Bernards Looks To Remove Light Manufacturing Use In Township

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Township Committee is taking swift action to remove light manufacturing as a permitted use following the Zoning Board's denial of Signature Acquisitions, LLC's application on Allen Road.

"This action will protect our community from an industry that is not congruent with the needs and wants of our community," said Mayor Jennifer Asay at the Nov. 26 Township Committee meeting.

The Committee unanimously introduced an ordinance that removed light manufacturing as a permitted use in the Township.

The Township Zoning Board of Adjustment's denied Signature's application to remove an existing office building and build two new buildings for light industrial/manufacturing and office space off Allen Road on Nov. 14 citing issues with the D-4 variance, which looked to exceed the allowable Floor Area Ratio(FAR) from 15 percent to 19.83 percent. Read More: Basking Ridge Denies Allen Road Manufacturing Building Application

"I would commend the zoning board for shooting down the light manufacturing plant that was advocated for the Allen Road area," said resident Harvey Gerhard. "I think that light manufacturing does not belong in our town. I think the infrastructure of our town can not tolerate light manufacturing as we saw the number of tractor-trailers that were pushed would really infringe on school children and on the neighborhoods in general."

Resident Yassaman Azizi also noted that the area was previously designed for light manufacturing because nobody lived in that area.

"Now there are multiple families living there - small kids, older people. I don't think there should be anything like that allowed in that area. We need to change that zoning as soon as possible," said Azizi.

Asay said the zoning permitting light manufacturing was originally put in place in the 1960s.

"It is clear this zoning still in place some 60 years later is no longer an appropriate land use regulation in this area," said Asay. "At that time most of what currently exists like the Hills development, Fellowship Village, Shannon Hill, and among other developments were not built."

The Township Committee along with Attorney John Belardo and staff worked quickly to get the ordinance introduced on Nov. 26 for "what is in the best interest of our community."

"As such we moved expeditiously to take action at the very first Township Committee meeting held after Board of Adjustment denial decision," said Asay.

Committeewoman Ana Duarte McCarthy noted that the Township sits along on the corridor of Interstates 80 and 287 making it an attractive location for access to Port Newark Marine Terminal.

"We are removing light manufacturing from the list of uses permitted in the E2 office zone which hopefully will help to be mitigation toward the potential for the opportunity for warehousing in this community," said McCarthy. "I view our role as stewards of this community to help preserve what is wonderful about it, to support responsible development."

Many of the Committee members also thanked the residents for their comments during the zoning board meetings on the Allen Road application.

"We really are blessed to be in a community where people care what happens here," said Deputy Mayor Janice Fields. "I'm so proud of our community. The process worked out now we’re just taking it another further step."

A public hearing on the second and final reading of the ordinance will be held at the Dec. 10 Township Committee meeting.

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