David Kilby, Managing Editor
CRANBURY — After almost 50 combined years on the Cranbury Zoning Board of Adjustment, Dale Smith, former board chairman, and Frank Shea, former vice chairman, have decided to step down. Their time on the board in many ways encompassed the story of a town transitioning from one era to the next.
They are replaced by alternate members Mike Dulin and David Nissen. The board’s new chairman is Thomas Patterson and new vice chairman is Merilee Meacock.
Mr. Smith was involved in the plan to surround the original village with new residences and restrict warehouse development to the east side of Route 130.
”There were several ideas bouncing around. One was to increase the residential donut around the original village, and maintain everything as wide open space beyond that,” he said. “We didn’t accomplish exactly that but we came close,” he said.
He said this plan developed in the 1980s.
Mr. Smith joined the committee in 1980, when he had only been in Cranbury for three years.
”I thought it was a good opportunity to understand the village and help it grow in the right direction, and to utilize my experience in architecture.”
Mr. Smith, a graduate of Columbia University, was involved in the approval of a few large applications in Cranbury in recent years, including The Cranbury Inn banquet hall, The Elms nursing home, and the BuyRite liquor on Half Acre Road and Route 130.
The original proposal for The Elms was for it to be behind the post office, but the zoning board decided that the site wasn’t big enough for the proposed facility, and had it moved to Maplewood Avenue, Mr. Smith explained.
Mr. Smith and Mr. Shea were also involved in not approving a Wawa planned for the corner of Cranbury Station and Route 130, a gas station at the triangle near Half Acre Road, and a Frank’s nursery store on Route 130. The board didn’t approve these applications because the plans were inconsistent with the current zoning plan at the time, Mr. Smith said.
”It would be more likely that those could come through under the new Master Plan,” Mr. Smith said, referring to the Master Plan passed by the Planning Board in December, 2010, and by the Township Committee last year.
He explained the role of the zoning board and its relation to the Planning Board.
”The zoning board is there for when you want to build something that doesn’t meet the ordinances. The Planning Board sets the rules and we keep them,” he said.
In regards to the signage ordinance that is now being debated, he said it’s the Planning Board’s role to craft the ordinance and the zoning board’s job to enforce it.
He shared his overall opinion of his time on the board.
”I thought it was very fulfilling,” he said. “I think the board is comprised of astute, aware members that tried to look at each application in a very fair and direct way. We always tried to process the applications as expeditiously as possible so there wouldn’t be any delay for the applicants. I appreciate the fact that the Township Committee didn’t try to insert any kind of influence over the board. There wasn’t any political pressure to look at any applications in any given direction. They really let us look at things independently.”
Mr. Shea, who was on the board for almost two decades, also shared how he enjoyed being involved in the community in that way.
”From my standpoint it was fun trying to help the township,” he said. “My compliments to Dale. His leadership as chairman for such a long time is really significant. I’d like to compliment him for all the work he has done.
”It was a pleasure and hopefully I helped the township over that period of time,” Mr. Shea continued. “I like the community of Cranbury, and I wanted to help in some fashion. The township approached me many years ago and asked if I was interested. It was a fun, neat thing to get involved with. There’s a great group of people on the board now, and they’ll keep people moving forward and help the community in their land use, and make it better for everybody in the town.”
He added, “When it comes to land use in the community, the zoning board and Planning Board, through those two boards, people like Dale Smith and Tom Harvey really helped the town and put the town in a good place to be able to go forward in the future.”
