Four areas of township affected
By: Emily Craighead
WEST WINDSOR Significant zoning changes may be in store for four areas of the township following a public hearing Wednesday by the township Planning Board.
The changes, which decrease the density of development allowed while allowing more opportunities for office uses, would affect areas near Route 571 at Old Trenton Road, Village Road West east of Quaker Bridge Road, Rabbit Hill Road at Route 571 and Alexander Road at Old Bear Brook Road.
The purpose is "to make some language more realistic in terms of existing conditions in zone areas that the Master Plan addressed," Planning Board Chairman Marvin Gardner said.
The 2002 Master Plan land-use element includes these guidelines, but implementing the changes requires Planning Board and Township Council approval of ordinances. A vote on the ordinances is expected in June, Mr. Gardner said.
Research and office uses would be allowed in the area along Route 571 near Old Trenton Road and the border with East Windsor. Previous zoning called for research, office and limited manufacturing. Changes include eliminating the option to build a warehouse and encouraging planned development by allowing "restaurants physically attached to and part of other buildings and accessible to retail businesses and personal services would be permitted in a planned development," Mr. Gardner said.
The floor-area ratio for the zone was reduced from .40 to .18 for a development of 25 acres or more, to protect environmentally sensitive areas.
The area near Village Road West east of Quakerbridge Road would be changed from low-density residential to professional office/low-density residential. Under this zoning, homes may be converted to office space, but they could not be demolished to build an office building. A limitation to development there is that houses are not hooked into the township sewer system.
Increasing amounts of traffic in the area prompted these changes, but Mr. Gardner said he is concerned about the impact on the quality of life of residents who choose not to convert their houses to offices.
"It’s still an open issue," he said.
Zoning changes to the southeast corner of the intersection of Rabbit Hill Road and Route 571 would allow existing residences to be converted to offices for professional and medical uses. Any enlargement or new construction would require a lot size of at least 1.15 acres. The ability to build assisted living or nursing homes would be eliminated.
"The objective is to recognize changing character of this location and provide reasonable redevelopment options for the area," Mr. Gardner said.
Between Alexander Road and Old Bear Brook, the ordinance would decrease the lot size required in order to enlarge an existing building from 1.15 acres to 0.74 acres. Maximum floor-area ratio would also be reduced from .30 to .10. Existing residential structures could be converted to 100 percent office space, provided there is adequate parking, setbacks and buffers.
"This seems to be the direction that area is going," Mr. Gardner said.
Residents living in areas affected by the proposed changes will receive notification from the township before the ordinances are put to a vote in June.