Decision was result
of legal action; town
gets land for park
East Freehold tract
Decision was result
of legal action; town
gets land for park
By linda denicola
Staff Writer
After a contentious hearing on plans for a large East Freehold Road subdivision, the residential development was granted approval by the Freehold Township Planning Board on July 17.
According to Guy Leighton, assistant township planner, there was a tremendous public outcry with more people attending the hearing than the meeting room could hold.
"There were lots of unhappy people," he said.
The residents came from the area around the proposed development that is to be called Freehold Pointe. It will contain 165 homes with a minimum lot size of 25,000 square feet (slightly larger than a half-acre), although Leighton said many of the lots will be larger than the minimum size permitted.
The contract purchaser of the 161-acre property, Calton Homes, a subsidiary of Centex Homes, LLC, Manalapan, plans to leave seven lots for open space on the property at East Freehold and Kozloski roads. The firm was also seeking approval for a second section which would contain 69 lots for homes and three lots for detention basins in the Lake Topa-nemus watershed zone.
Section two lies primarily to the north of East Freehold Road but also includes the southeast corner of Route 79 at the intersection with East Freehold Road. The area is bounded to the north by the Saxon Estates and Four Maples developments and to the east by a railroad right of way that is being developed by the Monmouth County Park System into an extension of the Henry Hudson Trail.
According to Leighton, a 22,495-square-foot parcel adjacent to the East Freehold Fire Company, Dutch Lane Road, is to be dedicated to the volunteer fire company. In addition, the steep slopes and wetlands along streams will be included in open space land dedicated to the township with 15 acres (8 percent) of the property left in its natural state.
Leighton said most of the residents who attended the hearing were concerned about traffic and speeding on East Freehold Road and a bicycle path that will connect to the Henry Hudson Trail Extension. They were also concerned that the new Opatut Park will bring more people into the area, Leighton said.
The township is developing Opatut Park at the corner of East Freehold Road and Route 79.
Leighton explained that the vacant land at the intersection of East Freehold Road and Route 79 consists of approximately 317 acres and has been known as the Opatut Tract or "Four Corners." It has been the subject of various proposals over the years. In 1997, the property was rezoned from R-40 (1-acre residential) to R-80 (2-acre residential) and R-120 (3-acre residential) as part of the creation of the Lake Topanemus Watershed Conservation District.
Shortly thereafter, the zoning was challenged by the Opatut family and the resulting settlement provided the township with 136 acres at the southwest corner of the intersection to be dedicated as Opatut Park, while providing a rezoning of the remaining land to LTW-40, which provides for a maximum number of 165 buildings lots.
Mayor Raymond Kershaw explained that the subdivision could have been larger if the township had not tried to rezone the property.
"Back in the 1980s, the property was zoned for 1,100 homes. It was rezoned for 2 and 3 acres. That would have allowed the developer to build 120 homes. He took us to court. The settlement for the four corners of Route 79 and East Freehold Road was for 130 acres of open space which means he can only build on three corners, on 190 acres, instead of 320," Kershaw said.
Deputy Mayor Anthony Ammiano, who was also at the hearing, said, "Residents voiced their concerns and we paid attention. We’ve taken steps to correct the problem of speeding and traffic on East Freehold Road. We’re being proactive with new ‘Watch Children’ signs and we’re looking into whether we can ban tractor trailers from using East Freehold Road. We’re also going to post more 40 mph speed limit signs."
Ammiano said officials are also going to petition the state Department of Transportation to install a traffic light at the intersection of Robertsville and East Freehold roads.
As for the bike path, the county requested that the developer of Freehold Pointe provide access to the Henry Hudson Trail Extension along East Freehold Road. Leighton said there was one man at the meeting, a bicycle trail advocate, who wanted a 10-foot wide trail. Leighton said the applicant agreed to build a 6-foot wide blacktop path that will connect with the trails in Opatut Park and the Henry Hudson Trail Extension.
"This path has to go in front of four existing homes. That’s one of the reasons it has to be narrower. There are also environmental concerns," he said.
In addition, during the Planning Board hearing the developer agreed to plant berms, with trees and shrubs, along busy streets. The developer will also improve the storm drainage system along the Henry Hudson Trail Extension, Leighton said.