U.F. allots $300,000 for land use planning Next master plan meeting scheduled for Jan. 23 BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer "We need to keep developers out. We shouldn't be worried about Princeton Nurseries' equity." - Marc Covitz resident UPPER FREEHOLD - The township has authorized spending $300,000 on the preparation and revision of its master plan. Although the vote to allot the emergency appropriation was unanimous at the Township Committee's Nov. 28 meeting, Committeeman Stephen Alexander said his vote should not be construed as his being in favor of proposed Office of Smart Growth (OSG) planning. "But," Alexander said, "we need to plan." The ordinance regarding the funding states that the township has found it necessary to make the special emergency appropriation to meet planning, legal, engineering and other expenses related to Planning Board and Township Committee actions. When asked how much the township has already spent on revising the master plan, the township's chief financial officer, Dianne Kelly, said that preliminary work has so far amounted to approximately $5,000. With regard to the special appropriation, Mayor Stephen Fleischacker said the township would appropriate $60,000 annually over the next five years. He announced that the township had received a $45,000 Smart Future Planning Grant from New Jersey Future, whose primary goal is to advance Smart Growth. According to Fleischacker, the OSG has recognized that the township's planning is consistent with the State Development and Redevelopment Plan (SDRP), and that more money for planning may be acquired. The township has also received a $7,000 matching grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) to analyze its septic capacity and groundwater supply. "It puts certification that we are going in the right direction for the proper planning of the community," Fleischacker said. The emergency appropriation ordinance also addresses contemplated actions as to the preparation of and revision to the master plan and to obtaining plan endorsement from the state of New Jersey. The master plan would incorporate New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law and the state Department of Community Affairs OSG requirements. The ordinance states that the fundamental goals of the land use element of the township's master plan include maintaining the rural and country atmosphere that prevails throughout the township; preserving farmland to the maximum extent possible in a manner that is achievable and equitable to the farmer; providing sufficient open space and appropriate facilities for a variety of passive and active recreational needs; preventing the homogenous spread of suburban-type development throughout town; and considering a responsible approach to addressing the mandate of the Mount Laurel II New Jersey Supreme Court decision, as well as the requirements of the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing (COAH). The Planning Board has been working on revising the township's master plan since early 2005. At the Oct. 12 Planning Board meeting, Township Planner Mark Remsa proposed revisions to the plan that would change the township's current 3-acre zoning to 6-acre zoning. Remsa also said the township should increase the few areas in town with 5-acre zoning to 10-acre zoning. In addition, Remsa recommended revising the master plan for the transfer of potential development densities in rural areas of Upper Freehold to places in the township that are more suitable for development. He said the township must create an economic incentive to encourage landowners to opt for these density transfers, and proposed reducing the township's base zoning as that incentive. Alexander said he is concerned that the township still does not have anything in writing after Remsa's Oct. 12 recommendations. "Is Smart Growth the way to go for this town in the future?" he asked. "Village centers, town centers - whatever you want to call them," Alexander continued, "is this what Upper Freehold wants to look like and spend money on?" Alexander said that before the establishment of the OSG a few years ago, the township seemed to be comfortable with the SDRP. "Now, with OSG, we have to do things their way," Alexander said. "In my opinion, it takes home rule away from municipalities." During the public hearing on the emergency appropriation ordinance, former Mayor Bob Abrams spoke against the appropriation. He said that the village centers Remsa has proposed for the community would not maintain the township's rural and country atmosphere. "Why can't you maintain the status quo?" he asked. Abrams accused Fleischacker of "building a kingdom" with the proposed master plan changes. "You're worried about equity for farmers," Abrams said. "[But] how about equity for me? I've lived here 40 years." Abrams said Remsa and Fleischacker have stated that the township would pay farmers a premium so landowners get full equity for preservation. "What other deals are going on in the township?" he asked. Resident Marc Covitz said there is still no definition of how much growth the township can anticipate under the proposed plan. "We need to put a cap on it somewhere," he said. "How many homes are we talking about? I could live with 500, but can't live with 2,000 to 3,000 more homes." Covitz added, "We need to keep developers out. We shouldn't be worried about Princeton Nurseries' equity." Princeton Nurseries is the largest landowner in the township. Covitz continued, "You should be worried about the majority of residents in this town and their quality of life." Fleischacker said the master plan revisions are not just decisions made by professionals, but rather a process involving the whole community. "It's not an edict of the state telling us what to do," he said, "but a lot of sense in that type of development because the alternative is worse. "I wouldn't want to be in the position of just following somebody's model," Fleischacker added. The master plan discussion will continue at 7 p.m. at the Jan. 23 Planning Board meeting.