NJDEP Deficiency Findings for Hopewell 57
The permitting process exists for a reason. Before a development project can be approved, regulators, engineers, and the public must be able to determine that it complies with applicable environmental and stormwater management standards.
As of today, that determination for Hopewell 57 has not been made.
NJDEP has identified fourteen deficiencies in the Hopewell 57 permit application. The developer has responded to only three of those items, leaving eleven still outstanding. At the local level, the Borough's own consulting engineer identified twenty-five additional stormwater comments and requested substantial additional information before she could complete her review.
These are not minor administrative matters. They include questions regarding flood hazard impacts, stormwater system capacity, drainage routing, groundwater conditions, environmental permitting, and whether floodwaters may backflow into proposed stormwater management facilities.
Hopewell Borough's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan requires that major developments be reviewed for compliance with water quality, water quantity, groundwater recharge, and stormwater management standards before approval is granted. The Planning Board cannot make those findings if critical questions remain unanswered.
The Hopewell Community Alliance believes the Board should fully consider both the NJDEP deficiency letter and the Borough engineer's May 20, 2026 review memorandum, including expert cross examination and public comment, before taking action on this application. If the outstanding deficiencies cannot be resolved and demonstrated to comply with applicable standards, the application should be denied. At a minimum, any vote should be deferred until the applicant has responded to all deficiencies and both NJDEP and the Borough's engineering professionals have had the opportunity to complete their review.
The question before the Board is not whether the project may eventually satisfy these requirements. The question is whether the record before the Board demonstrates compliance today.
Based on the findings of NJDEP and the Borough's own engineer, the application as it stands does not demonstrate compliance.