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We're not Rooting
for Centex!
Centex Inc., a nationwide housing developer,
together with RCM Group LLC are proposing 62 townhouse units
for Aberdeen, to be located on Route 34 at the old Dietrich
property. With great audacity, this builder sent a letter
to nearby residents basically saying "come to the zoning board meeting
and root for our development or you'll be sorry."
You can read a copy of the letter for yourself
here . The letter
is presenting a choice: either Centex gets to build residential
or they will build commercial, with the implication that commercial
would be less desirable.
While it was nice of the builder to invite people
to the September 26th Aberdeen Zoning Board meeting, the
manner in which it was done was an act of desperation by
a developer whose company value is dropping like a rock:
In the past, concerned citizens warned the
Aberdeen Council, Planning & Zoning Boards about the risks
associated with using developers whose liquidity is questionable.
These warnings fell on deaf ears.
In particular, citizens repeatedly warned the Aberdeen
Planning Board of the consequences of approving Kara Homes
plan to develop Aberdeen Forge. These citizens resorted
to a lawsuit because they believed the entire plan was
folly and that Aberdeen's appointed overseers were not
properly representing the best interests of the citizens
of Aberdeen. Well, Kara Homes was not financially stable
and went bankrupt - had these citizens not sued, Aberdeen
would be faced with a vast deforested wasteland with a
severe erosion issue and no housing on it.
We present the same words of caution regarding
Centex - what motive would drive a developer to send
a threatening letter to residents designed to preempt any
objection to the development? We propose this developer
could not financially afford the delays associated with
citizen resistance.
Paid for by Aberdeen Green Party,
109 Wilson Ave., Aberdeen, NJ 07747
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