Resident hopes Upper Freehold will renew try for 6-acre zoning I left the Nov. 4 Upper Freehold Township Committee meeting a bit disappointed on one hand and cautiously optimistic on the other. The residential 6-acre minimum zoning ordinance was to be presented and voted upon at this meeting. This ordinance was the culmination of many months of work that started with a resolution offered by Committeeman Steve Alexander. When the ordinance was presented and the committeemen were asked for comments, Committeeman Alexander took the microphone and withdrew the ordinance from consideration. Prior to the Nov. 2 election, the ordinance would have passed by a 3 to 2 vote, but it quickly became obvious that the outcome of the elections had altered this decision. This is where the disappointment started. The 6-acre resolution has been the only recent method offered that would help control growth in our township. Most township residents know that with very limited tax dollars coming in from commercial development, and with the current rate of residential growth, the eventual tax burden on many citizens will be unbearable. During the public portion of the meeting, some people thanked Steve Alexander for taking the 6-acre minimum ordinance off the table. One person said it was the honorable thing to do in light of the elections. I saw it a little differently. I would like to thank Mr. Alexander, however, not for taking the ordinance off the table, but more importantly, for putting it there in the first place. His resolution has kept smart growth and township planning on the table and a priority issue for the Township Committee. This is where the cautious optimism starts. Although no specific plans were mentioned at the meeting, other committeemen did offer their commitment to the zoning issue in the new year. If, however, there is not a renewed effort to solve our growth issues soon, then I fear that inaction will give the appearance of stalling for personal political agendas. Vince Gelsomino Upper Freehold Township