By Michael Benavides
Staff Writer
PLUMSTED – The Township Committee has voted to establish a new commercial zone on Route 539 between East Millstream and Hopkins roads.
The ordinance creating the commercial zone at that location was approved during the Dec. 7 meeting of the governing body.
Mayor Jack Trotta, Deputy Mayor Eric Sorchik and committeemen Herb Marinari and Vince Lotito voted to adopt the ordinance. Committeeman Mike Wysong was absent.
No one from the public commented on the ordinance.
Committee members reviewed Plumsted’s master plan and decided to make recommendations to expand the commercial zone because there were already businesses in that area.
“The land is currently RA-5 which requires a minimum of 5 acres to build a home. Since (Route 539) is one of the major roads through town, it makes more sense to zone this as commercial property,” Trotta previously said. “Because of the traffic volume on Route 539, some mixture of small retail shops and farm/lawn equipment sales/service would be examples of businesses we would like to see in that area.”
The mayor said land that is being used for farming will be encouraged to remain as farm property.
In other business at the Dec. 7 meeting, the committee introduced an ordinance that proposes changing certain residential zones on Lakewood Road (Route 528) to commercial zones.
According to the ordinance, “the Planning Board adopted the 2016 re-examination report on Oct. 4, 2016. The re-examination report recommended amendments to the commercial development zone within the New Egypt Redevelopment Area and to expand the C-4 zone along a portion of Lakewood Road, both north and south to the intersection of Moorehouse Road, and the creation of a new highway commercial zone along Route 539.”
The ordinance states that the proposed changes “have been reviewed by the Land Use Board which determined that these ordinance amendments are consistent with the existing Land Use Element” of Plumsted’s master plan.
Plumsted’s zoning map was previously amended to expand the C-4 zone to include the north side of Route 528. The ordinance now under consideration will expand the C-4 zone to the south side of Route 528.
A public hearing on the ordinance has been scheduled for Dec. 28. The committee may vote to adopt the ordinance following the public hearing.
