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PNI committee recommends certifying Hamilton Township redevelopment plan that would allow conditional cannabis cultivation on a limited envelope
Summary
The Pinelands Commission PNI committee voted Nov. 22 to recommend certification of a Hamilton Township ordinance that creates an overlay allowing a Class 1 cannabis cultivation facility in a roughly 10‑acre disturbed envelope of a 105‑acre parcel; the development application is incomplete and stormwater and contamination questions remain.
The Pinelands Commission PNI committee voted Nov. 22 to recommend that the full commission certify a Hamilton Township redevelopment ordinance that would allow a conditional Class 1 cannabis cultivation facility on a limited portion of a 105‑acre parcel in the FA‑70/Pine Forest area.
Brad, a commission staff presenter, told the committee that "this redevelopment area is approximately a 105 acres" and that the existing former industrial building on site contains "about 31,000 square feet." He said the plan creates an overlay zone to permit, conditionally, a cannabis cultivation use but limits any cultivation‑related development to "approximately 10 acre area that's been previously disturbed and cleared." The draft ordinance presented in the commission packet was identified as "ordinance 20 85 dash 20 '24."
Staff emphasized limits on permitted uses: the FA‑70 zone generally prohibits industrial activities and the redevelopment plan relies on municipal flexibility under the CMP (Comprehensive Management Plan) to allow certain agricultural products processing activities associated with a Class 1 cultivation license. Brad said processing and packaging activities "depending on the methods" could fall under the plan's agricultural‑products processing allowance, but that dispensing (retail) would not be permitted at the site.
Committee members pressed staff on environmental and permitting uncertainties. One commissioner asked whether the site had contamination records; Brad said, "I don't think based on our records, I don't think we have any records of contamination, but, I mean, it is a former industrial site. They'll probably have to look into that." Another commissioner recommended requesting a Phase I environmental assessment and a chain‑of‑title review before further action.
On the question of stormwater and additional impervious surface, staff said the development application is ‘‘pending’’ and currently incomplete; they could not yet determine what stormwater improvements might be required. The redevelopment plan does not include deed restrictions on the remaining forested portions of the parcel, and staff noted the remainder of the 105 acres could continue to be used for forestry or agriculture under existing zoning.
A motion to recommend certification was made and seconded; recorded aye votes on the transcript include the staff presenter’s earlier speaker and another commissioner. No opposition was recorded in the available audio; abstentions were noted earlier in the meeting on unrelated minutes votes. The committee action sends the Hamilton Township ordinance forward for consideration by the full Pinelands Commission.
Next steps: staff said the site’s formal development application will determine whether additional environmental assessments or stormwater work are required; the commission’s recommendation is a certification step and does not itself approve site construction or licensing. The commission packet indicates the redevelopment plan is intended to allow limited reuse of the existing structure and to confine cultivation‑related activities to the pre‑disturbed 10‑acre envelope.
