Planning Board Committee Continues Discussion on Land Use Goals

The Planning Board’s committee designed to update the township Master Plan, a guiding document on land use and development, has met but will not make a presentation until December.

In October, to examine the current Master Plan.

The committee is made up of Chairman Steven Kennis, Mayor Gary Quinn, and board members Chris Reid and Vinnie Layton. Board Engineer Bruce Jacobs and a zoning official also sit in on meetings. Their role is to look at the township’s previous land use goals and objectives and make recommendations as they see fit.

There was no in depth discussion during the committee’s first meeting, Quinn said.

“Bruce Jacobs presented an overview of the township zone by zone, giving the committee an inside as to what he sees as problems,” he said.

The committee plans to meet again soon and will report to the Planning Board every 60 days, Quinn said.

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

Other areas the committee may explore include renewable energy, landscape and streetscaping and the property owned by Jersey Central Power & Light 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.