Unenforced laws cause disruption in lives of residents

I'm very disappointed to see the indifferent attitude expressed at public meetings by East Brunswick Mayor William Neary and the Township Council to the pleas of the residents. People come to the council meetings to voice their concerns over conditions, which, if not corrected, negatively impact their quality of life. Many residents are inconvenienced by the lack of concern by the elected officials, in some cases, to enforce the law.

For example, there is a tract of land called the Turnpike Industrial Park designated as a Planned Industrial Zone, which was established in the early 1960s. Since this property was located adjacent to a residential area, planners made every effort to make sure the industrial park would not negatively impact the surrounding area by adopting, among others, the following ordinances:

+ an ordinance mandating that all operations should be conducted within completely enclosed buildings;

+ an ordinance stating that no operations should create noise beyond the boundaries of the property involved;

+ an ordinance that bans all trucking businesses;

+ an ordinance that requires a 50-foot buffer containing a planted area of massed evergreens and shrubs, intended to minimize noise and visual factors for adjoining residential properties - the buffer may include constructed noise barriers, earthen berms and other techniques that may assist in diminishing adverse effects on adjoining residences;

+ an ordinance excluding trucks registered 4-tons gross weight or above from McGuire Street, except for the pick up and delivery of materials from Kennedy Boulevard to Devlin Place.

Considering all of the above protective ordinances, the following events have taken place to the dismay of the residents. On three occasions, trucking companies have been permitted to locate in the P-I zone, in violation of the existing ordinance. Residents' appeals to the mayor and council, on every occasion, fell on deaf ears. For a long period of time, residents lost sleep and suffered annoyances due to the operations of the trucks. In desperation, the residents hired lawyers, resulting in the eviction of these companies.

Why didn't the administration do the job of the hired lawyers? Apparently, the administration didn't care or was ignorant of the law. Now, a company considered to be a warehouse and distribution company has located in the P-I zone and has caused a disruption in the lives of adjacent residents because of the truck noises. Again, the ordinance requiring a noise barrier for such an operation is being ignored. Why?

Residents deserve better and expect elected officials to understand and enforce existing laws.

Frank J. Coury

East Brunswick