NEW JERSEY LAND USE NEWS

October 18, 2011

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:15:05 -0400

NEWS

Walmart Goes Green With Solar, Wind (Piniat, Lacey Patch) Lacey, Ocean County

“Walmart has confirmed that the company is pursuing a solar energy project at the Lanoka Harbor location in addition to its plan to install wind turbines in the parking lot as part of its renewable energy initiative.”

Warehouse boom in Robbinsville is just one part of regional trend (Clerkin, The Times of Trenton) Robbinsville, Mercer County

“A new flurry of activity in Robbinsville’s warehouse sector is turning the township’s industrial parks into major employers, as a spate of businesses that have recently settled in the area have generated nearly 500 local jobs in the past two years, township officials said.”

OPINION

Zoning denial for N.J. medical marijuana facility is classic NIMBY case (Staff Editorial, The Times of Trenton) Maple Shade, Camden County

“The zoning board in Maple Shade last week turned down a plan for location of a medical marijuana facility in the township.”

October 13, 2011

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:10:29 -0400

Maple Shade bars medical pot dispensary (Walsh, The Courier-Post) Maple Shade, Camden County

“The township zoning board Wednesday night unanimously rejected plans to open a medical marijuana dispensary here.”

Board just says no (Levinsky, phillyburbs.com) Maple Shade, Camden County

“The township Zoning Board on Wednesday night unanimously denied a request by a nonprofit group for a medical marijuana dispensary at a former furniture store off Route 73.”

West Milford officials rebuff proposal to assit developers (Zimmer, Suburban Trends) West Milford, Passaic County

“The Township Council has voiced its opposition to proposed state legislation that would provide relief for developers facing prohibitive economic conditions.”

Age-restricted development will not be converted in S.B. (McLafferty, Sentinel) South Brunswick, Middlesex County

“More than 100 homes in South Brunswick will not be converted from age-restricted to market housing after the Planning Board denied an applicant’s request to do so during its Oct. 5 meeting.”

Ewing developer cuts back on housing project near GM site (Karas, The Times of Trenton) Ewing, Mercer County

“A developer withl long-running plans for an unpopular affordable housing development off Parkway Avenue has offered to cut his housing total by half to ease concerns about the project.”

October 11, 2011

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:19:46 -0400

Poll finds support for statewide planning in New Jersey (Kitchenman, NJ BIZ) Statewide

“New Jersey residents support statewide planning to guide growth and development and to protect farms and open space, according to a poll released Tuesday.”

DCA commissioner pledges changes to affordable-housing system (Burd, NJ BIZ) Statewide

“Less than a month after the Department of Community Affairs took full control over the functions of the Council on Affordable Housing, the agency’s head told many of the state’s builders Friday that changes to the system are under way.”

State’s high court to decide if statutes not adhered to in HIllsdale, judicial reviews of development proposal (Firschein, The Record) Hillsdale, Bergen County

“A lawsuit against the Borough’s Planning Board is headed to the New Jersey Supreme Court, challenging what it claimed were derivations from state statutes by the board and lower-court judges in considering a developer’s application.”

An Unofficial Transit Village (Martin, The New York Times) West Windsor, Mercer County

“It took nearly five years to get all aboard, but this township is to have its own ‘transit village’; 800 housing units and a retail center beside its Princeton Junction train station.”

Proposed uptown development causes a stir (Smith, The Hudson Reporter) Hoboken, Hudson County

“A new uptown residential development proposal has neighbors and open space activists up in arms, and the City Council even opposed the plan at Wednesday’s meeting by unanimously passing a nonbinding resolution.”

October 4, 2011

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:23:34 -0400

Maple Shade proposed for medical marijuana dispensary (Walsh, Courier-Post) Maple Shade, Camden County

“A nonprofit organization wants to open a dispensary for medical marijuana here.”

Signs of hope stretch beyond the boardwalk (Kitchenman, NJ BIZ) Atlantic City, Atlantic County

“Atlantic City Cruises President Jeff George said he saw one sign of immediate improvement from state-initiated reforms intended to improve the city’s economy: his neighborhood became cleaner.”

