Township Committee tables ordinance concerning zoning changes near Matrix site.
By: Cynthia Koons
WASHINGTON Several angry residents were in attendance and a larger venue was chosen for the March 27 Washington Township Committee meeting, yet the much-anticipated public hearing wasn’t necessary.
The committee tabled its hearing on the amended Planned Commercial Development ordinance, after the Planning Board sent word that substantial changes had to be made before it was sent to the public.
The amendments to the ordinance proposed zoning changes to the region of Washington Township around where Matrix Development Group is building warehouse parks.
Matrix and the Planning Board are being sued by neighboring Upper Freehold residents who say the latest warehouse park application is in violation of the existing Planned Commercial Development ordinance.
The Township Committee allowed residents a brief chance to speak on the ordinance, even though it’s still in drafting stages.
Upper Freehold Resident Robert Pinto is the head of the residents’ group that is suing to stop construction of the recently approved warehouse park.
"This is a very rural community and that’s why the 100 or so of us moved here," Mr. Pinto said in reference to the Lynwood Estates development, which is directly across the street from the proposed warehouse park.
"We’d certainly like to see all considerations taken into effect so it doesn’t turn into another Cranbury, (New Jersey Turnpike) Exit 8A," he said.
The draft of the ordinance, which the Planning Board is currently amending, modifies the ordinance to allow developers to build on plots of land that are less than 350 acres. Planning Director Bob Melvin said the modifications to the ordinance would allow for future warehousing in that region.
Mayor Doug Tindall said the ordinance would allow more individual developers to build warehousing in the region, instead of requiring the remaining lots to be brought into other developers’ plans in order to be built.
The revisions angered Upper Freehold residents, who said the current PCD zone doesn’t allow developers to build warehouses on less than 350-acre plots of land. The changes allow for anyone with as few as 20 acres to put warehouses on the land, residents said, which they fear would allow developers to divide up plots and build 100 percent warehousing on the property in question.
Upper Freehold resident Maureen Novozinsky, who has distributed literature on the subject, reminded the committee to adhere to smart growth principles and preserve the rural character of the area.
"This is something to keep in mind, that you don’t have to maximize every square inch," she said.
The Upper Freehold residents claim the township is rezoning to attract as many commercial ratables as possible, in order to offset some of the town’s debt incurred from the building of the $50 million Robbinsville High School.
Committeeman Vince Calcagno spoke to the issue of commercial ratables and their relevance to the local economy.
"The state is not giving us any money, the only way to balance that is by development," he said. "If you look at our preservation record, our open space record, it’s been substantial. We’ve done a lot in that respect."
Another concern with the amended ordinance is the change in setback standards for how close warehouses are to the curbside. The amended ordinance allows for a 150-foot setback while the ordinance that governs development bordering East Windsor adheres to a 300-foot setback, the residents’ association said.
Resident Tim Lynch, who lives across the street from where the warehousing will be built, said he hopes the 300-foot buffer is reinstated.
"When I bought this house four years ago it was explained (to me), exactly what was coming," he said. "I know someday I’ll be looking at the sun setting over a building, but I hope it’s more than 150 feet (away)."
One of his neighbors, Donna Sinkus, supported Mr. Lynch.
"That man deserves a 300-foot setback," she said.
The Planning Board has not yet scheduled a date to hear the PCD ordinance again.