In any moment of decision… the worst thing you can do is nothing.
― Theodore Roosevelt
Who is CUPON and what are we trying to do?
CUPON is a volunteer-led, grassroots organization. We are a group of local residents in Mahwah, Upper Saddle River and Montvale New Jersey. We care deeply about our homes, towns, the safety of our children and the quality of the natural environment. We support responsible development through the enforcement of land-use and building code laws. We seek to maintain the quality and character of our neighborhood – the things that brought us to this area in the first place. We partner with CUPON volunteer-led organizations in Ramapo, New York.
What current project are we focused on?
Extensive development is planned for Hillside Avenue. This wooded, peaceful road crosses from Airmont, NY into Upper Saddle River, NJ. Look on Google maps satellite view and you see a large tract of undeveloped woodland north of Hillside Avenue. Developers have submitted plans for several significant non-residential complexes that would forever change the peaceful character of this area.
The major construction projects on Hillside Avenue include:
- A school with 100+ students, 60 student parking spaces plus staff parking
- A ritual baths open to 10 PM with 6 pools, 50 changing rooms, 10 staff, and 60 parking spaces. Projected water use will require a dedicated water mains supply to be laid by Suez Water Company.
- Dormitory buildings for xx adult students, with xx parking spaces. These plans are already approved.
- Once these complexes are in place, further development projects are expected.
Why are we objecting to these construction projects?
- This quiet, safe area with single-family homes is ill-suited to such large-scale, non-residential developments.
- Hillside Avenue passes over a single-lane bridge with a 3-ton weight limit. School buses and trucks are too heavy for this bridge. There are no sidewalks to accommodate the projected heavy foot-traffic.
- Projected traffic volumes cannot be accommodated on this narrow road and single-lane bridge.
- Upper Saddle River residents are on well water; water requirements for these multiple new buildings may cause the water table to drop precipitously.
- The area sewer system is at or beyond capacity; sewage overflows into NJ streams and waterways is a probability. Multiple prior sewage overflows occurred on nearby S Monsey Road.
- The clear-cutting of hundreds of trees has begun. This will forever change the pleasing character of the area.
- The closest fire hydrant is on Pinebrook Avenue, some distance away. Multiple fire trucks would be needed to shuttle water to Hillside in case of any fire.
- These projects continue the unfettered, ill-conceived development that has become the new normal in Ramapo County, NY.
What can you do to help?
- Sign up for email updates here: https://cuponmahwah.org/contact-us
- Attend our regular meetings. Numbers really do matter.
- Become a CUPON member, here: https://cuponmahwah.org/contact-us
- Support us with a healthy donation. All funds pay for carefully-chosen legal and engineering services.
- Volunteer your time or any specific skill you think may be helpful.
With the right level of local resident support, we believe we can halt these projects. The law is on our side.