Planning Board Approves Master Plan Amendments Amidst Resident Protests

Several residents expressed concerns that amendments to the township's master plan would allow for the development of land that they believed would remain untouched before members of Manchester's planning board voted unanimously to approve the recommendations.

Residents said that they feared the rural atmosphere of Whiting, the western section of Manchester, could be changed if multifamily and cluster developments move in.

"We live here because we like the rural aspect of it," said Newark Avenue resident Arthur Douglas at the Dec. 5 meeting. "What we're concerned about is our way of life out there."

Pinelands Forest Area-Receiving (PFA-R) zones were updated in the master plan to reflect mandatory changes adopted in 2009 by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. The new rule provides for the clustering of residential developments on one acre lots when two or more units are proposed, leading to a density of one unity per 20 acres, said Andy Thomas of Thomas Planning Associates when he first presented amendments to the land use and population sections of the township Master Plan at the board's Nov. 7 meeting. A public hearing was originally scheduled to take place during that meeting, but was pushed to Dec. 5 after board members .

"Part of the reason that the Pinelands wants clustering and demands it is to leave as much of the property untouched as possible, to protect the endangered species," said board attorney Edward Liston said. "If you were to take that property and grid develop it at one house per 20 acres, chances are you'd lose a lot of endangered species."

Some areas surrounding Roosevelt City are proposed to be changed from PFA-Sending to PFA-R zones. According to the Pinelands Commission, this means that the township will be able to "use Density Transfer Programs to direct development to particular 'receiving' areas, while protecting more sensitive 'sending' areas."

Under the Pinelands Commission clustering guidelines, 52 units could be built on 60 acres of contiguous land, which would leave the surrounding area untouched. 

"They're going to preserve 650 acres around Roosevelt," Thomas said. 

Liston said that those with concerns have avenues of recourse, including appealing to the Pinelands Commission. Manchester must comply with the rules the commission has set forth. 

"We do our master plan in this fashion or [the Pinelands Commission] won't certify it," he said. "If you have a beef with that, you go back to the Pinelands and say, 'why don't you just leave it the way it is? Because the chances are, nobody is going to build a single house on 20 acres of property throughout that area. That's not going to happen in this economy."

Even under the master plan amendments, a property owner wishing to develop will have to go through the proper channels and permitting processes before development is allowed. 

"It doesn't necessarily mean that the property owner is going to come in tomorrow and develop the property," Thomas said. 

Additionally, environmental impacts will be studied before the area could be developed, Liston said. 

"There are two snakes that  for 10 years," he said. "We don't deal with that. The issue of protecting endangered species is dealt with by the [New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection] and Pinelands."

Theresa Lettman, a Pinelands Preservation Alliance member who lives on Broadway Boulevard, also raised concerns with the amendments.

"We are opposed to any development southeast of Harry Wright Boulevard," she said. "You are selecting the receiving areas for development."

"With the advice and consent and approval of the Pinelands Commission," Liston said in response. 

Lettman said that the receiving areas adjacent to Roosevelt City should be expanded and the township does not have to allow for a bonus density for properties unless they aggregate lots. 

"In those receiving areas in Roosevelt City, you could opt to have a reduction of 15 to 20 homes," Lettman said. "It's not a lot, but 30 percent, or 20 percent of what a developer proposes is a lot."

Thomas said that the master plan does not address that area. Liston said that the ordinance does address this concern, but it is not a matter for the board to consider in the master plan.

"It doesn't belong in a master plan. It does belong in an ordinance," he said. "If that's your position, you should take it up with council and ask council to amend the ordinance to take that out."

Liston said that the board is merely complying with regulations set forth by the Pinelands Commission. 

"We're stuck with their rules," Liston said. 

Resident Hank Glen questioned why the option of multifamily development was added to an area in the town center. 

"Why are we picking one lot to make it multifamily?" Glen asked.

The lot, across the street from the township's municipal complex, is suitable for multifamily zoning because it is greater than 30 acres in size, has no wetland or step slopes and has been included in the sanitary and sewer area, Thomas said. 

"This is only an overlay," Thomas said. "The existing town center zoning would stay in place. This is an option."

The property owner approached the township to propose the change, Thomas said.

Last month, the board recommended that the former Nikol asphalt site located on Route 37 is not fit for residential use until it has been properly remediated, a process with an unclear timeframe.

"We wanted that site to be left as it was until it we are satisfied that it is fully cleaned up," Liston said. 

Glen also asked about a 55 acre tract of land off of Ridgeway Boulevard that is owned by Ocean County and is proposed to be changed to light industry zoning. 

"There are going to be severe buffering requirements," Liston said, which would lessen the impact that potential county administration offices or a garage would have on neighboring residential properties.

Glen said that the county would utilize Manchester roadways — not its own — to access any potential structures on the property.

"It is going to have an affect on the area," Glen said. "And really, the county hasn't done anything for Manchester. We see parks built in other areas of the county ... they want to do something for us and put a garage there so they can run trucks. I don't agree with it."

Liston recommended that Glen take up the issue with the township council.

"We we are doing tonight with the master plan is strictly recommendatory," Liston said. "The council may or may not put in ordinances that reflect that or partially but not totally reflect what we are proposing."