The meeting began with the approval of a resolution to amend resolution number 21-6, authorizing a preliminary investigation of Cheesequake Farm for potential redevelopment. The property was identified for evaluation as an area of non-condemnation redevelopment, which means it could be redeveloped without the use of eminent domain. The board members voted to authorize the township planner to determine whether the property qualifies for redevelopment.

Following the resolution approval, the board deliberated on a proposal to amend the township’s land development code to expedite the review process for development applications. The proposed amendment would allow the administrative officer to grant checklist waivers, streamlining the process for applicants and reducing the burden on board meetings. The township planner underscored the importance of this change, explaining that it would reduce wait times for applicants and align with the master plan’s goal of faster application reviews. However, the board discussed the need to distinguish between checklist waivers and design waivers, and the possibility that the board might still require additional assessments even with administrative checklist waivers.

The board agreed on the necessity of reducing the checklist’s length to further expedite the process. The township planner, Vina, proposed revisions to the checklist to eliminate redundancies and focus on essential items. She explained that a new form would be created to inform the board of approved or denied waivers. The board concurred with the proposal, recognizing the planner’s expertise and the efficiency of the suggested process.

In addition to the discussions on redevelopment and process streamlining, the board reviewed an application by Oldbridge Entertainment LLC for a second-story addition to an existing building. The attorney for the applicant, Kenneth Pape, introduced the project and called upon engineer Ron Sadowski and architect Bill Doran to provide details. Sadowski confirmed that the addition of the office and storage space would not affect the site’s traffic patterns or parking count. Doran assured the board that the second floor would be used solely for dry storage, office space, and staff amenities, and would adhere to commercial use building codes.

They expressed their anticipation for the restaurant’s opening and unanimously granted preliminary and final site plan approval for the amended application, with the condition that any future changes to the second floor’s use would be brought back to the board for review.