Governor Whitman is proposing watershed management planning which would direct development to regions where water and sewer systems can handle additional volume. Elected member of the Montgomery Township School Board for 9 years, appointed member of the open space committee for 2 years, member of the community based group that successfully worked to preserve the 220-acre Ingersol Rand property from development. I do not believe the NPDC should be developed as a commercial center or used for residential housing. Since the Village School is located on the site and other public schools are close by, a use consistent with the presence of so many children would be best, such as a park, recreation area, or cultural center. NPDC should serve the needs of existing residents, not add to the problem of uncontrolled development.
Deer management is increasingly a challenge with the loss of large tracts of open space for hunting.
In addition, farms and residential developments are planted with crops and all sorts of landscape plants that are very attractive to deer. Lacking predators, hunting is the most effective way to reduce deer populations. Although some people object to hunting, the safety threat that deer pose is too great to ignore. On roads subject to many deer accidents such as River Road and Route 206, use of ultrasonic beepers or new reflector posts on the roadside may be useful to drive deer away from the streets. In some areas of Montgomery, water lines have been brought in where aquifers could not support development.