'What Are We Doing to Our Children's Water?'

A recent public hearing on draft revisions of town zoning regulations led to discussions on building heights, a call for larger commercial signs and praise for a quicker approval process. But some environmentalists believe the proposed revisions are light on public health and safety.

Ronald Bunovsky reminded Planning & Zoning Commissioners that Monroe is two-thirds public water supply watershed.


"There seems to be a lot of consideration to moving the process in an expedited way," he said. "Nothing good ever happens from moving a complex application through fast. It needs careful deliberation."

Of the streamlined approval process, Bunovsky said, "It's only good for the developers."

Gail Bunovsky, who is married to Ronald, is vice chairwoman of the Conservation Commission, but she spoke at the hearing as a private citizen. She noted how there is a constant call for more economic development.

"Why?" she asked.

The Bunovskys want the regulations to protect storm and drinking water from being polluted by over-development.

"What are we doing to our children's water?" Gail Bunovsky asked. "We are destroying what we have. There are communities like Easton with no commercial development and higher property values. Their kids do as well as ours on tests."

Ronald Bunovsky said, "Monroe will never be a commercial/industrial powerhouse. Most of the good land is developed and there are no sewers. The fact is we probably won't have sewers anytime soon. The more you put on the existing structure, the worse it will get. You can only put so much in a five-pound bag."

He spoke in favor of encouraging the purchase of more open space to preserve Monroe's rural character and the country feel residents enjoy. "Preserving it is not crushing big rocks into little rocks," Bunovsky said. "It's getting to the point where I don't want to live here."

He said the draft regulations do not include a cost/benefit analysis of public health and safety, adding the worst case scenarios should be considered.

"We have to know we aren't causing more damage than good," Bunovsky said.

'People Will Sell Their Soul'

Monroe Gas LLC's controversial plans to build a gas station for Stop & Shop close to a public watershed at 528 Monroe Turnpike was alluded to during the hearing.

Leon Ambrosey pointed out that there is nothing about underground storage tanks close to waterways in the regulations.

Gail Bunovsky said, "People will sell their soul for a gas station that impacts the public water supply, so they can save 10 cents a gallon. What are we leaving our children? I don't like what we're doing."