[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6047276,"mediaKeyId","3537017-abbf769d579141c093e3acae2441b706","parentId",3537017,"title","South River council advances cannabis ordinances after extended public hearing; zoning amendment sent to land‑use board","audioSeconds",1883,"startMs",1788000,"endMs",3671000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537017-abbf769d579141c093e3acae2441b706&start=1788&end=3671","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537017-abbf769d579141c093e3acae2441b706/thumbnail_1788000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6047276/South-River/Middlesex-County/New-Jersey/South-River-council-advances-cannabis-ordinances-after-extended-public-hearing-zoning-amendment-sent-to-landuse-board","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047276-ed5c3e5c308377c298604e1e38812004/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136835&Signature=EcVTWwwsLd0ZopLRTr68COC2~JFxmhad2YVbabkOGp8JixMZi4GWR4cE6yOBu6ve95T9L3W10wAm43g2HHSSLGcKEZ5IDTfRvYsY1MJqs258VwFMUtI0wNos-Okhv-nq8bvPEPvkKcdxSQ0ZniPV6l5CCm8vf8HYlU~0B880PGqtuv1oOFt46H0U5nUr4hihughUNxhKoufLyyJpZ51T3gtqKfIUEO8gjMIn-9-GLau6Eq89K5aB41xpzDHiRO0xb~01B1oBIejBQ8bkBf-TUH1HbgSX-TEGAvgMfYIsucT6MU4dzHA~o3rKWLtw5DvjCvvSZlMZ9kDSAUZsw15x9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South River NJ TV35","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","The South River mayor and council held an extended public hearing on multiple cannabis‑related ordinances on Feb. 3, receiving broad public comment and then taking formal action on two measures while referring a zoning change to the land‑use board.

Ordinance 2025‑2 (chapter 120, “Cannabis”) and Ordinance 2025‑3 (amending chapter 155, fees associated with cannabis licenses) were on the agenda. Ordinance 2025‑4 (zoning amendments related to cannabis) was placed on the agenda but council members agreed to send it to the land‑use board for consideration.

Public commenters voiced strong and divided opinions. Father David Garretson (153 Cam Avenue), a longtime resident and clergy member, told the council he opposed retail cannabis and described the measures as “one of the most egregious misuses of our rights” and morally objectionable. “You are using a weakness and an addiction issue,” he said, warning of public‑health and social risks.

Several other residents raised concerns about youth access, addiction and crime; Sylvia Patrick, a substance‑use counselor, warned about fentanyl and mixtures in illicit products and urged the council to vote no. Multiple speakers urged the council to respect the town’s earlier referendum result; others argued legalization would allow regulated, tested product and bring municipal revenue.

During council discussion, a council member said the borough faces mounting financial pressures and noted potential revenue math for municipal budgets, using $100,000 as a basis point to compare revenue from new homes versus retail sales. “We have to become creative on solutions,” the council member said, noting dispensaries are already operating within a short drive of South River and that municipal revenue could help the borough.

Council action recorded in the transcript:
- Ordinance 2025‑2 (Cannabis): Motion to adopt by Council President Ciolo, seconded by Councilwoman Balas. Vote recorded in the transcript: Councilman Yurczynski abstained; Councilwoman Balas yes; Council President Ciolo yes; Councilman DeSantis yes; Councilman Jennifer Morris no. (Recorded outcome: ordinance advanced/passed on the action recorded in the meeting.)
- Ordinance 2025‑3 (fees): Motion carried with council voice vote recorded as “Aye” during the meeting (clerk announced unanimous voice approval on the floor); the roll‑call names were not fully recorded in the hearing excerpt provided.
- Ordinance 2025‑4 (zoning amendment): Council agreed not to vote on the zoning amendment at that meeting and to move the item to the land‑use board for review before further hearing.

Speakers for and against the ordinances included longtime clergy, substance‑use counselors, working‑class residents and people who described personal therapeutic use of cannabis. Father David Garretson spoke against the measures on moral and public‑health grounds; other residents described personal medical benefit, economic arguments and neighborhood reputation concerns.

