Tempers Flare as Farming Debate Continues

Neighbors interrupted each other in their bid to be heard amid allegations of coercion as the debate continued over a proposed ordinance that would allow small commercial farming in Chatham Township at the committee meeting Thursday night. 

Richard Erich Templin, the neighbor who is leading the charge against the Bucuk family’s proposed organic farm on Green Village Road, handed each of the committee members a petition signed by 55 area residents protesting the farm, which the Bucuks have maintained will be a small-scale organic vegetable farm.

Chatham Township Mayor Nicole Hagner designated a subcommittee to work with Township Attorney Carl Woodward and the county on drafting an ordinance that would "find a balance" in addressing the needs and concerns of the Green Village residents on both sides of the debate. She and Deputy Mayor Bob Gallop sit on the subcommittee.

Any family farming ordinance would need to be approved by the Chatham Township Planning Board before it could go before the Chatham Township Committee. Once the subcommittee presents their draft to the Planning Board, the board has 35 days to review it and can take time to make any changes they feel are necessary. After the board gives the draft ordinance back to the subcommittee, it must pass a first and second reading before it goes into effect.

“We want the committee to vote against this ordinance,” Templin said. “We support our zoning ordinances as they exist now. Farming is an environmentally unfriendly use of the land. The goal here puts profits over people.”

Thomas and Debra Bucuk purchased property at 461 Green Village Rd. in 2010. Their son Michael wants to run a farm. He studied at Rutgers and hopes to turn the property into an organic farm. They hope to sell their produce at the Chatham Farmer's Market eventually.

Mike Bucuk told the committee they should look closely at the petition, because some of the neighbors told him that Templin had come to their homes, sat down inside to talk with them about it, but then refused to leave unless they signed the petition.

“They were basically coerced into signing that,” Bucuk said.

Neighbors also allege that the Bucuks have been operating a landscaping business from the property, which is currently zoned as a residential area.

Neighbor Vincent Ciallella said as recently as last Sunday there were pickup trucks with the landscaping business logo on them coming out of the Bucuks’ driveway at 5 p.m. He said a person of “another race” was driving one of the truck, clarifying that he meant it was definitely not one of the Bucuks.

“We have three pickup trucks – my dad has one, my mom has one and I have one,” Mike Bucuk said. “They are our personal vehicles. If I let someone ‘of another race’ drive my vehicle, I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

Ciallella said when he moved in 15 years ago, it was with the belief that the area was residential.

“If it was for farming, we wouldn’t be here today,” he said. “The assertion that there are no continued violations there is absurd. I see what’s going on every time I drive by.”

Neighbor Nick Depirro said that although the opposition to the project is being characterized as opposition to farming, locally grown food and “a young person’s dreams,” it’s simply about local zoning laws not being followed on the property.

“There’s no reason to believe that a new ordinance would even be followed out there,” Depirro said. “The local media has reported that there have been citations issued for two zoning violations already. Their property is not surrounded by farms, it’s surrounded by houses.”

Depirro said that he too has seen landscaping trucks driving off and on the Bucuks’ property.

Woodward confirmed that the township zoning officer did issue citations to the Bucuks, but that it was his understanding that any business being operated from the property had been eliminated. The temporary greenhouse that is there does not have a foundation and therefore does not need a permit unless it has electricity to it. Neighbors protested that it does have electric, and Woodward said in that case it is in violation and needs a permit.

Dan Miller, who owns and farms two tracts of land nearby, said his property has been intended for farming since it was first deeded to his family in the 1700s.

“I have been subjected to a tremendous amount of untrue statements, police coming to my house for no reason, neighbors pointing and ranting and raving,” Miller said. “They have the right to do that, but I also have rights. I own the property. I pay taxes on that property. I have kept in in pastoral view shape, on my own. I do believe I should have the right to plow up two or three out of the four acres that sit over 100 yards off the road and borders open land on the other side.”

Miller said once or twice a week, he should be able to take the produce he has grown and sell it at a farmers’ market offsite.

“That hurts no one,” he said. “It’s a good and proper use of my property. It is my passion, it is what I’ve wanted to do for many years.”

Templin called out from the audience to ask if Miller actually lives on the property, prompting Woodward to say that Templin was out of order. Another comment from Debra Bucuk prompted the same admonishment from Woodward, and Hagner repeatedly reminded the speakers to face the committee when they were talking, not each other.

“I have spent 90 percent of every day of my life on that property,” Miller said. “I should be able to use it as I see fit. I think I’m doing the community a service by not letting it be developed. I have no intention of doing anything invasive to the community, there is no endangerment to anybody.

"The farm equipment I have is mine and my property is not accessible to others unless they are trespassing. My mother also farmed that property, as did my grandparents. It is what that property has been intended for since the 1700s when it was deeded to my family,” Miller said.

Hagner thanked everyone for their comments.

“The committee hasn’t introduced or gotten to the point of approving anything,” she said. “We want to see if it is something that would work, and the committee feels is appropriate, but we are not at that point yet.”

She said there will be ample opportunity for more public comment on the issue before the ordinance is ready for a vote. Committee Member Kevin Tubbs said the township environmental committee, to which he is the liaison, would also like the comment on the proposed ordinance.

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