Bonus density on the line in Upper Freehold Township
Faber says removing cluster option could foster more land preservation
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD - Township officials will discuss eliminating the 35 percent bonus density cluster option from the township's master plan on June 7.

In April, it was the consensus of the governing body that the bonus density should be removed from the master plan. Mayor Stephen Fleischacker, who serves on the Planning Board, said at that time that he would relate the Township Committee's concerns regarding the bonus density to the Planning Board. However, Fleischacker, who also sits on the Planning Board, did not attend the next two board meetings and the subject was therefore not brought up.

The cluster option has been in effect for the past four years, since the Planning Board voted to change the township's zoning from 2-acre to 3-acre lots.

The bonus density option allows developers with a minimum of 50 acres to gain a greater density of development if they cluster homes on smaller tracts while preserving the remainder of the parcel.

Since the creation of the bonus density option, several housing developments have been approved, including Galloping Hills on Emleys Hill Road, which will have 60 houses with the bonus density instead of the 45 allowed under conventional 3-acre zoning; the Taft property on Sharon Station Road, which yields 94 lots with the bonus density option instead of 70 under 3-acre zoning; and Providence Estates off Route 537, where 37 houses were built where 28 would have been permitted under conventional zoning.

Last month, the Planning Board granted preliminary approval to 39 lots for the Estates at Dreamland Farm on Burlington Path and Schoolhouse roads, where 29 houses could be built under 3-acre zoning.

At the May 31 Township Committee meeting, Committeeman Robert Faber said many residents have told him they want more land preserved in the township. He said the 35 percent bonus density works against preservation because it drives up land values, which preservation agencies do not like.

Faber asked for the matter of removing the bonus density to be placed on the Township Committee's agenda for the next meeting. Township Attorney Granville Michael Magee said that a draft ordinance to amend the master plan would have to go before the Planning Board, which would have 35 days to review it.

Committeeman Stephen Alexander said that in order to have a discussion about the matter, it is important for the committee to get data on the impact of dropping the bonus density. He also requested that Township Planner Mark Remsa attend the meeting.

Fleischacker said that information such as land and house values are listed in the township's 2006 build-out study. He said the study related that the bonus density option would yield an additional 500 houses in the township at the time of build-out.

The township has a potential for a total of 3,561 units at build-out.