BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – New homes will soon flank Route 526.
The township’s Planning Board unanimously approved the construction of two subdivisions totaling 54 housing units, with a surrounding bridle path for horseback riding, at its March 15 meeting.
Perl Acres North and Perl Acres South will be located on both sides of Route 526. Perl Acres North consists of just under 45 acres and will contain 11 residential lots. Perl Acres South measures approximately 158 acres and will have 43 residential lots. The Perlman family owns both properties.
Kenneth Pape, attorney for the applicant, said his clients met with township Open Space Committee Chairwoman Pat Butch and engineer Matt Shafai about creating the bridle path around the properties.
According to Pape, the 15 feet of land the Perlmans have to convey to the township for the bridle path created the need for three minor variances for three of the lots and variances for the unusual shape of the bridle path lot.
Pape said the creation of the bridle path lot causes three other lots to be slightly undersized. The application falls subject to 3-acre zoning, which the township had in effect when the application received preliminary approval in 2003.
The bridle path follows the perimeter of the property line on the Perl Acres South tract. Across the street, on Perl Acres North, the bridle path follows the property line with a goal of leading riders to the center of the stream.
The stream crossing will require the construction of a bridge, according to Pape. He said horseback riding through wetlands is a permitted activity.
David Perlman, who said his father bought the properties in 1934, said the area on Perl Acres North designated for the bridle path is in wetlands, but is high and passable. He said he hadn’t been back to the stream in a long time, and is not sure how wet that area is, but agreed to the need for a bridge.
Township Planner Richard Coppola explained that the bridle path lot would be “fee simple” to the township as opposed to an easement. An easement would not require variances, he said. However, he had concerns that a conservation easement is already in place at the proposed stream crossing.
“The board may consider getting rid of the easement or making sure the easement reads that it can be used as a bridle path,” he said.
Coppola also suggested that trees line the bridle path to help buffer and screen it from the houses in the subdivisions.
When the application was submitted, the Perlmans agreed to install sidewalks on the interior roads. At the time of preliminary approval, the Planning Board decided that it did not want the sidewalks. A straw poll of board members taken at the March 15 meeting reiterated that the board does not want the sidewalks.
Pape said the state’s Department of Community Affairs did not take a position on the sidewalk issue. The Perlmans agreed to submit a cash contribution to the township in lieu of sidewalks. The board decided that the township could use the contribution to maintain the bridle path and to build the bridge over the stream.
Board member Manny Blanco said he would like to see the 25 mph horse awareness road signs posted on Route 526 where there would be a bridle path crossing between the two subdivisions.
Butch commended the Perlmans for working with the township and dedicating the trail to the town. She noted that the application received preliminary approval prior to the township’s ordinance requiring such a bridle path.
According to Butch, the state is purchasing the property near Perl Acres South so there will be between 400 and 600 acres of open space behind that development.
“The bridle path will be a really nice connecting piece to the state land,” she said. “It will really be an asset to the town.”
Blanco thanked the Perlmans for their willingness to work with the board on the bridle path issue.
“It’s nice to see people contribute to the bridle path system,” Blanco said, adding that it helps to guarantee the presence of horses in Millstone.
David Perlman replied, “Thank you to Pat Butch for that. She’s the catalyst.”