To the editor: The Highlands Act has established sweeping and controversial requirements and controls regarding the ownership and use of lands that have negatively impacted property value and equity. The Act has also assigned control of land planning and use to a 15 member council appointed by and responsible solely to the Governor of New Jersey. By this action the traditional municipal and personal owner control of land use has been removed (Home Rule). The principals and rights of private citizen ownership of property, upon which this country was founded, have been lost as a result of this legislation. West Milford has been preserving the Highlands through low density zoning. The remaining vacant land, was zoned R4 (one house on 4 acres). We have very little open land that can be developed because most of it is owned by the Newark Watershed and is non-buildable. We all want to continue to conserve our environment. The question is at whose cost? The Highlands Act puts the whole cost squarely on the very people and municipalities who have conserved our environment - and takes our property rights without just compensation. This is an ill conceived, unjust, law that should be repealed. Roger Vanderbeek West Milford