Planner proposes less intense land use
Community commercial sought along I-195
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD — Although two proposed land use ordinances would be inconsistent with the master plan, planner Charles Newcomb has recommended them for the Township Committee's consideration.

The Planning Board was advised by its attorney Dennis Collins at the Nov. 13 meeting that its vote on the ordinances deemed whether they are inconsistent with the master plan, and not whether Newcomb is correct in his reasoning for presenting them. The latter decision would be made by the Township Committee, he said.

Collins told the board that no one should claim a master plan is perfect, and that every possible land use scenario should be considered. He called the board's use of the word "inconsistent" unfortunate.

Mayor Steve Alexander, an attorney, said the board's vote did not accept or reject the ordinances. Both ordinances have a public hearing scheduled for the Dec. 4 Township Committee meeting.

Ordinance No. 217-08 would amend the Highway Development (HD) zone at I-195 and Old York Road. The Planning Board adopted a new land use element of the master plan on Dec. 13, 2007. At that time, Mark Remsa served as the Planning Board's and the Township Committee's planner. Remsa asked not to be considered for reappointment in 2008, and Newcomb was chosen as the new planner.

Ordinance No. 217-08 states that the planner (Newcomb) has expressed concern about the permitted uses in the HD zone and their impact on freshwater wetlands, floodplains, riparian corridors, preserved farmland and existing and proposed residential development. He recommended that the Township Committee change the HD zone at I-195 and Old York Road to a Community Commercial (CC) zone, which would provide for less intense use of the land.

Ordinance No. 218-08 would amend the HD zone along Route 537. Newcomb gave the same environmental reasons for the change to CC, and cited concerns about steep slopes along Route 537.

At the Nov. 13 meeting, Newcomb reiterated to the governing body that he did not think officials should add property to the HD zone on Old York Road.

"As you go down Old York Road, there is a change in land use from residential to non-residential," he said. "It would be going from non-residential to a very intense nonresidential use in the HD zone."

Newcomb also said there is an overabundance of non-residential development in the master plan adopted last December.

"Why this was recommended is beyond me," he said, noting that it would take a population of 20,000 to 24,000 to justify the nonresidential development presented in the plan. "What you have now is five times what you need."

The Planning Board has already approved the Piptrid residential development on Old York Road. He said it would be inappropriate to place HD zoning next to the residential development.

Newcomb said properties along the Route 537 corridor have significant environmental issues, which would prevent some of the HD zone uses from being constructed in that area. He said current zoning in Upper Freehold and neighboring Plumsted, on the southern side of Route 537, is inconsistent and that the change to CC zoning would be consistent with Plumsted.