Twp. Attorney: Farm Crest Acres lake dams will be repaired

The residents of Farm Crest Acres in Oak Ridge are the latest local lake community dwellers to address a mandate from the Dam Division of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to repair their dams.

There are two lakes owned by Farm Crest Acres Associations Inc. with 108 homes in the development.

All costs will be paid through assessments to the home owners.

Separate ordinances, addressing the Upper Crest Lake and the Lower Crest Lake separately, will have final hearings and be considered for adoption at the Sept. 14 Township of West Milford Council meeting.

The estimated cost to repair the dams is $600,000 each.

Final cost will not be determined until the repairs and renovations for both dams are complete.

Each of the ordinances authorizes a special assessment to ensure the collection and proper administration of the loans.

A number of other lake communities in the township have already had the work on their lake dams completed and the residents living there are paying an annual assessment.

Township Attorney Fred Semrau said the procedure allows the township co-signs a loan for each of the dam repair projects.

He said the Farm Crest Acres process is just like previous dam restorations.

The co-signing is directed by law and if there are defaults the property owners in the community where private lakes are located are held responsible.

“The project is for the greater good of the community,” Semrau said.

Councilwoman Ada Erik commented that Farm Crest Acres has an active club and people went out and informed everyone about was going on.

The Association has applied for long term, low interest loans for $600,000 for each of the two lakes.

When the work is completed both dams will have been brought up to standards in compliance with the New Jersey Dam Safety Standards.