Council members noted the state’s regulatory structure (New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission was referenced during public comment) and described the local process for suitability applications and local support resolutions that a prospective operator must submit to the borough clerk and council before the state issues a license.

The transcript records the votes described above and the council’s referral of the zoning amendment to the land‑use board. The meeting record does not identify a final retail site; staff said suitability applications will be handled through the clerk’s office and reviewed for conformance with local land‑use rules before any site is recommended for local support to the state.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Borough Council meeting Febuary 3rd 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After a lengthy public hearing with dozens of residents, the council voted to adopt an ordinance allowing regulated cannabis activity (Ordinance 2025‑2) and to amend fee provisions (Ordinance 2025‑3); a zoning amendment tied to cannabis (Ordinance 2025‑4) was referred to the land‑use board for review.","taxTitle","South River, Middlesex County, New Jersey","taxId",70482,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6047281,"Residents press South River to close Collin Drive after years of wrong‑way traffic",821,1095000,1916000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537017-abbf769d579141c093e3acae2441b706&start=1095&end=1916","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537017-abbf769d579141c093e3acae2441b706/thumbnail_1095000.jpg","/articles/6047281/South-River/Middlesex-County/New-Jersey/Residents-press-South-River-to-close-Collin-Drive-after-years-of-wrongway-traffic","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047281-dc429f09d2ac3ff0589f42857c6419bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136835&Signature=kwlWAxX55TGj7ag4ADTpiWL3p3R1QvsnQcj~fvC2SfsnMcxTZDysnP4m1cXkYqpO7NjggoZCBanzjeWfiZMMTQgoZB8yZHycmZYf-BxF3CJFcSvhg0zf2XSyhK7FiqFRqrL3JreiSdihM9FU5UabGt4XgG7DAroCdzqY6GJTxHbTD7ZOPTTvsx~2~85LkZOGo3ysU3eibVDdoho2eRwx5ytoAjE4KNqBMHfe7aUNWEJ-wzVJIYw0RyB4C1wW7GhsYTFXBVYYg845W1EBudFKj9Gw6NRBtTDRNH5fTb83yX3zFSwabEa2ltQ1RE03V0BY5CddH8tQbKOZrFnB6nqtVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents of Collin Drive and surrounding streets urged South River officials during a public hearing on Feb. 3 to close Collin Drive to through traffic, saying wrong‑way drivers, speeding and noise have made the street unsafe.

Several neighbors said the road has been a longstanding problem since the adjacent development was built. “It needs to be closed off,” Stella Fitzpatrick (44 Common Drive) told the council during public comment. “We have cars coming both ways. We have children playing out there.”

Nadia Nalunsek (42 Collin Drive) urged the council to act after two decades of complaints about the street. Nalunsek described earlier planning‑board and developer decisions that resulted in a one‑way configuration and said residents reluctantly accepted a one‑way street to avoid costly litigation. She and other neighbors reported drivers treat the street as a shortcut and travel at high speeds.

Scott Wenger (33 Terry Avenue) described long‑running neighborhood efforts to stop the roadway’s use as a cut‑through and said residents documented high volumes of wrong‑way traffic. “I put a camera in my house a couple of months back … there must be 30, 40 cars a day,” Wenger said, adding that officers once spent multiple hours monitoring the street.

Robert Smatrick (44 Collin Drive) said he has nearly been hit while crossing the street and worries an injury or death will be needed to prompt action. Multiple speakers credited past police enforcement efforts but said the problem persists.

The council allowed a five‑minute public hearing and then closed public comment; the transcript records the hearing and speakers’ remarks but does not record a council vote to close Collin Drive during this meeting. Council members acknowledged residents’ testimony and referred enforcement history and the planning record during discussion, but no final closure ordinance or adoption appears in the meeting record provided.

