Planning staff calls ordinance a ‘housekeeping’ change; board finds it consistent with master plan

Planning Department staff presented an ordinance referred to the planning board for master-plan consistency review on Nov. 6 that staff described as largely housekeeping.

Justin Lesko said the ordinance (referred to in the meeting as Ordinance 2025-2025-18) would change the definition of a minor site plan so any application that requires conditional-use approval, subdivision approval, stormwater relief or variance relief would be classified as a major site plan and therefore go directly to the planning board rather than being handled through the minor-site-plan committee. He said this change is intended to avoid classifying applications as minor when they in fact require any of those four items and to make processing more transparent.

Lesko also described two harmonization items: adding a 12-month expiration for administrative waivers (to avoid waivers lingering for years before action) and adding a 12-month expiration for zoning permits in the former township code so both former borough and township provisions align.

A brief board discussion noted the town is undertaking a larger code harmonization rewrite following the master plan and that staff considered but did not include a size-based ceiling for minor-site-plan classification. After comments the board moved to find the ordinance consistent with the master plan and recommend adoption; the roll call vote was affirmative and the chair announced the motion carries. Lesko said staff will prepare a memo with any board comments to counsel before the ordinance’s public hearing at the Nov. 24 council meeting.

The change would principally alter administrative processing and not itself approve any specific development; council will hold the public hearing and consider adoption on Nov. 24.