f016bbf42f42aebd761df2223b1634f3.jpg

CRANBURY – Committee squashes easement markings

By David Kilby, Staff Writer
   CRANBURY – The Township Committee is unanimously against permanently marking township-owned easements that lead to township-owned land but edge upon private property.
   Last year the committee formed a subcommittee to mark easements on township-owned property that lead to township-owned land. After a handful of meetings and many debates, the subcommittee suggested four different kinds of markings for the 16 different easements.
   The easements categorized as “A” easements caused controversy because a few of them in the Shadow Oaks neighborhood are right in between private homes.
   At a committee meeting in December, Jerry Hansen, who lives right along one of the easements on Washington Drive, was one of many residents who spoke out against marking them.
   In the subcommittee’s report, the suggestion was to mark A easements with a green dot and a caveat, or some minor advertisement showing where the easements were, but that was never determined.
   The subcommittee sought to make these easements more obvious because they lead to 46 acres of township-owned open space along the Millstone River.
   ”I’m not for marking the easements as described,” said Committeeman Dave Cook at the April 11 committee meeting.
   Committeeman Dan Mulligan said the easements are fine the way they are without physical markings.
   ”Putting easements between homes is not a good idea,” Committeeman Glenn Johnson said, “but there’s no other way in terms of entry points.”
   He said he’d like to see a solution that is fair to the property owners on the easements.
   ”The property was intended for recreation,” said Committeeman Jay Taylor. “That being said, the situation has changed,” he added, saying that the white pine trees originally placed to mark the easements have died.
   He said the Planning Board planted the pines a few decades ago since the board saw it as the least intrusive way to mark the easements. Now that most residents have access to the Internet though, the committee believes the least intrusive way to illustrate the easements is through an online map.Ultimately he said he is not in favor of marking the easements with a physical marking at this time.
   Mr. Cook added that the easements are indicated in the township’s Master Plan.
   ”I don’t see a need to make it more obvious than its current state,” he said.