Council and staff noted the street’s long history and that decisions about physical closure, signage or new traffic controls involve engineering review, traffic studies and, if required, legal or planning steps. Those procedural next steps were discussed but not resolved on the record.","Neighbors urged the borough to permanently close Collin Drive to through traffic, citing repeated wrong‑way driving, speeding and safety hazards; the council held a public hearing but the transcript does not record a final closure vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6047289,"South River seeks Jake’s Law grant for inclusive playground and fitness court at Volunteers Park",248,92000,340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537017-abbf769d579141c093e3acae2441b706&start=92&end=340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537017-abbf769d579141c093e3acae2441b706/thumbnail_92000.jpg","/articles/6047289/South-River/Middlesex-County/New-Jersey/South-River-seeks-Jakes-Law-grant-for-inclusive-playground-and-fitness-court-at-Volunteers-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047289-693a2498ad62e6f2fd0e990f5a6add7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136835&Signature=lWOBohzexWXghUpZv0sXW3iSPjHNQFOl8windygU8rKW8OFsOtjD3g0VMv1yDDOGaSSsAM8wRcqXNctBY55wt8q4B7yLpScVZIGISF9HspIFgWzQKd1BsTvRtrTT6hmt~ygM1wH6VhS4d6SEr8Dpe9BNLe2ZmnxHyX0ekHCLRVO4Cgz-ENDg0GxferWngx4YzpOYNnY2feNqUBTDCavqnRXi3c0wqQaNHwZEsvC2nFGBbYfcwowKYBCKyLAFwKEzfTdz-3pe3iFecW3heO8driZF5APR~N5Dli-6Hu5K8IZxAdf0NfkdJ69VnEoHkANjcw8Z28xGfvEwiPCkF3D3OA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","South River officials presented a grant application on Feb. 3 seeking state funds under “Jake’s Law” to build an inclusive playground and an adult fitness court at Volunteers Park (also called Bell Park).

The proposal would place the playground in an already-developed portion of Volunteers Park, near Johnson Place and Bridal Street, officials said. The project includes an inclusive surfacing system, an adjacent fitness area and new walking paths; presenters said the surfacing is porous and will be installed over a stone drainage layer.

The presentation explained why the borough applied for the grant and how the design follows Jake’s Law guidelines. “Jake's Law incentivizes counties, municipalities to build inclusive playgrounds for children and adults with disabilities,” a borough staff member said during the presentation. The speaker said the plan is intended for “anyone with any disability” so people who need adaptive access can use the equipment alongside other park users.

The borough said an environmental review found no regulated areas on the site and no expected impacts to threatened or endangered species. The project would require removal of eight trees near the playground and walking path; presenters said four of those trees are dead, two would be removed to clear walkways and two have exposed roots that present tripping hazards. “The removal of these trees will help ensure the safety of residents using the park and playground,” the presenter said.

During public comment, Emily Grasso (13 Darrow Street), speaking in part as a member of the environmental commission, asked whether the proposed playground surface is impervious. A staff member replied that the surfacing is porous and explained the contractor installs a bluestone layer beneath the rubber surface to promote drainage: “They use it's a rubber surface, but it's very porous. And they put a layer of, Bluestone underneath to let water drain.”

Grasso and other speakers also urged replacement plantings after construction. Grasso noted the ecosystem services of mature trees and asked that the borough replace removed trees where possible; presenters said the plan includes landscaping restoration and replanting where feasible after construction.

The presenter said no New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection permits were expected to be required and that a Natural Heritage Database search had been requested on Dec. 31, 2024 and returned last week. Officials described short-term construction impacts such as temporary access restrictions, increased noise and truck traffic during work, but said no long-term environmental impacts were anticipated.

The presentation also cited the borough’s efforts to match local funds with outside grants (including mention of Green Acres program funding) to stretch municipal dollars.

If approved and funded, borough staff said they will work with recreation staff on final design and a construction schedule. The presentation identified staff contacts in the recreation department who will support the grant application and project delivery.

The borough did not set a construction start date or final budget in the meeting record; presenters said final costs and scope will be determined if the grant is awarded.","Borough officials presented a grant application to construct an inclusive playground and adult fitness court at Volunteers Park (Bell Park), saying the project would remove eight trees and require only routine construction permits.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

South River council advances cannabis ordinances after extended public hearing; zoning amendment sent to land‑use board

Residents press South River to close Collin Drive after years of wrong‑way traffic

South River seeks Jake’s Law grant for inclusive playground and fitness court at Volunteers Park