Within the next few months the final of the 11 homes purchased along Riverside Drive, as part of the flood buyout program, will be demolished. It has been an unbelievably long and trying process to get these homes closed and then the process of gaining approvals from the utility companies and contractors to remove them but we are almost there.
The next step is "Rain Gardens". This will essentially be a natural environment that will also act to absorb and maintain water without impervious coverage. This can be maintained with attractive landscape and a natural surrounding. The township can provide support through our Department of Public Works and other services but a project this big will require massive community involvement, ideally from that neighborhood.
The Denville Administration and Township Council will now begin exploring the funding of this endeavor as well as appropriate planning. Once that is complete we are hoping to have some of our volunteer organizations helping creating an attractive Riverside area that protects and preserves the neighborhood from excessive flooding.
Please consider being part of this process. I will keep you posted on the progress and needs over the next few months and look forward to working with the neighborhood again !
