WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange has issued 246 summonses to the new owners of a shuttered wedding venue after they allegedly cut down trees on the property in violation of town regulations.
The township has also issued 246 summonses to the tree removal company that performed the work at the site of The Manor, as well as an extra summons for failing to register with the township, a spokesperson told Patch.
The town council recently passed a local ordinance that regulates the removal and replacement of trees in West Orange. Among other rules, the law requires that residents – and developers – get a permit from the township forester for every tree they cut down. Each tree chopped down in violation of the law constitutes a separate offense.
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That apparently wasn’t the case at the former site of The Manor on Prospect Avenue, according to Joyce Rudin, a board member at Our Green West Orange. See Related: Trees Allegedly Cut Down Without Permit At Former Site Of Wedding Venue
The property – which was once home to one of the hottest wedding venues in North Jersey – is undergoing a renovation under new ownership, with plans to once again host weddings and other events at the site. See Related: Popular West Orange Wedding Spot May Be Reborn After Closing Last Year
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Several community members said they were excited to hear the news in a social media post. “So happy to hear that beautiful building will come alive again,” one reader commented. “What wonderful news – Good luck!” another person wrote.
Other West Orange residents have been giving the project more scrutiny, however.
Rudin, who is one of several candidates running for township council this November, has been documenting the situation on the advocacy group’s website. On Aug. 21, she posted a photo of a row of tree stumps at the property.
According to Rudin, trees were removed from the Prospect Avenue entrance all the way down to the main building and around the entire perimeter. Rudin pointed out that the town’s new rules include a maximum fine of $2,000 for each tree cut down without a permit – plus mandated tree replacements.
On Aug. 27, Rudin posted an update on the situation, reporting that municipal authorities had been contacted about the trees, and the town forester responded to the property to document any possible losses. The forester counted 247 stumps at the property.
Rudin noted that neighbors who live near the area have since received a certified letter that says an application for a Tree Removal and Replacement permit has been submitted to the township.
West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney previously told Patch that town administrators were reviewing the situation and have been in contact with the new owners of the property.
A township spokesperson provided the following update on Monday:
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“The number of trees alleged to have been illegally removed from the property at 111 Prospect Avenue was 246. The sizes ranged from four inches to 28 inches in diameter and all the tree stumps were subsequently tagged with an identifying number and photographed for evidentiary purposes. Charges have been filed in West Orange Municipal Court against both the property owners and the tree company for unauthorized tree removal without the proper and necessary permits. This has resulted in each receiving 246 summonses and one additional summons to the tree company for failing to register with the township.”
He continued:
“The West Orange zoning official and forester have been in contact with the property owners and are in receipt of updated landscaping plans from a local engineering firm in advance of the full site plan. The township has authorized a very limited planting consistent with the submitted landscape plan which if not undertaken would have resulted in the certain demise of approximately 80 trees which had been previously delivered by a tree farm and were already on site. The alleged violations of the tree ordinance will be adjudicated in municipal court. The eventual outcome of this matter will be determined by due process and any fines levied that are found to be in violation of the tree ordinance will be determined by the municipal judge. All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
The West Orange Township Tree Ordinance can be viewed below or read online here.
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