The board meeting commenced with routine approvals of past meeting minutes and an open floor that saw no community input. The agenda quickly moved to matters, beginning with a public hearing where Johanna Foods Inc. sought approval for a site plan waiver. The company’s attorney, Steven Gruenberg, made the case for the waiver, highlighting that the development was minimal and would not impact existing site conditions such as circulation, drainage, or lighting. Gruenberg cited compliance with the ordinance, stating, “We’re asking for a site plan waiver, and the basis of our site plan waiver is your ordinance has three different categories where you can ask the board for a waiver of site plan.”

Witness Joseph Hill provided testimony about the dock replacement, emphasizing its safety enhancements and confirming no impact on circulation and drainage. Despite a raised concern by the board attorney, John Belardo, about a possible discrepancy in the drainage plan, the board ultimately voted unanimously to approve the waiver. The approval allows Johanna Foods Inc. to proceed with the dock enhancements designed to improve safety features over the existing impervious coverage.

The board attorney, Belardo, referred to a letter from Johanna Foods Inc.’s attorney requesting a continuance of the hearing to a date in April 2024, to address issues in a professionals meeting. The time period for the board to act on this application was extended through the end of May 2024.

Further into the meeting, the board members discussed correspondence from the Hun County Planning Board regarding the approval of the stormwater control ordinance and the land use report. The report is set to be on the agenda for future discussion, with a presentation by Jessica Caldwell and possible modifications based on John Morgan Thomas’s input. The board also examined the revision of the master plan, emphasizing the need to incorporate sustainability elements in accordance with new Municipal land use law requirements.

The implications of the affordable housing legislation were a point of discussion, particularly concerning sewer capacity and the potential for expansion to accommodate the new requirements. The board pondered the challenges presented by the legislation, including infrastructure demands and the impact on industrial and commercial development. They voiced concerns over the sustainability of the proposed housing numbers and the need for a definitive bill to understand the alterations. The board also discussed the involvement of retired judges in overseeing the affordable housing process and changes in age-based housing allowances.

Another topic that garnered attention was the F Creek application, which notably omitted the proposed railroad siding for chemical transportation previously included. The absence of the siding in the revised application led to concerns about how it would affect stormwater management in the area. This topic sparked a broader debate on the political climate in New Jersey and the ramifications for the transportation of chemicals. The board weighed the safety and sustainability of using railroad siding against the alternative of transporting chemicals via multiple tractor-trailers.