Bordentown Township’s Foster spearheads task force
Susan Van Dongen
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Mayor Joseph Foster Jr. is spearheading a task force to promote economic development here, and aims to put together a committee culled from the township’s sizable business community to act as a liaison between businesses and residents.
“It’s been our intent for several years, to encourage local business development, but to also solidify the relationship between our businesses and residents,” Mayor Foster said. “We want to encourage commercial development because this is one of the things that helps keep our taxes down.”
Mayor Foster said he is working with Committeewoman Pauline DeAngelo, and looking at a convenient time in April to have a meeting with the whole business community and appoint a panel of about six or seven individuals.
The mayor said the task force already has about three or four individuals in mind.
The township specifically is hoping to develop its southern end along Route 130, much of which is zoned commercial but is underdeveloped because of the lack of links to sewer and water.
“It’s mostly raw land down there now,” said Mayor Foster. “It’s difficult to get land developed without utilities.”
Types of businesses on the township’s wish list include warehousing, office complexes, retail and some light industry, but nothing traditionally associated with heavy industry or manufacturing.
“Under our new zoning laws we’ve eliminated any manufacturing,” said the mayor. “We’re not encouraging this.”
Mayor Foster said he hoped this would all be accomplished with minimal impact on residents, adding that many people live near or adjacent to commercial property, especially along the highways.
“We need to try and have a dialogue between our businesses and our residents,” he said. “We want them to understand each other.”
The idea for an economic development panel was raised a couple years ago. However, certain issues with the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) needed to be resolved before development plans could proceed.
“Our obligations with COAH weren’t resolved until late last year, but now that they have been resolved we’ll be moving forward,” said Mayor Foster. “The timing is right to do this.”