September 3, 2008 (Harrison, NJ)  At the end of August 2008, the Red Bulls held a ceremonial laying of the first beam on the Red Bulls Stadium site  in Harrison.  The Star Ledger ran an article entitled Soccer Team takes a Step Towards its Goal by Maura McDermott. At yesterday's council meeting, a resolution was passed for an operating agreement between the Town of Harrison and the owners of the Red Bulls.  Attached to the town's resolution was a detailed planning board resolution which revealed some interesting facts about the redesigned Red Bull's stadium.

It is clear that despite the Red Bulls moving forward with the stadium a challenge by its neighbor Lester M. Entin Associates (Entin) may derail the project.  Entin has raised several issues which challenge the stadium.  Among those issues are the following:

That off-tract parking facilities approved for use by Stadium patrons were allegedly "unaccounted for."

That the approved plans for off-tract parking constituted nothing but a promise.

That, by approving the off-tract parking plan, the Board was "forcing blighted areas designed for redevelopment to remain 'as is'.

That, by approving a plan for off-tract parking for Stadium use outside the Stadium District, the Board effectively granted a use variance.

That the Board improperly excluded evidence that the Stadium will allegedly be unsafe because it is too close to a Public Service Electric & Gas Company ("PSE&G") gas storage facility.

That the Board improperly excluded evidence as to whether the interior of the Stadium complies with the Uniform Construction Code ("UCC").

The Harrison Planning Board dismisses the challenges but it is unclear whether a Superior Court judge will likewise dismiss them.

The Harrison Planning Board resolution makes for interesting reading.  The two major issues raised by Entin is that if the taking by eminent domain of the Adler and Amaral properties is overturned by Judge Maurice Gallipoli because the town fails to prove the area was blighted, the planned parking garage to be utilized by the Red Bulls will not be built. In addition, and more troubling that trying to find a parking spot during a soccer game is that the stadium is located next to a PSEG natural gas facility which poses a high security risk to stadium attendees.

The DeRose/ Adler/ Amaral trial is scheduled to start next week before Judge Gallipoli.  At issue is whether the Town of Harrison's Redevelopment Agency can prove that the properties taken by eminent domain were blighted. 

A trivia question:  How many parking spaces are the Red Bulls providing next to their stadium?  The answer is in the Harrison Planning Board resolution.  You will be surprised on how little on site parking there will be.