By Michael Benavides
Staff Writer
JACKSON – Members of the Township Council have voted to prohibit the construction of dormitories in Jackson. Although no dormitories have been proposed, officials have said they were taking the action because dormitories were not previously addressed in the municipal code.
During a meeting on March 16, the council considered two ordinances for adoption.
Ordinance No. 03-17 states that “all uses not expressly permitted in any given (zoning) district are expressly prohibited in such district.” The ordinance states that dormitories are prohibited in all zoning districts in Jackson.
The township attorney previously said schools will continue to be permitted in Jackson’s Planned Mixed Unit Residential Development (PMURD), Limited Commercial (LC) and Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zones.
Ordinance No. 04-17 defines a dormitory as “any building, or portion thereof, designed or converted to contain living quarters which are provided as residences or for overnight sleeping for individuals or groups operated as an accessory use to a school, college, university, boarding school, convent, monastery, nonprofit educational institution, religious order or other.”
Each ordinance was adopted in a 4-0 vote with support from council President Kenneth Bressi, Vice President Ann Updegrave, Councilman Barry Calogero and Councilman Scott Martin. Councilman Rob Nixon was absent from the meeting.
The ordinance prohibiting the construction of a dormitory at any location in Jackson was the subject of public comment when residents had a chance to weigh in on the matter prior to the council’s vote.
Bill Fox called the prohibition on dormitories short-sighted and said the ordinances “just seem to be anti-education and anti-religious.”
Ellen Cleary supported the prohibition on dormitories and said, “I did not come to Jackson to see it turn into a large city with all these dormitories, with all these stores, with all these buildings we are building (on) small lots. I would like to keep it bucolic like it was when I moved here 30 years ago.”
Polly Sheehan said, “We do not need any more developments in town. We have plenty. We are good the way we are.”
Bob Skinner said it is the responsibility of the town’s elected officials to protect residents from overdevelopment.
“It is only responsible for those of you on the council and the mayor to support such an ordinance, mainly because of the fact that it is your job to make sure we protect the township as best we can. It is also your job … to make sure we do not overbuild,” Skinner said.
Calogero said, “The reality is that this ordinance is not against any specific race or religion and only a bigoted person would think as much. It is an ordinance that would preserve our current suburban culture and reduce unwanted overdevelopment in our township.”
Bressi said the ordinance is consistent with Jackson’s master plan and added, “I had the privilege of working on the master plan and this ordinance is 100 percent consistent with the master plan, which is the blueprint for this town for the future.”
During a previous meeting at which the prohibition on dormitories was discussed, some members of the public noted the recent increase in Jackson’s Orthodox Jewish population and said they believe the legislation targets a specific group whose representatives may one day have wanted to seek approval to construct schools and dormitory facilities in the municipality.
One attorney who addressed the council at the earlier meeting questioned whether the ordinance would encroach on certain rights that are guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
