By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD – The Borough Council is in support of concepts that have been put forth to redevelop and improve Freehold Borough.
On Dec. 19, council members passed a resolution accepting a report that was prepared by the Freehold Borough Community Redevelopment Committee which discusses a vision for the future of the town.
Representatives of the committee presented the report to the council on Nov. 22. They said six months were dedicated to creating the document.
According to the committee, by using the report as a foundation for future planning and development efforts, Freehold Borough would be a desirable and sought-after municipality in which to live, work and do business.
The committee listed seven values for consideration in redeveloping the borough: connectivity, culture, entrepreneurship, historic integrity, inclusivity, quality of life and sustainability.
The goals of the committee’s vision include redeveloping vacant, parking-oriented, abandoned and/or underused properties to become more productive uses; pursuing redevelopment opportunities that increase property values; accommodating safe, convenient and ample parking; encouraging transit-oriented development that will take advantage of the potential of the Freehold Borough bus station; and providing people with the lasting experience of a safe and vibrant community.
The committee said the goals of the vision report should initially be implemented in the area surrounding the bus station, which encompasses sections of Throckmorton, Broad and Main streets.
According to the committee, municipal officials have applied to the New Jersey Department of Transportation for designation as a Transit Village. The borough was awarded a federal grant from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) to fund professional services in support of the Transit Village application.
Because the NJPTA is funding professional planning and engineering services to support the Transit Village application, directing redevelopment efforts toward the area around the bus station would be beneficial to the borough because sections of the streets in the area have been characterized by neglect and underuse, according to the committee.
To move forward in implementing the vision, the committee is recommending that municipal officials continue to engage the public in planning processes, assemble a professional redevelopment team, offer public information seminars about redevelopment and the opportunities it brings, create a website to distribute information regarding ongoing development and redevelopment projects, and pursue local planning initiatives.
According to the resolution that was passed by the council, the members of the governing body concluded that after considering the report and having the opportunity to ask questions of the committee’s process and recommendations set forth, the vision report reflects a sound first step toward a collaborative, grassroots planning process designed to keep the community involved in making development decisions, as opposed to being led by or controlled by outside interests.
Council President Jaye Sims and council members Sharon Shutzer, Michael DiBenedetto, George Schnurr and Kevin Kane voted to accept the vision report. Councilman Ron Griffiths was absent.