MASSA VOIDS ENCAP AGREEMENT!
Mayor Peter Massa signed and sent a letter to Cherokee/EnCap today at 9 a.m. terminating North Arlington’s redevelopment project, for failing to live up to a section of the development agreement signed by the former administration that required the developer to make an irrevocable financial commitment to the borough. Read
More
leadernewspapers.net
READ THE TERMINATION NOTICE HERE
State has a $212M question for EnCap
With EnCap facing a default deadline this week, state officials are hacking through the thicket of legal and environmental issues raised by the possible failure of the massive landfill reclamation project once hailed as the "miracle in the Meadowlands." Read
More
northjersey.com
EnCap's financial stability questioned
Only 18 months after getting the biggest loan New Jersey has ever awarded a private developer, EnCap is facing financial problems that supporters say could hobble its sprawling golf-village project in the Meadowlands. Read More
NorthJersey.com
EnCap project under scrutiny from state
Since he joined his neighbors in protesting the financial agreement between EnCap and the township almost three years ago, resident Michael Guarino has grown even more convinced that Lyndhurst has gotten a raw deal.
"This thing is so wrong, it's unbelievable," Guarino said recently, surrounded by pages of documents related to the golf village planned mostly in Rutherford and Lyndhurst in the Meadowlands. Read
More
northjersey.com
Public Advocate: Legal muscle needed to stop land-taking abuses
State laws that allow governments to take land for private redevelopment are being misused and need to be reformed to protect private property owners, the public advocate said in a report released Tuesday.
Public Advocate Ronald L. Chen urged the Legislature in his report to stem the abuses that violate private property owners' rights by amending the state's overly broad redevelopment laws. Read More
thnt.com
Download the Report:
IN NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT:
REPAIRING NEW JERSEY’S EMINENT DOMAIN LAWS,
ABUSES AND REMEDIES,
A FOLLOW-UP REPORT
EnCap project could be in trouble
The state Attorney General's Office has declared EnCap Golf Holdings to be in default on two key provisions of its agreement with the Meadowlands Commission, according to documents obtained by The Record. Read
More
northjersey.com
Landfills to be capped despite EnCap woes
It certainly doesn’t look good for the self-proclaimed “miracle in the Meadowlands.” The dump trucks are gone, and the state’s EnCap investigation continues amid damaging internal documents made public. Read
More
leadernewspapers.net
Town
hires attorney in EnCap Golf battle
ENCAP DYING IN N.A.
'EnCap = doom,' says Sierra exec
N.
Arlington businesses spearhead fight
against EnCap
Vietnam
veteran Sal DiBlasi figured the fight
of his life happened in the jungles
of Southeast Asia.
But
more than 30 years later, he's at
war again, this time with EnCap Golf
-- the politically connected company
with a knack for winning taxpayer-backed
incentives for its Meadowlands development
plans. Read
More
NorthJersey.com
Sen. Sarlo sours over Encap troubles
A prominent state senator who championed the EnCap project now says the developer should "get the hell out" of North Arlington, the working-class community where residents are in revolt against plans to replace longtime businesses with a 1,600-unit luxury village. Read
More
NorthJersey.com
SARLO TELLS ENCAP TO SCRAM
“It can be summed up in one word: ‘Vindication,’” - Councilman Al Granell
A prominent state legislator who was once an ardent supporter of local redevelopment now says he opposes the Arlington Valley project that calls for 1,625 units of housing in the Meadowlands, while seeking to impose eminent domain against the Porete Avenue business community.
State Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-36, who is also the mayor of Wood-Ridge, has joined the North Arlington governing body in its fight to void the controversial agreement that could cost taxpayers millions in impact costs while increasing vehicular traffic and swell the local school population. Read More
TheObserver.com
Meadows towns beg for clarity on EnCap
Here’s how PILOT bonds can cleanup the meadows
Editorial: EnCap bond issue is much ado about nothing
Massa: I’m pleased with state’s findings on EnCap
EnCap plan backer surprised by talk of risk
New council vows to fight EnCap lawsuit, deal
NA to argue EnCap agreement is invalid
New mayor won’t be bullied by EnCap
Doubts raised on landfill housing
A plan to transform Meadowlands landfills into a pricey golf community has hit a snag over concern that local taxpayers could be left holding the bag should the plan falter. Read More
NorthJersey.com
Is the EnCap project nothing but a house of cards ready to collapse?
