Jackson Leaks

02/06/2020

Jackson Township Scores Another Another Land Use Lawsuit

Another developer whose project was nixed late last year after vocal public opposition has filed suit against Jackson. The developer of Jackson Parke, El At Jackson LLC, has filed a lawsuit claiming that the denial by the planning board was arbitrary and capricious, as well as a violation of the township's affordable housing settlement.

On their faces, this suit and the Jackson Trails suit seem very different with one is in federal court and the other in state court and one focused on civil rights violations and the other on affordable housing. And maybe they are somewhat, with the Jackson Trails hearing marred by testimony containing veiled references to Orthodox Jews moving to town.

But they both stem from the same unfortunate cause: the planning board is not the place to determine if a project is good for Jackson or not. The planning board can only deny a project if it is not in line with existing laws, and both projects are targeted exactly in line with zoning changes for the township's affordable housing settlement, adopted by the council in 2017.

02/04/2020

Jackson Township Scores Another Land Use Lawsuit

Filed today in federal court, builder Jackson Trails asks for a reversal of their denied application to construct a housing development in Jackson. Given that the application was conforming with the township's land use laws and master plan and no variances were requested, as well as the lack of a clear reason for denial given by the board before voting, it seems that the builder has a fair case.

The filing also veers into general discrimination in Jackson, including the monitoring of Jewish residents by government officials as previously documented in the news and on Jackson Leaks. There's a fascinating transcript of a meeting held by the group Citizens United to Protect Our Neighborhood (CUPON) in it as well. See the document at the link below.

12/04/2019

The US Department of Justice is still requesting documents in an investigation into Jackson Township. Will the denial of an application for a house of worship that was fully compliant with Jackson's zoning laws spur them into action?

Renewed subpoena in the US Department of Justice’s continuing investigation into Jackson

10/25/2019

Is Jackson Township offering an olive branch to Agudath Israel? Or attempting to head off a pending injunction in court?

05/23/2019

While admitting that emails were deleted, attorneys for Jackson argue that this is not a reason for sanctions. Read why at the link below.

Jackson Township responds to allegations of document destruction.

05/03/2019

Legal challenge filed to new massive complex that was recently approved in Jackson.

Suit filed to halt 300-acre complex near Six Flags.

05/03/2019

Walkthrough of Jackson house covered in swastikas and hate graffiti. Was it random vandalism or a targeted attack? We thank the JPD for quickly getting on the case.

Jackson artist strikes again.

04/16/2019

Agudath Israel updated their lawsuit last night, an action the judge allowed after Jackson ignored a settlement they had agreed to in court-ordered mediation.

The new complaint names a number of individual officials as defendants and is no longer just about land use, but alleges a multiple-years-long pattern of discrimination by the township.

Read the full document at the link below.

Did Jackson try to illegally discourage Orthodox Jews from moving to town?

04/12/2019

More requests for fines against Jackson Township for deleting emails related to a pending lawsuit, this time in federal court. This motion is in addition to a similar one filed on Wednesday in state court by Oros Bais Yaakov. Click the link to see both.

More requests for fines against Jackson Township.

04/11/2019

New motion filed to fine Jackson Township and prevent destruction of evidence.

03/31/2019

Jackson Township’s document destruction has suddenly reversed itself.

03/26/2019

What is Jackson trying to get rid of?