Planning Board to Make Green Village Redevelopment Recommendations (Chirls, Madison Patch) Madison, Morris County

“The Planning Board is scheduled to put its official stamp on its recommendations for a major borough development project.”

Upcoming Energy Ordinance Receives Planning Board Scrutiny (Kyriakakis, Manchester Patch) Manchester, Ocean County

“Manchester’s planning board reviewed an upcoming renewable energy ordinance, discussing its implications before the final version makes it to the township council for a vote at a still undetermined date.”

Apartment complex sign of Newton’s renaissance (Reilly, NJ Herald) Newton, Sussex County

“A renaissance is taking over Newton, from the opening of the Newton Theatre to the proliferation of gourmet eateries along Spring Street.”

September 28, 2011

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:09:23 -0400

$9.1M to be spent to protect bay (Larsen, The Asbury Park Press) Toms River, Ocean County

“The Ocean County Board of Freeholders is expected to approve $9.1 million next week to refurbish eight stormwater detention basins in an effort to eliminate nitrogen that seeps into Barnegat Bay.”

Smart Growth Policies Face Overhaul (Johnson, NJ Spotlight) Statewide

“The state is thinking about revamping its policies dealing with what projects receive financial incentives to reduce energy use in buildings, a change smart growth advocates fear will lead to further sprawl and loss of open space.”

Robbinsville: Redevelopment area eyed for Route 130 businesses (Degnan, The Messenger-Press) Robbinsville, Mercer County

“The Township Council has asked the Planning Board to investigate whether a group of parcels on Route 130 North and Robbinsville-Allentown Road can be declared an “area in need of redevelopment.”

September 27, 2011

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:49:16 -0400

Transit Village ‘A Perfect Fit’ for Summit (Bentey, Summit Patch) Summit, Union County

“A community planning and development consulting firm called the concept of a Transit Village a perfect fit for the city of Summit before the Planning Board at Municipal Hall on Monday night.”

Court upholds billboard ban in Mount Laurel (Coppock, Phillyburbs.com) Mount Laurel, Burlington County

“A lawsuit challenging the township’s billboard ordinance has been dismissed.”

September 22, 2011

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:36:21 -0400

No news to report

September 21, 2011

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:28:06 -0400

NEWS

Court tells board to try again on project decision (Davis, Shore News Today) Middle Township, Cape May County

“The Appellate Division of the Superior Court has told the township zoning board to reconsider granting variances to a commercial developer that wants to build a 90-unit affordable housing project.”

COURTS

East Windsor Group, LLC and TR Liquor, LLC v. Township Council of the Township of Toms River and Township of Toms River et al (Appellate Division, Ocean County) Toms River, Ocean County

September 20, 2011

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:19:26 -0400

Planning Board Discusses Flood Recovery (Giasone, Parsippany Patch) Parsippany Troy-Hills, Morris County

“With just one item on the agenda on Monday night, the Parsippany Troy-Hills Planning Board meeting was brief.”

Hamilton Township renewable energy plan waits for New Jersey approval (Landau, The Press of Atlantic City) Hamilton, Atlantic County

“A firm hoping to build a renewable energy plant in the township’s Industrial Park is waiting for approval from the state before it will decide to redevelop a former landfill.”

Branchburg could allow “age-restricted” development to become market-rate housing (Cooper, Somerset Messenger-Gazette) Branchburg, Somerset County

“Whether the developer of an approved age-restricted project known as Fox Hollow II can convert the development to market-rate housing could be decided tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 21 at a Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building.”

September 19, 2011

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:01:25 -0400

New construction offers hope in blighted park of Asbury Park (Shields, The Asbury Park Press) Asbury Park, Monmouth County

“On an avenue where blight has reigned for over four decades, the new 27,500-square-foot Springwood Center remains on schedule to open next spring.”

Asbury’s master plan is debated (Shields, The Asbury Park Press) Asbury Park, Monmouth County

“A decade after beachfront master developer Asbury Partners first showed up in the city, a committee of stakeholders have reported to the public their recommendations to amend the city waterfront redevelopment plan.”

