The recent surge of interest by commercial companies to build warehouses in the Bordentown community has resulted in the Bordentown Township Committee changing its course of action of limiting the building of warehouses.
Mayor Stephen Benowitz said the time has come for the township to consider “rebalancing” uses of land throughout the community to assure opportunities for businesses to serve the area, while also “preserving” residential areas in the township, he said in a prepared statement on behalf of the Township Committee at the Bordentown Township Committee Meeting on July 19.
“The relatively recent surge in internet commerce and the resulting need for warehousing and distribution centers throughout the state and in our county was unanticipated by all levels of government in New Jersey,” Benowitz said. “The Township Committee and Planning Board have worked hard to limit the impact of the warehouses coming to our community but it is clear something more is now needed.”
Earlier this year, the Township Committee directed the Planning Board to undertake an economic review of what types of businesses and services people in the township wanted going forward.
Based on the results of the review, Benowitz said the Planning Board will consider suggesting whether or not to expand highway commercial zoning in the township for the development of new businesses.
The mayor added the process will take time in order to provide residents and business owners the opportunity to have their voices heard on the matter, encouraging the public to attend Planning Board meetings in the future.
The next Planning Board meeting for the township is scheduled for Aug. 12.
Benowitz went on to say that the township will make sure that future warehouse development in the community will only happen in areas that have the least negative impacts on “our roads, infrastructure and quality of life.”
In other news, Bordentown Township Administrator Mike Theokas provided an update to the public at the Township Committee meeting on COVID-19 cases and vaccinations for the month of July.
Theokas said there have been only six new COVID-19 cases in the township this month.
As for vaccinations, Theokas said the vaccination rates in the community are trending “significantly high” in the township and that Bordentown has one of the highest vaccination rates in Burlington County.
About 74% of the population who are 12 and older in the township are now vaccinated, increasing 3% in the last few weeks, Theokas said.
Adults over age 65 in the township who are vaccinated went up 2% in the last couple of weeks to 94%, he said.
Theokas added that the township has one of the highest vaccination rates among adults over the age of 65 in the county.
The Bordentown Township Senior Center is currently serving as a vaccination site for Burlington County on Thursdays from 3-7 p.m. Any county resident is welcome to come to get their vaccine.
