By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — Two zoning ordinances that would have affected more than 80 percent of the homes in West Windsor have been broken into nine smaller measures, officials said Monday.
The two initial measures did not address the variety and character of the township’s residential developments, some of which may have been adversely affected by the original proposals, according to officials, who cited public response to the changes at earlier meetings.
”We are looking at established residential areas, who want to retain their residential character because they consider themselves unique, as they are,” said Planning Board Chairman Marvin Gardner. “We want to retain that character.”
Planning Board Attorney Gerald Muller said Planning Board members decided the original two zones would have created an environment where people could purchase adjoining lots and then subdivide them further, creating denser developments.
Also, the new zones would have likely increased the chance of construction of very large houses on some of the township’s smaller lots.
”There were too many opportunities for subdivision and larger houses,” said Mr. Muller. “Now we are fine-graining the zones, neighborhood by neighborhood.”
Mr. Muller said the new proposals have received a positive response from the public, since a presentation of the new measures held March 12.
West Windsor’s Master Plan called for the changes. It addresses the problem of non-conformity, which affects most of West Windsor’s homes.
With a non-conforming lot, homeowners considering new construction are required to go through a time-consuming and expensive process of seeking a variance before the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
With the zoning changes, many of the non-conforming lots would become conforming, giving homeowners a greater degree of flexibility in doing work on their homes, officials said.
Mr. Gardner said that the current non-conformity of many of West Windsor’s lots was creating horror stories for some homeowners.
”We have learned that someone’s house burned down, and the insurance carrier rejected their claim and refused to disburse fire insurance proceeds to the homeowner, using the basis that the home sat in a non-conforming zone,” Mr. Gardner said.
Lending institutions have apparently denied financing for some houses based upon non-conformity, Mr. Gardner said.
The problem has even affected would-be buyers of West Windsor houses who become aware of non-conformity.
”They suddenly elect not to move forward,” he said.
Planning officials said the new proposals will be presented again at the Planning Board’s May 14 meeting.
Some of the previous zoning meetings have been held at Grover Middle School, but the location of the upcoming meeting has not yet been determined.
