Oceanport homeowners oppose new rail station Boro's plans for reuse of fort land call for school, hotel BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer An Oceanport homeowners group is opposing a tentative proposal to locate a new train station on the Fort Monmouth property that falls within the borough. Members of the Horseneck Point Property Owners Association are asking borough officials to scrap plans for a suggested train station at or near the entrance of Horseneck Point, which they say will close off their neighborhood. The proposal, which came from planners hired by the borough and residents during public meetings to gather input, could be included in plans for the future reuse of the Army base, which is scheduled to close by 2011. Residents of Horseneck Point claim a new rail station situated along NJ Transit tracks that run past the opening to the roadway would negatively impact the quality of life and property values in their neighborhood. "This station will effectively hold all of the residents of Horseneck Point hostage at critical periods during the day and night when trains are in the station," said John M. Bonforte Sr., a member of the association, in a June 7 letter to Oceanport Mayor Lucille Chaump. "The residents of Horseneck Point are committed politically and legally to oppose any effort to locate a train station [in] Fort Monmouth," he wrote. "We are working with our planner," Chaump said in an interview. "[The association] has voiced their opinion. They [the planners] are well aware of their opposition. "Things are still in the planning stages," she said. "The planners have not even discussed if it would be feasible to construct a train station." Copies of the group's letter were forwarded to the Oceanport Council, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority (FMERPA), Gov. Jon S. Corzine and several other local and state officials. The letter was also forwarded to Clarke, Caton Hintz, the planning firm hired by the borough to design a Fort Monmouth conceptual plan for the portion of the fort that is situated within the boundaries of Oceanport. "There are enough people in town that are against this kind of facility," Bonforte said in an interview last week, adding that his association represents approximately 100 people. Horseneck Point Road is a continuation of Leonard Avenue, which is located off Oceanport Avenue. Leonard is situated on Fort Monmouth property in Oceanport, which extends onto a portion of Horseneck Point. NJ Transit railroad tracks between the Little Silver and seasonal Monmouth Park stations currently run close to the opening of the roadway. Bonforte and members of the association have publicly opposed the proposal for the train station aspect of the plan at several meetings, including three meetings held in Oceanport to gather input on what residents would like to see included in plans for the reuse of Fort Monmouth after it closes. The most recent public meeting was scheduled for July 10 at Maple Place School, and Bonforte said he planned to attend and enter three documents into the record. The documents include the letter to Chaump, an aerial map of the Horseneck Point neighborhood, and a letter written by Oceanport resident John D'Amico, a former councilman and retired judge, who opposes the train station. Proposed plans for the Fort Monmouth property in Oceanport are divided into five sections, according to Chaump, who said the borough's plans for the section known as the 400 section call for a train station, some 25 acres of open space, and a retail and commercial zone. At the medical campus area, the Patterson Clinic would remain on the fort property. Plans include developing condominiums and single-family townhomes, as well as preserving an estimated 30 acres as open space. An elementary school is also proposed for the medical campus area, according to Chaump. The McAfee area of the fort would include 500,000 to 750,000 square feet of office space and 40 to 50 acres of open space. At the River Front resort area, a hotel with 100 to 150 rooms is proposed as well as 7,500 to 10,000 square feet for a spa resort area. Plans also call for 70 to 90 age-restricted condominium units to be developed in the area. Proposals for the historic site at the fort call for it to remain as is, with Barker Circle and a parade ground on some 100 acres. Chaump explained last week that the borough hired planners to design conceptual plans that include input from the public, but added that plans have yet to be finalized. "We are working with our planner," Chaump said in an interview. "[The association] has voiced their opinion. They [the planners] are well aware of their opposition. "Things are still in the planning stages," she said. "The planners have not even discussed if it would be feasible to construct a train station." The third and final borough meeting to discuss future plans for the Fort Monmouth property was held last Tuesday, according to Chaump, who said the point of the meetings was to hear suggestions and concerns from residents of Oceanport. "Not everyone is going to be happy with everything going on," she said, adding that the planners are taking all comments into consideration as they develop the borough's future development plan for the Fort Monmouth site. In his letter to Chaump, Bonforte noted that Oceanport should not assume responsibility for a nontaxable train station because of problems at the neighboring Little Silver train station. He also stated that Horseneck Point is the site of 30 homes housing more than 100 residents, and the property taxes that the borough receives from the neighborhood are in excess of three-quarters of a million dollars per year. "While trains are parked at the station, access will not be available either out of Horseneck Point or into Horseneck Point," Bonforte said in the letter. "The station will effectively hold all of the residents of Horseneck Point hostage at critical periods during the day and night when trains are in the station." Bonforte further suggests that if Oceanport wants to assume the responsibility that goes with a train station and help Little Silver, a "more logical" place would be closer to the Monmouth Park racetrack, where the train currently stops to pick up and deliver attendees to the track. D'Amico wrote in his letter to Bonforte that he read the letter sent to Chaump and supports the position of the association. "I would add to the argument against relocating the train station to the Horseneck Point area the fact that it would be a bad idea for commuters," D'Amico wrote. D'Amico said in the letter that as the former chairman of the Irate Shore Commuters, he became familiar with various railroad stations. He said in the letter that a station at Horseneck would "create a number of traffic nightmares in Little Silver and Oceanport."