Howard Street" section, page 29 of the 2013 Master Plan Reexamination Report, also pertains to the area between the South Main Street and Howard Street section of the Flats.

The proposed zoning specifically states that the area from South Main Street, down to the Howard Street should be rezoned to complement the surrounding residential neighborhoods – both the new (Delaware Station at Riverview) and old (current residential area from South Main Street to Cherry Alley/Mercer Street). Again, in no way does the 2013 Master Plan Reexamination Report support making any of this area Industrial.

Many other areas where Ordinance 2022-30 violates the 2013 Master Plan Reexaminaton Report

Ordinance 2022-30, changing the Peron Howard Street Property to Industrial zoning and permitting the approval of a warehouse on this property violates the Town’s most recent Master Plan in many other areas.

For example:

Nuisances created by heavy manufacturing plants adjacent to residential areas (page 2)
- This item’s objective is to “deal with issues that will arise from siting new uses on these properties, particularly related to traffic generation”
Through truck traffic on local streets (page 4)
- “The decline of manufacturing and warehousing has reduced this concern somewhat; however, this issue continues to need attention and action, along with the other isuses raised by the location of non-residential uses within the Town relative to access and residential neighborhoods.”
Land Use (pages 5-6)
- Protection of environmentally sensitive areas – This warehouse will be built at the same location where a residential development, Delaware Station at Riverview was to be built, next to the Delaware River.
- Greater use of existing assets, such as the Delaware River, Lopatcong Creek and Morris Canal to enhance redevelopment. Yet this warehouse will completely block access to the Delaware River.
Residential (page 6)
- Reduce conflicts between residential and non-residential uses
Industrial: (page 7)
- Encourage and aid incompatible, non-residential uses to find alternate, more appropriate locations within the town
Circulation (page 8)
- Reduce truck traffic on neighborhood residential streets. Revise the zoning code to eliminate truck-dependent uses from areas with no or limited access to major highway network...
Economic (page 9)
- Encourage the type and location of non-residential development that will minimize negative impacts on local residential neighborhoods with special emphasis on traffic generation and accessibility to the regional highway network. Assist poorly located industries to relocate to appropriate locations within Town.