What’s next for Fort Monmouth? (Bowman, The Asbury Park Press) Fort Monmouth, Monmouth County

“The colors have been struck, laboratories have been moved and gates padlocked.”

September 12, 2011

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:10:17 -0400

OPINION

NJ Sierra Club: Time of Decision Law At Crossroads (Tittel, for the Mahwah Patch) Mahwah, Bergen County

“Citizens in Mahwah were elated when the Council rescinded an ordinance allowing for a megamall. Unfortunately the jubilation was short lived due to the Time of Decision law.”

COURTS

Conifer Realty, L.L.C. v. Township of Middle Zoning Board (Appellate Division)

September 9, 2011

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 01:41:43 -0400

Developer buys Asbury beachfront site (Shields, The Asbury Park Press) Asbury Park, Monmouth County

“Asbury Partners, the city’s waterfront developer, has bought the unfinished Esperanza high-rise site from Capital One Bank, which had foreclosed on the property, a company official said Friday.”

The Changing Face of Rail and Bus Security (Saccenti, Berkeley Patch) Statewide

“It was time for a change.”

September 8, 2011

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:26:59 -0400

NEWS

Development to have units for ARC clients (Walter, The Hub) Tinton Falls, Monmouth County

“A developer is seeking approval for an age-restricted apartment building that would include units for tenants who are clients of the ARC of Monmouth.”

Planning Board Subs Agree to Hear Controversial Zoning Board Application (Kyriakakis, Manchester Patch) Manchester, Ocean County

“Two of the three members of Manchester’s planning board asked to fill the vacancies left on the zoning board after four members recused themselves from the Manchester Rehab Realty application have accepted the assignment.”

OPINION

State wants to flood Cranford with high-density housing (Mulshine, The Star-Ledger) Cranford, Union County

“At least the fridge survived.”

September 7, 2011

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:12:26 -0400

N.J. Turnpike Authority to redirect $1.25B from scrapped ARC tunnel to local road, bridge projects (Frassinelli, The Star-Ledger) Statewide

“Instead of trains, the money is going toward lanes.”

White House: NJ projects in jeopardy if Congress fails to extend transportation funding (Jackson, The Record) Statewide

“More than 1,900 highway and transit projects in New Jersey could be stopped and nearly 23,000 people put out of work in Congress does not approve an extension of the federal transportation funding system this month, the White House announced Tuesday.”

Planning Board, Neighbors Suspicious of Church of God’s Plans (Scarpa, Ridgewood Patch) Ridgewood, Bergen County

“The planning board told Church of God it needed to ‘pull it together’ after finding that countless aspects of its application for two two-story additions were lacking critical information. Beyond that, members of the board-as well suspicious residents-speculated the addition was not what it appeared and Church of God had bigger, more grandiose plans than presented.”

September 6, 2011

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 22:12:43 -0400

Asbury group will present waterfront plans next week (Shields, The Asbury Park Press) Asbury Park, Monmouth County

“A waterfront redevelopment plan committee will hold a meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 in the City Council chambers to present its recommendations for changes to the oceanfront plan to the public.”

Judge tosses remaining Long Branch eminent domain suits (Williams, The Asbury Park Press) Long Branch, Monmouth County

“The four Marine Terrace, Ocean Terrace, Seaview Avenue (MTOTSA) property owners who refused to sign on to the 2009 eminent domain lawsuit settlement have had their cases thrown out of court.”

Walmart Windmills Application On Wednesday’s Zoning Board Agenda (Piniat, Lacey Patch) Lacey, Ocean County

“OnniWind Energy Systems, LLC will be approaching the zoning Board of Adjustment once again on Wednesday, Sept. 7 t 7 p.m. with their plan to install wind turbines in the parking lot of the Lanoka Harbor Walmart.”

Unfinished developments in Hamilton Township cause trouble for neighbors (Landau, The Press of Atlantic City) Hamilton, Atlantic County

“Jeff Hauta bought a brand new home in July 2008.”

