By Jessica Ercolino, Staff Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD —Township Committee will no longer create two separate village neighborhood districts, as previously discussed, but are assuring Imlaystown residents that it will not change their zoning.
Public hearing on the proposed land-use ordinance amending the village neighborhood (VN) zone will continue at tonight’s (Thursday’s) Township Committee meeting.
The proposed ordinance originally expanded the types of development permitted in all areas zoned VN, but residents of the Imlaystown village protested the inclusion of their neighborhood in the ordinance due to traffic and architectural concerns. Township Committee last month proposed creating separate zones — VN-H (Hornerstown) and VN-I (Imlaystown) — to distinguish the two distinct neighborhoods.
Last week, Township Committee amended the ordinance to create the VN-H zone, but decided not to create a new zone for Imlaystown because it would be the only remaining area included in the existing VN zone.
”This is the quickest and easiest way to do this; it’s just the procedural vehicle on how we get to it,” said Township Attorney Granville Magee, citing notice and advertising cost savings. “Rather than doing it twice, we’re essentially leaving what already exists.”
Mayor Steve Alexander said the “net effect” would mean no change to the Imlaystown zoning, adding that this approach would be “more time-efficient, economically efficient and procedurally efficient.”
But Committeewoman Lori Mount said she was concerned the governing body had told residents one thing and done another.
”I hate to be the noodge in this, but when the people from Imlaystown were here last, we gave them clear indication that we would be setting up a very specific VN district for them,” she said.
Ms. Mount said she felt that establishing a specific VN-I zone would reduce the potential for future changes to the zoning. Other officials said the potential for change always exists, but that the VN zone would, for all intents and purposes, be Imlaystown zoning without the title.
”The VN zone is basically only you — Imlaystown. That’s your ordinance,” Mr. Magee said. “If you’re dying for the ‘I’, if you want to rename it, we can go through all the motions — procedures, notices, the Planning Board — (but) this is the most streamlined way to do this.”
The amended ordinance would expand permitted uses to include beauty shops, travel agencies, banks with drive-throughs and personal health facilities in the new VN-H zone. Bakeries, bed and breakfasts, health-care offices and restaurants without a drive-through would be conditional uses.

