Committee Developed to Examine Township Master Plan

The Planning Board developed a committee to , a guiding document on land use and development. 

“They would look at the goals and objectives that were previously approved as part of the Master Plan and look at the underlying philosophies, assumptions that were made at that time, and see whether they still apply today or if they want to change any of that,” Board Engineer Bruce Jacobs said.

The committee will be made up of Chairman Steven Kennis, Mayor Gary Quinn, and board members Chris Reid and Vinnie Layton. Jacobs and a zoning official would also sit in on meetings.

The elements that will be looked at include land use, housing circulation, utilities, renewable energy, community facilities, recreation, conservation, farmland preservation, business and the historic district.

The township is made up of an industrial section by Oyster Creek Generating Station, a business sector, residential areas surrounding the majority of the land east of the parkway and two major corridors, Jacobs said. The board needs to determine whether the uses in those particular zones have to be modified or amended.

With OmniWind Energy Systems approaching the zoning board to in the parking lot and Greenskies Renewable Energy LLC looking to install solar panels on the roof of the store, renewable energy is an area the board may want to develop, Jacobs said.

“For everyone on the board, I think everybody should really dig into what we have and what we would like to see change,” Quinn said.

Since the Master Plan has not been updated in 15 years, applicants are approaching the township with a growing number of waivers and variances and boards have to reconsider ordinances because the plan is outdated, he said.

“We have to take and tighten up the zoning ordinances and really modify what’s permitted in what zone because it’s becoming a major problem,” Quinn said.

Board Attorney Joseph Coronato recommended that the board look at certain definitions described in the Master Plan including clubs and fitness centers.

At the Planning Board meeting, a representative from Retro Fitness approached the board. The fitness center will open at 138 South Main Street in Forked River but was approved with only 49 parking spaces.

Many gyms today open with health centers and a place to get a nutritional beverage, Coronato said.

“That will drive your parking…This always kind of morphs out. Society changes a bit,” Coronato said.

Coronato also advised the board to consider requiring businesses to use monument signs instead of freestanding signs and to have a planner or a landscape architect sit in on meetings with the committee.

The board may want to consider changing the landscaping and streetscaping with a common scheme.

“There are certain roads that are the gateway to your town…You don’t want it to look like it’s cold and barren. You want to have some sort of character with more of a hometown look,” Coronato said. “This gives you the opportunity when you’re reviewing your Master Plan to take a look at that and sort of make recommendations.”

One option is for the township to require applicants to put money towards sidewalk and cub funds, Coronato said. The township could use the funds to put sidewalks by the schools or parks. This has been done in Toms River, Brick and Jackson, he said.

“It’s a little difficult because the town’s somewhat developed already but of course you have to start someplace,” he said.

The township should not burden businesses but such funds provide relief for the township, as they would be using taxpayer’s resources, Coronato said.

Lanoka Harbor resident Tim O’Connor agreed with Coronato that a landscape architect is a necessary proponent in updating the Master Plan.

“A landscape architect is the biggest missing ingredient in our master plan right now,” he said. “What do you want Lacey Township to look like? That’s what’s causing all these variances and waivers because we haven’t clearly delineated what we want to do.”

“It might take 50 years to perfect the vision you’re creating in this master plan,” O’Connor said. “Our Master Plan really needs some major, major work. The quantity of variances and waivers that comes with ever application is just way too much.”

Another priority is the property owned by Jersey Central behind Oyster Creek Generating Station. The current Master Plan does not encompass that property, Committeeman David Most previously said.

The township is seeking to on that property once but currently, it is not zoned for that purpose, Quinn said.

Once the property is zoned properly, the township can begin the permit process with the Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies, Most said.

Charles Wood, a member of the Planning Board, encouraged the committee to meet within the next two weeks. The committee will make periodic presentations to the board.

“We might as well get cracking on this,” Wood said.