West Windsor Township attorney Michael J. Herbert made a plea to Council to allow the Planning Board to be recognized as the entity that will deal most closely with the planning consultant chosen to create the draft plan for the township’s 350-acre redevelopment zone.
At the Tuesday, October 10, council meeting, Herbert brought to the attention of council a March 3 memorandum stating that the planning board will be the entity to have a direct working relationship with the planning firm.
“There are three reasons,” said Herbert, “You have to go to planning board anyway. They have the knowledge and expertise to formulate a master plan. This project is a mini master plan. The planning board has the staff that is available to assist, and the formulation of the redevelopment plan is going to be enormously time consuming. It is the most important issue facing the township, but the council has the Wyeth Tract, Grover’s Mill pond cleanup, and other issues, and you have representation on the planning board.”
Council was split on whether to approve the suggestion as a resolution. Councilman Charles Morgan said he wasn’t willing to approve the resolution after having been only recently notified of the issue. Heidi Kleinman felt there should be more language added to the resolution to more clearly delineate the process by which the planning board would consult with the planning consultant and with council.
“They’re not elected officials. They’re not experienced in fiscal analysis,” said Morgan of the planning board, “This redevelopment is all about the fiscal health of this township, whether or not ratables will change. That is our responsibility. Maybe we should really ponder this decision.”
Franc Gambatese moved to pass the resolution, and urged that it be done with haste. Earlier in the meeting, Gambatese said he calculated that a council meeting cost the township $350 per hour. “We’re going to be in charge of the redevelopment? I don’t think we’re qualified. We don’t have the resources, we don’t have the money in the budget. The simplest things that we could fix take years in this town because of this council. We are not the body to take this on.” said Gambatese in response to Morgan.
“I want to know one township that has had a successful situation like this where the council was the entity. You want to look at one? Look at Hamilton,” said Gambatese, comparing the process to one which is widely believed to have failed in the neighboring township.
Gambatese said later: “The planning board is going to oversee the redevelopment zone. Almost every town in New Jersey does it. It’s recommended by the state. Any elected official in their right mind wouldn’t want to oversee a redevelopment project.”
“There is a diversity of expertise on this planning board in areas such as finance, engineering, environmental sustainability, cultural affairs, water resources, legal, and architecture, including a licensed professional planner,” said planning board chair Marvin Gardner.
Gardner outlined the process the township favors for the creation of the draft plan. “The plan that will come before the planning board will be a consequence of detailed plan drawings resulting from extensive discussions among all stakeholders in the charrette process,” said Gardner, “At various junctures throughout the public hearing process involving the redevelopment plan the planning board and the redevelopment planner should be prepared to make presentations before the council so that the council will be involved in that process as well as the charrette process.”
Gardner continued: “The council is welcome to modify any aspect of the plan that we recommend to them. I am looking forward to working cooperatively with the council, residents of the township, and other stakeholders. This isn’t about trying to control the process, we’re looking to get into the nitty-gritty. It’s my desire that all elements of the community and all institutions be heavily involved in the decision-making process so that ultimately there is a strong consensus with respect to the redevelopment plan.”
Gambatese agreed to defer a vote until the next council meeting, scheduled for Monday, October 23.
