The Colonia Country Club Issue

I've been kinda avoiding this topic for a while now. I hate conflict, and I've had enough conflict in my life lately that I didn't want to add another debate. But I had to comment about the Colonia Country Club, especially now that I read on the Woodbridge InJersey | Woodbridge, NJ web site the latest update.

The story, in case you haven't been following the news, is that the Colonia Country Club has been having problems for a while now. I guess with the economy this tough, one of the first places anyone would cut back would be their country club membership, right?

So one of the members, who happens to be a developer, offered to buy the club. He promised he wouldn't develop it for the next 6 years, or as long as the club stays above 62 members. The Mayor also offered for the township to buy the club - although it wasn't exactly the same kind of deal.

The members of the club voted, and they've decided to let the developer buy it. So this afternoon, the township filed for Eminent Domain, like the Mayor said he would.

Eminent Domain is that scary legal thing that towns can do... as I understand it, the idea is that the town has the first right to decide what to do with the land in town, over and above what individual owners want. I've heard horror stories about old people losing their homes by eminent domain because a town wanted to put in an exit ramp to a highway or something.

In this case, though, the town wants to keep the golf course open space. No one is losing their homes.

In general, the words "Eminent Domain" strikes fear into my heart. But in this case, I'm not really against it.

Obviously I don't understand the complexities of the deals. And maybe you will all disagree with me. But my own personal opinion is how could I live here if the golf course became apartments or houses or anything like that? And six years is not so very long at all.

Of course, the other side of that story is how will I be able to live here if my taxes go up again? And the answer might be... I can't live here if I can't afford to.

So... well.... You know me. I think I've always got the unpopular opinion. But I'm with the Mayor on this one.

But once open space is gone, you don't get it back.

Posted using ShareThis