UPPER FREEHOLD — Officials in Upper Freehold Township have amended the municipality’s zoning in a manner that will permit the use of flex space buildings in a commercial zone.
During a meeting on May 5, the members of the Township Committee adopted an ordinance which amends Upper Freehold’s land use ordinance in order to permit additional uses in the Community Commercial Tier 1 zone (CC-1).
The CC-1 zone is at the intersection of Route 524 and Imlaystown-Hightstown Road. The zone is proximate to major highway access and intended for larger scale retail and office development that serves the community and takes advantage of its proximity to Interstate 195, according to the land use ordinance.
Among the amendments to the land use ordinance is the addition of flex space as a permitted use in the CC-1 zone. The amended ordinance defines flex space as a building containing an area with a hybrid of office space, storage space and industrial space.
According to the amended ordinance, flex space can include areas for building contractors of various types, pest control, electricians, mechanical shops, call centers, roofers, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) companies and other similar uses.
In the CC-1 zone, flex space, including contractor warehousing, will have a maximum building area of 20,000 square feet. In locations where flex space is constructed, an outdoor storage area is permitted.
The outdoor storage area will have a solid visual barrier consisting of fencing, landscaping or a suitable combination, as approved by the Planning Board, according to the amended ordinance.
Along with flex space, the amended ordinance adds the following uses to be permitted in the CC-1 zone:
• Vehicle and equipment repair, including farm equipment, tractor-trailers, passenger vehicles and similar vehicles. Abandoned vehicles are not permitted to be stored on a property. The vehicle storage area will have a solid visual barrier consisting of fencing, landscaping or a suitable combination, as approved by the Planning Board;
• Automotive, farm equipment, boat and recreational vehicle sales;
• Rental companies for party supplies and/or business equipment, including construction rental equipment. The outdoor storage area will have a solid visual barrier consisting of fencing, landscaping or a suitable combination, as approved by the Planning Board;
• Job and educational training facilities;
• Funeral homes;
• Indoor recreation facilities, including turf fields, courts and other similar uses;
• Garden centers, lumber yards and equipment supply centers, including the outside storage, sale and/or display of material. The outdoor storage area will have a solid visual barrier consisting of fencing, landscaping or a suitable combination, as approved by the Planning Board.
The amended ordinance also establishes the regulation that more than one principal building or use is permitted on a single lot.
