The board introduced a new planner, who presented a review of ordinance 2553, aimed at updating the township’s tree preservation and replacement regulations to align with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJD) model ordinances. This ordinance proposed changes to administrative requirements and landscape standards. Board members scrutinized details of the ordinance, with queries concerning the interpretation of “the board” within the document, the revised tree replacement sizes, and the language inconsistencies regarding evergreen trees. The ordinance’s alignment with the master plan was unanimously agreed upon by the board members present.

In a related landscape matter, the board engaged in a detailed examination of the landscape plan for Fellowship Village. Jennifer Phillips Smith from Gibbons PC and Christine Courtney, the landscape designer, presented plans for the placement of trees, which stemmed from previous discussions and site visits. These plans were cross-referenced with a 2019 approved landscape plan, leading to a debate on the inclusion of certain trees.

A contentious topic was the request to extend a fence by 42 feet to protect a tree’s root system and to offer privacy due to the proximity of a service road and a building. Opinions among board members varied on the necessity and length of the fence extension. The board also discussed the health center parking area’s landscaping, focusing on the number and type of trees to be planted for adequate screening. The addition of arborvitae and green giant trees to the landscaping plan prompted a request for further clarification on the screening obligations of the applicant.

The board tackled the possibility of planting 20-foot high Green Giants to screen a building, ultimately deciding against the request for 25 additional trees of this variety. The size of the trees to be planted was also debated, with some members expressing the need for the trees to be seven to eight feet tall at the time of planting.

A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to ensuring the viability and maintenance of the proposed landscape changes. The board emphasized the importance of adhering to the original plan and required maintenance guarantees for the trees. Flexibility in replacing dead trees was requested, with the board deliberating on whether to allow changes to the species of the trees planted. The original plan for tree species was upheld, with the landscape plan ultimately being approved.