Mo Hill’s campaign issued the following press release this morning in response to Democrat Councilwoman Laurie Huryk’s statement to Toms River Patch:

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In an interview with Toms River Patch, Democratic Councilwoman Laurie Huryk said that she was unaware that 2 acre zoning for Houses of Worship was being proposed to the Council’s Land Use Committee but that her Republican colleagues, Council President George Wittmann and Council Vice President Maurice “Mo” Hill were lying to the public when they expressed their surprise that 7 acre zoning was being proposed in a draft ordinance to change the current 10 acre limit.

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Huryk is not being truthful on both counts.

The proposed change of 10 acre zoning to 7 acres for houses of worship became a matter of public record when the Planning Board made that recommendation in the Master Plan Reexamination Report last April. However, the Township has not heard back from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding that proposed change and whether or not that would satisfy their opinion of the Township’s obligation under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).

“We can’t be negotiating against ourselves,” Hill said. “I would never vote to change the 10 acre zoning to 7 acres unless the Justice Department said that was satisfactory. I am not going to change the zoning to 7 acres and then have the DOJ come back and say you need to make it even lower. I think we got it right with 10 acres, but if making it 7 acres would prevent a lengthy and expensive court battle, the entire Council would consider it, but not without legally binding assurances from the Attorney General. Two acres goes too far. If the DOJ insists upon that, let’s go to Court and let a Judge decide after we make our arguments.

“I was shocked to see a draft ordinance on the Land Use agenda for both 7 and 2 acre zoning without any discussion or feedback from the Department of Justice.”

Hill said that since this controversy broke last week we have learned that at the May 17, 2019 meeting attended by Council members Laurie Huryk, Terrance Turnbach, Professor Marci Hamilton, Anthony Merlino, Dave Roberts and Don Guardian and members of the Orthodox community a sample ordinance from a Rockland County, New York community for 2 acre houses of worship was presented to the Council members and the Toms River staff who were present.

“It appears that the idea of 2 acres zoning for Houses of Worship originated at that May 17th meeting that only the Democratic Council members attended,” said Hill. “We’ve had numerous meetings since then, but no one, not Laurie or Terrance nor any of the staffers mentioned the two acre zoning proposal until it showed up as a draft ordinance that was mysterious leaked.

“Laurie Huryk is playing politics for her Democratic candidates for mayor and council. She needs to stop and she owes George and me an apology for her accusations.”