Freehold Twp.
nears buildout
Planner details results
of study that looked at
residential construction
By linda denicola
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Concern over how the community will be developed in the future was the impetus for a study that was authorized last year and presented to the Township Committee on Aug. 26.
The conclusions drawn by the Freehold Township Residential Buildout Analysis 2003, prepared and presented by Thomas Planning Associates, L.L.C., Ocean, are that the township is currently estimated to be at 91 percent of its residential buildout capacity population.
The study also concludes that residential development planned, proposed or currently under construction accounts for 5 percent of the estimated residential buildout population, and potential development of vacant and farmland parcels for residential development account for the remaining 4 percent of the potential buildout population.
A map of the township showed how much of the community is not able to be developed because of environmental constraints, which include freshwater wetlands and designated flood plains classified by the state Department of Environ-mental Protection.
"There are lots of wetlands, especially in the south," planner Tom Thomas said. "One of the things that is startling is how little developable land there is in the township, and it is spread all over."
Other land that is unable to be developed includes non-residential zones, property owned by state, county and township, as well as land owned by school boards, condominium association owned open space and other common areas, major utility rights of way and houses of worship.
In addition, developments with preliminary or final approval, concept plans or currently under construction were removed, as were parcels that do not meet minimum zoning district lot area requirements. Also deleted from the equation are 150 state mandated affordable senior citizen housing units.
According to the study, there are currently a total of 11,370 housing units in the township, with 53 seeking final approval, 44 in the preliminary approval stage and 208 going through the concept design phase.
As reported in the 2000 U.S. census, Freehold Township’s population was 31,537. The township’s population as reported in the 1990 census was 24,710 residents. The estimated population at 100 percent residential buildout is projected to be 35,975 residents.
Committeeman David Salkin seemed pleased with the figures.
"It’s pretty good. We weren’t sure what to expect, but the 10-acre zoning in the southern part of town reduced the impact of development," he said.
Committeeman Eugene Golub added that Freehold Township is in better shape than several nearby communities that he said have not been as judicious in planning for future development.