Politically connected developer now seeks $366 million from New Jersey while state finance official says proposal "does not provide sufficient protection for the municipalities."
Rutherford, Lyndhurst potentially liable if controversial project falls through according to Bergen Record investigative report, North Arlington needs to get out of this deal now!
NORTH ARLINGTON - In a scathing attack on the financial integrity of the EnCap deal as it applies to Lyndhurst and Rutherford, The Record of Hackensack reported yesterday that "taxpayers could be left holding the bag" if the financing falters. Read More
Developer threatens suit over EnCap issue
Lawyers for a North Carolina developer planning a multimillion-dollar remake of the Meadowlands are threatening to sue North Arlington unless the borough condemns businesses standing in the way of the project. Read More
NorthJersey.com
Putting caps on EnCap - Editorial
New Jersey's overseers of local finance are questioning whether the plan to build a massive golf and housing community on former Bergen County landfills could harm taxpayers. They're right to do so. Read More
NorthJersey.com
EnCap to sue North Arlington unless eminent domain is applied to Porete Avenue business owners, Massa vows to protect property owners!
So called "partner to the borough" gives December 26th deadline to seize Porete properties and include BCUA transfer station within development zone, Massa won't officially assume office until January 1, 2007
NORTH ARLINGTON - The myth of EnCap being some partner to the borough of North Arlington was smashed by the threat of a lawsuit by the embattled developer even before Mayor-elect Pete Massa takes the oath and assumes his duties as mayor. Read More
NA not worried over Cherokee-EnCap’s threat of a lawsuit
Cherokee also wants the borough to authorize ordinances that would allow the developer to collect about half of the future tax revenues generated by planned new housing units.
Cherokee-EnCap has threatened North Arlington to force eminent domain proceedings and seize 21 businesses on Porete Avenue by Dec. 26 or they will file a lawsuit against the borough. The mayor and council set an emergency meeting Dec. 20 to discuss the issue. Read More
LeaderNewspapers.net
Corzine wary of EnCap landfill plan
Governor Corzine says the state should protect taxpayers by rethinking a controversial project to turn the Meadowlands' trash dumps into pricey golf communities with more than 4,000 new apartments and condos. Read More
NorthJersey.com
EnCap's enablers
WHAT a difference a governor makes. Under former Gov. James McGreevey, the state's attitude toward the massive EnCap development in south Bergen County was go-go-go. Now under Governor Corzine, it's slow-slow-slow.
The change is welcome. But the fact that alarms weren't raised sooner is troubling.Read More
NorthJersey.com
Showdown looms over eminent domain
"North Arlington has been the armpit of Bergen County for some time" - Councilman Patrick Roche
NORTH ARLINGTON -- As borough officials try to remake the town's image through redevelopment plans that could rely on taking property through eminent domain, some Porete Avenue business owners are digging in, saying they don't want to sell and shouldn't be forced out. Read More
NorthJersey.com
A Borough no more.
Council passes EnCap agreement by 4-2 vote, Massa vows to fight-on and have agreement reviewed by US Attorney's office!
Final agreement probably means "eminent domain" seizure of Porete Avenue companies, thousands of new cars, residents, school-age children, 200 units of low income housing and higher property taxes!
Tanelli: North Arlington is being "urbanized"
NORTH ARLINGTON - The Borough of North Arlington has officially approved a controversial housing plan that will construct at least 1,625 units of housing of which 200 units will be for Low Income residents. The plan will force as many as fifteen local companies from their properties and cost North Arlington over $1 million dollars in tax revenues. Read More
Special
Report: The EnCap Debacle Continues
Stringham: We need another school if EnCap
becomes reality! Land originally targeted for school construction can't
support facility! Superintendent fears residents will pay for "lion's
share" of increased costs! Massa calls upon parents and students to reject EnCap!
