Land use proposal brings out preservationists
Tinton Falls council meeting packed for hearing on ordinance
Tinton Falls residents have made it clear that they’re going for the green — as in the green of open space .
The Borough Council heard the plea at a Monday night public forum. In fact, it had barely begun when Council President Luann Catlin announced to the packed-like-sardines crowd that it was the council’s intention to vote no on the ordinance intended to permit larger principal buildings on tracts in some commercial zones.
Though people seemed somewhat relieved, they still felt amply compelled to state their case against overdevelopment in Tinton Falls. The public hearing was to address a proposed change in the floor area ratios in industrial office park (IOP) zone.
Floor area ratio addresses the permitted size of a building on a lot in relationship to the total lot size. In this case, stemming from a request related to the 54-acre Laurino Farm off Sycamore Avenue and Hance Road, the council was considering an ordinance, to change the IOP floor-area ratio from 20 and 25 percent to 30 and 35 percent.
In some communities floor area ratios are 15 and 20 percent. Lower ratios are intended to lessen traffic impact from commercial developments and provide for greater buffers between business and residential zones.
One thing is certain: No matter what the space or where, lately when Tinton Falls residents hear about potential diminishing of any open space, they’re out in force. And the force is getting bigger and bolder.
Many of the same people who were at meetings regarding changing the rules for the R-1 zone, as requested by the developers of Willowbrook Farms, were there for the Laurino Farm discussion.
Of the 54 acres that comprise the Laurino Farm 36 are in the IOP zone, while 18 are in the Residential-2 (R-2) zone which permits construction of houses on lots of 30,000 square feet that can be reduced to 20,000 square feet under the borough’s cluster ordinance.
There reportedly is a developer seeking to purchase the site for an office complex that, according to Catlin, would be a "build-to-suit Lucent Technologies spin-off."
Even though the ordinance was not adopted, people fearing reintroduction with different parameters at a different time went on to plead their case.
Resident Peter Campo felt so desperate that he stood and offered a check to council for $75 to be placed in the open space fund in the name of the town’s undying "vision. This is the vision we want to have," he said. "I’m not the only one willing to consider doing this kind of thing [giving my own money]."
Campo went on to say that he felt there was strong support townwide to increase the open space tax with a new referendum. He said he felt that people were that desperate to keep the borough open, somewhat sprawling and green. "You can’t get space back once you develop it. Please protect our vision," he said. Campo’s actions and words were met with thunderous applause.
Catlin’s response to Campo was that the borough was seriously considering revisiting the referendum to increase the open space tax in town and acquire more property. The borough established the open space tax two years ago; but, many residents feel that the property the borough can afford to buy with that tax revenue is not substantial enough. Many have expressed a desire and willingness to pay extra taxes if necessary. The current open-space tax is 1.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
"We’d need seven times what we have [what the tax is now] to purchase the Laurino tract," said Councilman Peter MacLearie, who chairs the borough’s Open Space Committee.
People expressed concern that development could slip by them and be approved without notice or knowledge. Some cited the AT&T development in Middletown, saying it was a moot point to show up for public hearings, as it seemed to be a done deal. They wanted to ensure that that would not be the case in Tinton Falls.
Catlin allayed their fears, giving a blow-by-blow description of the processes involved and residents’ rights to assert themselves with regard to such issues. She even went on to suggest phone and e-mail chains, flyers and signs to ensure effective communication concerning public issues.
"I just think it’s rather odd that when a developer is looking to buy a $10 million piece of land, it takes no time for council to come up with an ordinance to accommodate his needs. Why can’t you work that hard to come up with an ordinance to accommodate our needs?" asked resident Joel Davies.
Davies did commend the council for making the right decision in not adopting the ordinance, but said that there was more work to be done to save dwindling open space in the borough