BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP: Planning Board still reviewing Southern Gateway plans

By David Kilby, Special Writer
   BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Plans for the Southern Gateway Redevelopment project are under review by the Planning Board.
   The Southern Redevelopment Area refers to the southern portion of the Bordentown Township between routes 206, 130 and 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike.
   Since it is the first part of the township travelers see when on these highways, the municipality wants to make the area a town center.
   The Township Committee passed the plans to the Planning Board in September, but the planners didn’t have a chance to review them until Oct. 11. The Township Committee addressed the delay at its meeting Monday.
   Mayor Karl Feltes said the Planning Board wants more time to go over the plans.
   Committeeman Jim Cann was concerned there wasn’t a formal presentation of the plans and also said the board believed there were inconsistencies, such as signs.
   ”We voted and sent down a formal request for them to review (the plans),” Deputy Mayor Michael Dauber said. “In our rights as the redevelopment entity, we have the authority to proceed with it. It’s a good plan. Sometimes, the Planning Board overreaches (its) boundaries.”
   Mr. Dauber also said the board is concerned about who will pay for the new roads, adding this shouldn’t be its concern.
   The Southern Gateway Redevelopment project includes commercial development in the southern part of the township and road improvements that ideally would alleviate traffic on Farnsworth Avenue.
   For instance, the plan includes a connection between Rising Sun and Dunns Mill roads. The plan also calls for a direct connection between Interstate 295 and the truck stops along Route 206.
   Mr. Cann suggested scheduling a joint meeting between the Planning Board and the Township Committee, which is also the Redevelopment Committee.
   ”With more heads involved, we can get more done,” he said.
   Bordentown Township has six areas that have been categorized as redevelopment zones.
   In addition to the Southern Gateway, areas that have been designated as redevelopment zones are the waterfront in the southwest end of the township, Edgewood Motel on Route 206 North, the old landfill between Duns Mill Road, Route 206 and Interstate 295, the Team 85 site on Route 130 and the Goodwill and ShopRite commercial complexes in the northern end of the township.
   The Redevelopment Committee is responsible for designing the redevelopment plans for these zones, but once completed, the plans must be sent to the Planning Board for review. If the board decides the committee’s plans are inconsistent with the township’s Master Plan, the committee has to go back to the drawing board.