NORTH
ARLINGTON - Superintendent of Schools Dr. Oliver Stringham confirmed the
worst about the proposed EnCap deal in a letter to parents and students
dated May 22nd by pointing out "we need another school built to meet
the impact of children that will result from Arlington Valley. Read More
Trash or treasure at Meadowlands?
Bill would ban donors among redevelopers
"Included would be the massive Cherokee Northeast projects"
TRENTON - A bipartisan group of lawmakers yesterday said it would push legislation to weed political money out of New Jersey's lucrative redevelopment projects.
The bills would prohibit redevelopers with active projects, or their consultants, engineers or lawyers, from making any political contributions in New Jersey. A cosponsor, Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D., Bergen), said the message was: "If you want to sell a redevelopment plan to the government, don't try to buy the government." Read More
Philly.com
EDITORIAL:
A bad deal confirmed.
Lyndhurst commits to another 250 units to receive middle school priced at $37 million, Lyndhurst now committed to 2,038 units of housing!
We don't know the size of the facility EnCap apparently will construct, but Lyndhurst officials announced that a $37 million dollar middle school will be paid for by building an additional 250 condominium units. Read More
Showdown looms in N. Arlington
"There's no way that North Arlington can get out of this project," Joseph Bianchi, GOP Council Candidate.
"They're selling the town a pack of lies." Pete Goodman, Porete Avenue Business Owner.
The future of Porete Avenue and the controversial Arlington Valley project has never been more uncertain since North Arlington struck a deal with the developer in April. Read More
NorthJersey.com
N. Arlington may try to void housing deal
NORTH ARLINGTON - The Borough Council is considering voiding a controversial agreement with a developer seeking to build 1,625 housing units and 50,000 square feet of retail space – even though the borough has already accepted nearly $1 million in payments from the builder. Read More
NorthJersey.com
A work in progress
"For a municipal government to invoke eminent domain for private purpose, private development, I can't support that." - Peter Massa
You won't see it on TV, but the Meadowlands is getting an extreme makeover right now.
Lumpy, leaky dumps are being smoothed and sculpted into luxury golf courses. Vacant swampland will become residential clusters full of new taxpayers
The transformation, which you can glimpse from the New Jersey Turnpike's western spur, could be done by 2012.
But the massive operation is not without its aches and pains. Read More
NorthJersey.com
Editorial:
Does anyone really support EnCap?
The intended transformation of the Meadowlands by EnCap Holdings seemed to forget something along the way -- grass roots public support for squeezing thousands of units of housing in Lyndhurst, North Arlington and Rutherford under the guise of golf course living and landfill remediation. Read
More
Is EnCap seeking 2,000 units?
Porete
Avenue
businesses
forced
to
move
out
NORTH
ARLINGTON
‹
Business
owners
from
Porete
Avenue
learned
Monday
that
the
borough
plans
to
appraise
their
properties,
buy
them
out and
relocate
their
companies
as
early
as
2008.
³You¹re
going
to
have
to
bulldoze
me
down
‹
I¹m
not
moving,²
said
Salvatore
DiBlasi
of
Cobra
Construction.
³We¹ve
worked
hard
to
have
our
businesses
down
there.
We¹re
not
bothering
anybody.
We
pay
our
taxes,
we
mind
our
own
business.
Leave
us
alone.² Read
More
Editorial:
EnCap Holdings owes $265,917.86 in back
taxes on 6 parcels of property while Cherokee North Arlington owes
$1,868.63 on various Saw Mill lots!
HACK COLUMNIST ATTACKS THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO OPPOSED ENCAP
IN THIS FIGHT TO STOP NORTH ARLINGTON FROM BEING URBANIZED THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN SEIZURE AND LOW INCOME HOUSING! 
Who will join Kaiser, Guida and Pitman as the next
political casualty for their unbridled support of a project the voters
love to hate?
2007 CAMPAIGN:
Attorneys for the borough have filed a counter claim against the Cherokee corporation, developers of the controversial Encap project, claiming that the company is in breach of contract for failing to make $3 million in payments to the borough and failure to demonstrate that they have secured financing for their project. The borough also filed a claim for damages for lost tax revenue caused by Cherokee’s breach of contract.