EAST BRUNSWICK – The East Brunswick Township Council has declared a portion of Edgeboro Road to be an area in need of redevelopment.
“The lot is at 39 Edgeboro Road (which is) 48.7 acres and is composed of a two-story building being used for commercial and office (uses) by Pinnacle Materials Inc.,” Township Administrator Joseph Criscuolo said. “The main use is to store sand, soil and stone aggregate.”
Criscuolo said there is deterioration to the building’s exterior. He said the nature of the property meets the criteria of the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law as an area in need of redevelopment.
On Sept. 24, council members voted 5-1 vote to declare that portion of Edgeboro Road as an area in need of redevelopment. Democrats Michael Spadafino, Sterley Stanley, James Wendell and Michael Hughes voted “yes.” Republican Camille Clark voted “no.”
“I voted no on the consent agenda because it had two resolutions I was not comfortable about approving,” Clark said. “Both resolutions dealt with the Edgeboro section of the redevelopment area. This area was included after the rollout of the original redevelopment plan. While I have no specific objections to that area being redeveloped, I have questions as to why it wasn’t included originally and what plans are there specifically for this area.
“I have not carefully and fully examined the documents we have been given. While not assigning nor implying any blame on anyone’s part, I do not wish to rush a plan to approval while there are so many areas being developed at this time. It is getting overwhelming and I fear mistakes that cannot be corrected could be made,” Clark said.
State law provides tools to assist municipalities to encourage investment, development and improvement of certain properties through the redevelopment process, according to the council.
The council previously authorized the Planning Board to undertake a preliminary investigation to determine whether the Edgeboro Road study area qualifies as an area in need of redevelopment.
On Sept. 5, the Planning Board held a public hearing on the matter. The board’s preliminary investigation report provided that three parcels included in the study met a specific condition to support the conclusion that those lots may be determined to be in need of redevelopment, according to the council.
The investigation stated that 52 parcels in the study did not meet any of the statutory criteria to be determined an area in need of redevelopment.
After reviewing the report and conducting the public hearing, the Planning Board found that certain parcels in the Edgeboro Road study area met the statutory criteria for being designated an area in need of redevelopment and recommended that these parcels be so designated, according to the council.
However, the council acted on the board’s recommendation and concluded that only the parcel identified as Block 834, Lot 34.08 of the Edgeboro Road Study Area meets the statutory criteria for designating an area in need of redevelopment, according to the council.
Criscuolo said the next step municipal officials take will be the preparation and approval of the redevelopment plan by the board and council.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
