17:26The agenda’s centerpiece was the contentious review of Ordinance 2567. The ordinance aims to revise the Bernards Township code concerning permitted uses, particularly in the E2 and E4 office zones. This prompted a detailed examination of its consistency with the township’s master plan, a necessary step for any ordinance to ensure it aligns with long-term planning goals. Elizabeth McManus, a planning expert, had previously distributed a memo on December 2, 2024, which was central to the board’s deliberations. The memo assessed the ordinance’s alignment with the master plan.

27:59Representing Signature Acquisitions, attorney Mr. Laughlin contested McManus’s findings in a letter dated December 3, 2024. Laughlin argued that the ordinance failed to provide adequate space for various uses as outlined in the master plan, potentially limiting industrial developments. His concerns underscored the ordinance’s potential impact on local land use and development, emphasizing the need for a thorough board review. The attorney’s critique further complicated the board’s task, as two members recused themselves from the discussion.

30:42The board engaged in a comprehensive dialogue to dissect the ordinance’s implications, with planning expert Mr. SCH summarizing McManus’s memo. He characterized certain ordinance amendments as necessary housekeeping measures, aligning zoning language with existing frameworks. However, the intricacies of the ordinance’s potential inconsistencies with the master plan’s specific aspects remained a point of contention. Mr. SCH maintained that, despite disagreements, the ordinance was overall consistent with the updated 2023 master plan.

During the review, board members scrutinized various sections cited by McManus to support her consistency claim. This detailed examination highlighted the procedural limitations on public comments, stressing the importance of considering all perspectives. The board acknowledged the need to balance the ordinance’s intent against zoning and land use implications, weighing Mr. Laughlin’s concerns about the ordinance’s support for diverse uses in Bernards Township.

31:57In addition to the ordinance discussion, the board addressed Fellowship Village’s request for an extension of time to complete site plan revisions. This extension pertained to the application PB 22-5, which involves staff housing at 8,000 Fellowship Road and Allen Road. The board agreed to extend the deadline to December 31, 2025, for site plan submissions, with the corresponding construction permit deadline set for June 30, 2026. This decision was made to allow sufficient time for resolving landscaping and tree replacement elements, contingent on a landscape buffer plan from another application.

46:38The meeting also revisited the annual parking report requirements for Fellowship Village, tied to a previous resolution granting site plan approval. The board emphasized the need for a comprehensive annual parking demand study by an independent professional. This study aims to assess peak parking demands across various locations at Fellowship Village.

Fellowship Village’s previous parking reports were scrutinized for data collection methods and reporting accuracy. Discrepancies in reported parking capacities prompted calls for clarification. The board agreed to receive one comprehensive parking report by June 30, 2024, conducted by an independent traffic consulting firm, to ensure compliance with the original resolution’s guidelines.