Guest Column Coral L. Silsbe Howell farmers can use some support

Guest Column
Coral L. Silsbe
Howell farmers can use some support

As a Manalapan resident and horse farm owner, I decided to attend an Aug. 13 Howell Township Council meeting regarding downzoning in Howell. This meeting was actually a second reading of the ordinance which could be adopted Sept. 10.

The ordinance will rezone portions of Howell to 6-acre lot sizes – from 1- and 2-acre lot sizes. For all of the residents that have property on the other side of town, I would suggest you support your farmers who are currently under the gun because, according to statements made by your mayor, you are next.

I was embarrassed for every Howell resident by the actions and incompetence of the township officials and sincerely suggest that you begin to attend your own meetings.

The farmers that I met were much like the Manalapan farmers that are facing a similar downzoning issue in Manalapan. They are extremely nice people who are as interested as any resident in preserving open space and stopping the traffic problems that are occurring throughout both towns.

However, they would like to preserve the equity value in their property as any Howell resident living in a development would, and perhaps could use some help from their community. Manal-apan residents have expressed the same concerns about traffic and schools, but have also said that they do not want to take the farmers’ retirement or equity from them in the quest to preserve open space or farmland.

I believe Manalapan residents have been supportive of the farmers and would like to see a compromise met that meets the farmers’ need to preserve equity as well as the township’s need to preserve farms. I appreciate the support we have received from our community and would en-courage Howell residents to help your farmers and support them in their fight against this downzoning.

In closing, I would like to thank all of my friends and neighbors, and all of the people who I meet during my day who would not accept their own property value being devalued by the township and support the farmers who are just as unaccepting of this proposal to devalue their land.

I am certain there is a creative solution for both towns that protects the farmer and the town, and I look forward to seeing which town comes up with an innovative plan that protects both farmers/farms and the desire to maintain the little rural character that is left in each.

Coral L. Silsbe is a resident of Manalapan