September 2, 2011

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:43:38 -0400

Not all celebrate Highlands Council’s milestone (Forrest, Neighbor News - Denville) Highlands

“Things are happening at a lightning pace for the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. On Aug. 10, Council members observed the seventh anniversary of the Highlands Act, pioneering legislation designed to protect the land, natural resources and drinking water for 5.4 million residents.”

Chesterfield eyed for medical marijuana facility (O’Sullivan, phillyburbs.com) Chesterfield Burlington County

“The township may become home to South Jersey’s first medical marijuana growing facility.”

September 1, 2011

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:04:00 -0400

NEWS

Crossroads Developer Files Site Plan (Mazzola, Mahwah Patch) Mahwah, Bergen County

“The Crossroads Developers LLC, the company seeking to build a 600,000 sq.-foot shopping center at the intersection of Routes 17 and 287 in Mahwah, filed a preliminary site plan with the township building department, according to the developer’s attorney Jim Jaworski.”

Zoning Board Puts Final Stamp on Quick Chek Application (Levine, Howell Patch) Howell, Monmouth County

“Last Monday, the Howell Township Zoning Board spent a majority of their meeting hearing and approving an application for a new lot to sell new and pre-owned automobiles. However, this was not the only matter on the agenda, as the board still had a great deal to work on throughout the session.”

OPINION

Gov. Chris Christie’s campaign promise forgotten (Amick, Times of Trenton) Statewide

“I will provide New Jerseyans regularly occurring opportunities to petition for their government for action by amending the state constitution to include a provision whereby every 10 years, voters will have the opportunity to convene a popularly elected constitutional convention.”

Irene Winds Down, But Turbines Keep Spinning (Shields, Moorestown Patch) Statewide

“I wondered over the weekend how to craft a story about our newest neighbor—that blowhard Irene—while injecting some environmental message. With that storm in mind, what lesson did we take home, now that we know we still have homes?”

Reason for hiatus & plans

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:41:28 -0400

I haven’t pushed a daily update since August 24, 2011. Since then, beginning on August 25, I’ve been updating New Jersey Hurricane News nearly around-the-clock.

Activity is slowing down there, so expect daily updates to continue. I’m considering an intern to help me operate and grow NJLUN. I want it to be bigger, better, and more comprehensive — all in service to you, the greater land use community.

The site is very simple, and while that should continue, we’re working on some ideas to update not just its appearance, but also its functionaity.

I welcome your suggestions and criticisms. Please email me: auciello@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading,

Justin

August 24, 2011

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:33:15 -0400

NEWS

Acting Gov. Guadagno signs bill suspending 2.5 percent fee on non-housing construction (Hester Sr., New Jersey Newsroom) Statewide

“Acting Gov. Kim Guadagno on Wednesday signed legislation that extends the moratorium on the imposition of fees on non-residential construction projects to help fund affordable housing until July 1, 2013.”

OPINION

Innovative Land Use Requires Work, Patience and Sacrifice (Ashmun, for NJ Spotlight) Statewide

“A small, densely populated state with an old industrial infrastructure and limited natural resources: that is New Jersey. How has such a state remained a successful economic engine and retained its nickname as the “Garden State”?

August 23, 2011

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:47:00 -0400

U.S. transportation secretary moves to protect $450 million in Northeast Corridor upgrades (Frassinelli, The Star-Ledger) Statewide

“As a longtime — meaning long-suffering — commuter on America’s busiest rail line, John W. Nabial Sr.’s trip to work depends on a chain of events outside his control.”

Court upholds board’s decision to deny pumping station (Schwartz, Pascack Valley Community Life) Mahwah, Bergen County

“The appellate division the Superior Court of New Jersey has ruled that United Water did not establish sufficient reasons as to why Montvale’s Zoning Board should allow the utility variances to construct a pumping station in a residential neighborhood.”

Planning Board Rescinds Re-Zoning of Crossroads Property (Smith Jr., Mahwah Patch) Mahwah, Bergen County

“The council chamber rang out with applause at the Planning Board meeting Monday night, as nearly 100 residents cheered the Planning Board’s decision to overturn the Council’s three ordinances that allowed property near the Shearton Mahwah Hotel to be rezoned as retail space.”