FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Municipal officials are planning to amend Freehold Township’s zoning regulations to specify the types of dormitories that are permitted in the municipality and where private and parochial schools are permitted to operate.
The Township Committee introduced two ordinances on Jan. 15 that, if adopted, will amend the land use ordinance. A public hearing on both ordinances is scheduled for Jan. 29. The committee may adopt the ordinances that evening.
One amendment is intended to clarify where public, private and parochial schools may be located. The second amendment is intended to clarify the types of permitted uses supporting a dormitory or other housing facility uses, according to township officials.
The current land use ordinance permits public, private and parochial schools in four residential zones (R-80, R-60, R-40 and R-25) and one commercial zone (B-10), subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit, while educational services are permitted in an industrial zone (M-1), based on the North American Industry Classification System.
If the proposed ordinance amendment related to public, private and parochial schools is adopted, only public schools will be permitted in residential zones and the commercial zone if the conditional use permit is issued.
In the industrial zone, the proposed ordinance amendment will remove educational services as a permitted use under the North American Industry Classification System and add public, private and parochial schools as permitted uses subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit.
“We routinely look at the issues in our ordinances and occasionally find inconsistencies or issues that are raised by recent changes and development,” Mayor Barbara McMorrow said. “Recently, Freehold Borough had an old church in a residential zone that became abandoned and its reuse underwent several different applications that may not have been beneficial to the surrounding community.
“This event in our sister town caused us to review if we had uses permitted in our residential zones which could potentially adversely affect the tranquility our residents expect.
The proposed ordinance amendment related to dormitories will change the regulations in the professional zone to permit dormitories and other housing facilities if they are for students registered in educational programs related to the practice of medicine, nursing, medical technician, or medical and hospital physician care.
