Letter to Senator Corzine, May 19, 2005

The Honorable Jon Corzine
Senator from New Jersey
One Gateway Center, 11th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102

RE: Problems with the Placement of the World War II Memorial in Hoboken

Dear Senator:

I write on behalf of the Quality of Life Coalition because your support and those of other politicians of the WW II Memorial are being used as reasons to place the Memorial directly in the path of the Hudson River Walkway. You and others may not have been made aware when your support was solicited that the proposed siting is in violation of New Jersey Rules for any type of construction on the Hudson River Walkway. We can assure you that there are problems especially since waivers of existing rules will affect the entire Walkway from Bayonne to Edgewater. This matter is bigger than Hoboken.

The Rules on Coastal Zone Management (N.J.S.A. 12:5-3 et. seq.) as amended March 3, 2003 require a permit from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection prior to the commencement of development activities in the coastal zone, including the construction of a memorial monument. The memorial is being proposed for the foot of Third Street on the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway directly adjacent to the Hudson River.

The placement on the railing of the Walkway coupled with the size of the monument are the problems. The proposed structure would consume 64’8” of linear access to the river edge and intrude 13 feet into the mandated 30 foot wide Walkway. Both the loss of access to the river edge as well as the obstruction of the pedestrian right-of-way (this is a Walkway after all) are serious violations of the Rules. If these Rules are waived by the DEP they will become notorious as the “Hoboken Precedent” and will lead other municipalities along the 18 mile stretch to destroy the basis of the Rules, i.e. free, unobstructed, continuous access to the waters edge. It may also lead to the erection in Hoboken and other places of additional structures at the waters edge (Korean, Vietnam, Iraq 1 and 2 Wars come to mind). The bitter irony of all of this is that there are ample locations in open areas and under Hoboken’s jurisdiction on the waterfront that could accommodate the plan without major adjustment to the design. But we are stymied. As one very angry veteran noted pointing at the rendering before him, “That’s the design, that’s the location and that’s that! No discussion!” Mayor David Roberts appears to be of the same opinion.

On May 17 in Hoboken City Hall the DEP conducted a public hearing, at the urging of the Quality of Life Coalition. Before the meeting started, the DEP distributed a document entitled “Preliminary Analysis, May 2005.” It displays the fact that the permit application for memorial placement is on the fast tract (since as a veteran stated “public hearings and public involvement take up time and delay the project”). The project is also very oddly being considered an “enhancement” to the Waterway, and even more absurdly an “entertainment use.” It is apparent from these bizarre assignments on the part of the DEP that overt and gross manipulation of the Rules is being considered.

During the same meeting, a veteran bragged with great effect that the monument has your support and that of U.S. Representative Robert Mendez and State Senator Bernard Kenny. This unfortunately left the distinct impression that the DEP is being strong-armed by powerful politicians to grant a permit. That impression is only strengthened by the Preliminary Analysis document’s distorted interpretation of the Rules, as noted above. If indeed, you were not aware of the problems inherent in this application, it is still possible to make your position clear. A word from you to the Hoboken administration and the veterans group that the Rules of the State need to be observed would relieve the pressure on the DEP so that the permit decision could be based on the physical facts in the case and long term protection of the Walkway Rules, not political pull.

There are many of us in Hoboken who would be pleased to work with Mayor Roberts and the veterans to secure an appropriate location on the waterfront. The location as much as the monument itself should truly honor the veterans whose sacrifice of life was given for the conduct of democratic procedures based on the rule of law.

Please accept our gratitude for your consideration of the points being made in this letter. A number of Hoboken citizens would welcome the opportunity to meet with members of your staff in an effort to be more explicit about our concerns, concerns that affect the entire State. I may be reached at 201-963-3155 or via e-mail at helenmanogue@optonline.net.

Helen Manogue, QLC
Hoboken