SaveMontclair Campaign Picking Up Steam, Organizers Say: ‘Historic Preservation’ Is Key

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A grassroots coalition of Montclair residents concerned with overdevelopment and championing “historic preservation” recently reported that their campaign to change the township’s planning and zoning policies is picking up steam.

The SaveMontclair Coalition issued a news release earlier this month touting its new website and stating that its effort to “show local leaders just how many people care about growth and future development in Montclair” has garnered the support of several community leaders and has increased membership from its original total of 174 residents.

The proponents of “intelligent development” feel that Montclair’s recent real estate evolution is “out of character and inappropriate,” lead organizer and founder Linda Cranston said.

“Developer-driven concerns dominated township decision-making with resident’s interests secondary,” Cranston stated. “Density, congestion and parking are central issues. Yet, developers try to work behind the scenes to build bigger than our original, small-town footprint supports and without providing required parking.”

Cranston said that SaveMontclair has garnered the support of community leaders such as Alfred Davis, a leader in the 4th Ward based South End Business District, former Deputy Mayor Gerry Tobin, St. Luke’s Church Lay Warden Jinni Rock-Bailey, Chair of the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee Ann Lippel and realtor and community activist Adriana O’Toole.

Learn more about the group and its efforts here.

Photo: SaveMontclair

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