Neighbors for safe streets by Tomahawk Lake Park
Donation protected
What's our Cause and who's behind it
Contributions to this GoFundMe will be used to offset legal and professional fees needed to oppose the expansion of the Tomahawk Lake Water Park in Byram Township N.J. and is being managed by Fred Welles, Secretary - Seneca Lake Club Inc. Donations will be withdrawn by the Seneca Lake Club Inc.'s treasurer and deposited into a Seneca Lake Club account and used exclusively for opposition activities. Excess funds if any will be donated to a local Sussex county based charity.
Whats at Stake
An application has been submitted to the Byram Township Planning Board (BTPB) from the owner of Tomahawk Lake Water Park (P4-2018, Tomahawk Lake Inc., Tomahawk Trail, Block 343 Lots 1, 2 and 3, C-R Zone). This site expansion plan is asking for the approval of additional parking lots, new water slides, a new concession building (40’ x 36’), and enlargement of an accessory building to 1,440 sq. ft.
If approved, the nearby residences and communities as a whole will significantly and permanently be altered for the worse and public safety will be at risk.
During the days that Tomahawk Lake Water Park (TLWP) operates we have witnessed grid lock traffic and lewd behavior of its guests as they travel on Tomahawk Lake Trail, Seneca Lake Road, and other roads leading into those two roadways. That lewd behavior includes
· Public urination
· Consumption of Alcohol while in vehicles and Public Intoxication
· Littering of trash, paper, and beer bottles
· Loud noise from people screaming from one car to another
· Loud music playing from open windows
· Horn honking from aggressive drivers
· Parking on our streets
· Speeding
· Grid lock preventing emergency vehicles from getting to homes
These are the problems and issues we face today. If the BTPB approves this site plan it will attract more people, increase the incidences of the above, and create new issues. The calm, quiet, family-oriented atmosphere we all know will no longer exist during the summer months
What we've done
The Seneca Lake Club, Inc. strongly opposes this expansion and has engaged legal counsel to represent it and voice our objections to the BTPB. At the January 3rd, 2019 planning board meeting our counsel argued that the expansion plan and the historical incremental changes to the TLWP have changed the way the park was intended to be used and now requires a “d” variance which should be reviewed by the zoning board before any plan review is done. The meeting concluded with agreement that those opposing the site expansion would be given the time to hire a professional planner who would testify on our behalf on how the use of this property has changed from its originally intended use.
It was also very evident at the January 3rd, planning board meeting that there are many concerned residents other than just Seneca Lake Club Residents. Anyone living near the Water Park should be concerned. The community of Sparta should also be concerned as your police department is using valuable resources to assist with traffic and the issues described above rather than serving the Sparta community in other ways.
The Seneca Lake Club, Inc. Board of Trustees approved a limited amount of funding for our legal battle. These funds are exhausted and so this fund raising effort will go towards paying for legal services as well as the professional planner as we continue our fight.
How can you help
We need your donations now to help fund expenses related to our opposition to the expansion which will continue at the November 7th, 2019 Zoning Board meeting at the Byram Township Municipal building. Please plan on attending to support us and voice your concerns.
Whether you are a resident of Seneca Lake, Seneca Lake Road, Tomahawk Lake Trail, any of the roadways leading into or near by the Water park, or just a concerned Sparta or Byram Township community member, you can make a difference by helping fund this effort to stop the expansion of the Tomahawk Lake Water park.
Seneca Lake Club, Inc. cannot make any representations as to the likely outcome of the actions to prevent expansion of the Tomahawk Lake Water Park. By making a non-refundable contribution to this fund, you acknowledge that success is not guaranteed, that it is possible that a settlement will be reached which results in a compromise between the parties, and hereby releases Seneca Lake Club Inc., and its members, from liability associated therewith.
Contributions to this GoFundMe will be used to offset legal and professional fees needed to oppose the expansion of the Tomahawk Lake Water Park in Byram Township N.J. and is being managed by Fred Welles, Secretary - Seneca Lake Club Inc. Donations will be withdrawn by the Seneca Lake Club Inc.'s treasurer and deposited into a Seneca Lake Club account and used exclusively for opposition activities. Excess funds if any will be donated to a local Sussex county based charity.
Whats at Stake
An application has been submitted to the Byram Township Planning Board (BTPB) from the owner of Tomahawk Lake Water Park (P4-2018, Tomahawk Lake Inc., Tomahawk Trail, Block 343 Lots 1, 2 and 3, C-R Zone). This site expansion plan is asking for the approval of additional parking lots, new water slides, a new concession building (40’ x 36’), and enlargement of an accessory building to 1,440 sq. ft.
If approved, the nearby residences and communities as a whole will significantly and permanently be altered for the worse and public safety will be at risk.
During the days that Tomahawk Lake Water Park (TLWP) operates we have witnessed grid lock traffic and lewd behavior of its guests as they travel on Tomahawk Lake Trail, Seneca Lake Road, and other roads leading into those two roadways. That lewd behavior includes
· Public urination
· Consumption of Alcohol while in vehicles and Public Intoxication
· Littering of trash, paper, and beer bottles
· Loud noise from people screaming from one car to another
· Loud music playing from open windows
· Horn honking from aggressive drivers
· Parking on our streets
· Speeding
· Grid lock preventing emergency vehicles from getting to homes
These are the problems and issues we face today. If the BTPB approves this site plan it will attract more people, increase the incidences of the above, and create new issues. The calm, quiet, family-oriented atmosphere we all know will no longer exist during the summer months
What we've done
The Seneca Lake Club, Inc. strongly opposes this expansion and has engaged legal counsel to represent it and voice our objections to the BTPB. At the January 3rd, 2019 planning board meeting our counsel argued that the expansion plan and the historical incremental changes to the TLWP have changed the way the park was intended to be used and now requires a “d” variance which should be reviewed by the zoning board before any plan review is done. The meeting concluded with agreement that those opposing the site expansion would be given the time to hire a professional planner who would testify on our behalf on how the use of this property has changed from its originally intended use.
It was also very evident at the January 3rd, planning board meeting that there are many concerned residents other than just Seneca Lake Club Residents. Anyone living near the Water Park should be concerned. The community of Sparta should also be concerned as your police department is using valuable resources to assist with traffic and the issues described above rather than serving the Sparta community in other ways.
The Seneca Lake Club, Inc. Board of Trustees approved a limited amount of funding for our legal battle. These funds are exhausted and so this fund raising effort will go towards paying for legal services as well as the professional planner as we continue our fight.
How can you help
We need your donations now to help fund expenses related to our opposition to the expansion which will continue at the November 7th, 2019 Zoning Board meeting at the Byram Township Municipal building. Please plan on attending to support us and voice your concerns.
Whether you are a resident of Seneca Lake, Seneca Lake Road, Tomahawk Lake Trail, any of the roadways leading into or near by the Water park, or just a concerned Sparta or Byram Township community member, you can make a difference by helping fund this effort to stop the expansion of the Tomahawk Lake Water park.
Seneca Lake Club, Inc. cannot make any representations as to the likely outcome of the actions to prevent expansion of the Tomahawk Lake Water Park. By making a non-refundable contribution to this fund, you acknowledge that success is not guaranteed, that it is possible that a settlement will be reached which results in a compromise between the parties, and hereby releases Seneca Lake Club Inc., and its members, from liability associated therewith.
Organizer and beneficiary
Fred Welles
Organizer
Sparta, NJ
Christine Molbury
Beneficiary
