THE HOWELL
Vol. 13 - No. 35
I N T HIS W EEK ’ S E DITION
TIMES
MICROMEDIAPUBS.COM
Your FREE Weekly Hometown Newspaper For Howell, Farmingdale, Ramtown and Freehold
Community News! Don’t miss what’s happening in your town. Pages 7-10.
Fun Page Page 14.
Wolfgang Puck Try Making This Chocolate Cake. Page 19.
Dear Joel A nice, quiet little beach community Page 17.
Dear Pharmacist You may pay the price if misdiagnosed Page 13.
Inside The Law Understanding Non-Probate Assets. Page 12.
Skeet Shooting, Farm Proposed On Megill Road
By Chris Lundy HOWELL – An applicant before the zoning board hopes to build a private ranch and farm with skeet shooting for his own personal use on several parcels on Megill Road. The Township Zoning Board of Adjustment heard testimony on a proposed farm called Wildbrook Ranch at its January meeting. The plan calls for tree orchards, crops, an indoor riding area, paddocks, a clubhouse for personal use with three residential apartments above it, and a skeet shooting field. The owner, Alex Adjmi, told officials he planned on this property all being for his own personal use. There would not be customers coming to the property. There are five lanes
Letters To The Editor BOE Should reject Charter School Regulations Page 5.
From Your Government Officials Page 6.
Classified Ads Page 16.
–Photo by Catherine Galioto On Megill Road, an applicant is proposing a crop and horse farm, with skeet shooting and workers’ apartments. The testimony will continue to the February 13 meeting.
for the skeet shooting, and it would not attract more than a handful of friends and family. The property owner needs to apply for a use variance to build and operate there. It is currently in the ARE-6 agricultural rural estate zone. The property is located on Megill Road, near Belmar Boulevard. Due to its driveway emptying onto the border with Wall Township, zoning board officials said the traffic portion of the application might need to go before that municipality as well. According to the project engineer, Joseph Hanrahan, the entire property is 183.6 acres, of which 26 acres can be developed due to wetlands and riparian buffers. The skeet shooting will take place 2,600 feet from Belmar Boulevard, Hanrahan said. They would be shooting in the direction of the woods. Plans include a 12,500 square foot barn, with a 18,900 square foot riding area, a 1,200-squarefoot clubhouse, and a 1,900-square-foot greenhouse. There would be 6.2 acres dedicated to the tree orchards and vegetable crops. The architectural design for the home on the property was not done yet. Jen n ifer K r i m ko, (Skeet - See Page 4)
| February 4, 2017
Council Hopes To Meet With Water Co. To Discuss Freewood Acres By Sara Grillo HOWELL – With roads slated to open for a large-scale sewer project, officials wondered if it was also an opportunity to see if other utilities wanted to complete upgrades. American Water in particular was discussed at the January 24 meeting, as they will be expanding their infrastructure behind the Board of Education Ad ministration Building at 200 Squankum-Yellowbrook Road. Councilman Rob-
ert Walsh suggested scheduli ng a not her meeting with the water company to discuss their involvement in the Sanitary Sewer Extension Project, a plan that would install sewers within the Freewood Acres single family housing development. It is currently the largest capital improvement project in Howell’s history. In an open letter to Howell residents back in February. 2015, Director of Community Development James Herrman said the goal
of the project was to prevent failing sept ic syst em s, wh ich are a leading cause of groundwater contamination in the country. “Average septic failure rates are between 10 and 20 percent yearly and these are the failures that are documented and reported to the Board of Health for repair or replacement,” said Herrman in the letter. “Those numbers do not include systems that are contaminating groundwater that homeowners are not aware of.”
A mer ican Water plans to open roads in Freewood Acres to put in sewers, but they are not anticipated to take on the cost of installing water lines at that time. “If there was ever a t i me to r u n water lines, it is when they’re open,” said Councilman Walsh, adding, “If it doesn’t happen now, there will never be water.” The council is now wo r k i n g t o g e t a meeting on the calendar with American
(Freewood - See Page 14)
–Photos by Sara Grillo Council discussed the upcoming Freewood Acres project, which will extend a sewer system to the neighborhood.
Residents Will See Sewer Bill Decrease
HOWELL – Residents will see a $20 de c re a se i n t hei r quarterly sewer bill beginning in the second quarter of 2017. The drop is due
to an excess from the sewer utility last year, officials said. Similar decreases were also voted on by the council in previous years.
At the January 24 town council meeting, councilmembers discussed allotting the excess funds to residents retroactively through a $25 quar terly de-
crease, but it was ultimately decided to re-evaluate the budget toward the end of the year. – Re por t by S ara Grillo