2008 Woodie Awards
Plan to develop Country Club Estates meets resistance, confusion
by Rachel Alper
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: News
Newark's Planning Commission voted 6 to 1 on Nov. 6 to pass the Country Club Estates initiative to City Council. The new complex will house 271 new houses over 120 acres of land.
The Aston Development Group is planning to make the new homes a subdivision of the 86-year-old golf and country club. The developer received the land from a swap deal which means the country club will move to Cecil County, Md. These plans have been discussed for years, but did not come before the planning commission until this past month.
Newark Mayor Vance A. Funk III said the plan for the complex still needs to go before the City Council. However, he said that would not happen for a few months. Despite the fact the proposal has not gone before the City Council yet, he said the city solicitor is aggressively pursuing the project.
"The city solicitor has made it clear they have a legal right to do it and we have no legal right to stop them," Funk said.
He said Roy Lopata, Newark planning commissioner, did not appear content with the idea of the complex. Lopata would not answer questions regarding the situation.
Planning Commission Chairman Jim Bowman said that nothing had changed in the planning commission's decision but said they asked the developer to change the plan.
"The Planning Commission has not changed what happened," Bowman said. "The project was forwarded to City Council for their consideration. The issue was the developer was repeatedly asked to submit plans that helped the natural features of land."
Funk and Bowman said residents were unhappy with the project's lack of creativity, the way it was handled and the number of houses it will bring to the city.
Newark resident Jonathan Russ, a professor of history at the university, said he was upset with the building because it would use the last open land in the area.
"I think in general it could be fine," Russ said. "It's a 120-acre parcel of land and it's really the last untouched parcel in town. If the state, county or city can't buy it, then clearly it's going to be developed."
The Aston Development Group is planning to make the new homes a subdivision of the 86-year-old golf and country club. The developer received the land from a swap deal which means the country club will move to Cecil County, Md. These plans have been discussed for years, but did not come before the planning commission until this past month.
Newark Mayor Vance A. Funk III said the plan for the complex still needs to go before the City Council. However, he said that would not happen for a few months. Despite the fact the proposal has not gone before the City Council yet, he said the city solicitor is aggressively pursuing the project.
"The city solicitor has made it clear they have a legal right to do it and we have no legal right to stop them," Funk said.
He said Roy Lopata, Newark planning commissioner, did not appear content with the idea of the complex. Lopata would not answer questions regarding the situation.
Planning Commission Chairman Jim Bowman said that nothing had changed in the planning commission's decision but said they asked the developer to change the plan.
"The Planning Commission has not changed what happened," Bowman said. "The project was forwarded to City Council for their consideration. The issue was the developer was repeatedly asked to submit plans that helped the natural features of land."
Funk and Bowman said residents were unhappy with the project's lack of creativity, the way it was handled and the number of houses it will bring to the city.
Newark resident Jonathan Russ, a professor of history at the university, said he was upset with the building because it would use the last open land in the area.
"I think in general it could be fine," Russ said. "It's a 120-acre parcel of land and it's really the last untouched parcel in town. If the state, county or city can't buy it, then clearly it's going to be developed."
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