Franklin Township planning board advances master plan reexamination, forms open-space steering committee

The Franklin Township Planning Board on Wednesday advanced its 10-year master plan reexamination and voted to recommend formation of an open-space and recreation steering committee to update an element last revised in 2013.

Chairman Orsini opened the meeting by noting statutory notice had been posted and asked members to identify priorities for a reexamination he said would be followed by staff prioritization and future work sessions. "Nobody's making new land," Orsini said as he urged the board to focus on what existing parcels should be preserved or reconsidered.

Planner Mark, who led the presentation, recommended creating a steering committee with two planning-board members, two open-space-committee members and two recreation-advisory members, plus nonvoting advisory participants including the director of recreation and a council liaison. "So the recommendation would be to pass a resolution forming that steering committee," Mark said; the board moved and approved that recommendation by voice vote.

Why it matters: board members said updating the open-space element will let the township incorporate more recent studies — a local health assessment, a community energy plan and a micro-mobility study — and give the township a clearer basis for prioritizing zoning and land-preservation actions the council may ultimately adopt.

Key topics debated

- Cluster zoning and density bonuses: Staff flagged multiple, contradictory cluster provisions and singled out an agricultural cluster option that currently allows a threefold density bonus. Mark recommended removing large bonuses but keeping modest incentives (for example, smaller density bonuses) to encourage cluster subdivisions. Board members asked staff to compile the existing cluster provisions in table form so the board can more easily compare and prioritize changes.

- Sidewalks and the sidewalk fund: Several members pressed for transparency about the fees paid in lieu of on-site sidewalks and how those monies are spent. One member argued, "That money should be, in my opinion, benchmark for sidewalks," urging that fees collected be traceable to projects that fill sidewalk gaps. Mark said he did not have the accounting on hand but would check with finance and the township manager and report back.

- Rails-to-trails and rights-of-way: Members recommended including a rails-to-trails statement in the circulation or open-space elements and asked staff to confirm whether earlier trail proposals (including using pipeline corridors) were reviewed by the trails committee. Staff noted that some rights-of-way (Conrail) currently are not available but recommended retaining language in the plan to preserve the township's intent.

- Sewer service-area alignment: Staff displayed maps showing the sewer service boundary and recommended removing low-density zones from the sewer service area where properties are not sewered, to better align zoning with infrastructure capacity and intent.

- Accessory dwelling units and enforcement concerns: A board member asked about ADUs; Mark said ADUs are not currently permitted in single-family zones under existing ordinance language restricting one residence per lot. He said the council could change the ordinance, but implementation and enforcement present policy tradeoffs.

- Public safety and cultural assets: A member suggested adding a public-safety/crime-prevention element (including Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ideas) and a cultural-assets/community-identity element to address perceptions of crime and to celebrate the township's diversity. Staff said those topics would be added to the post-adoption prioritized to-do list so they can be addressed in follow-up work sessions.

Formal actions and votes

Votes at a glance: - Extension for Baldwis Realty (warehouses on Weston Canal Road): motion to approve extension to Jan. 3; motion moved and seconded and carried by affirmative voice vote of members present. - Recommendation to form Open Space and Recreation Steering Committee: motion moved and seconded; motion carried by affirmative voice vote.

What’s next: Mark told the board two hearings are scheduled for Feb. 18 (the master plan reexamination and amendments to the fair-share housing plan). He said the board can adopt the reexamination at that hearing and then reconvene in March–May for work sessions to prioritize and begin drafting implementing ordinances.

The board also identified several items for immediate follow-up (to be included as a bullet list in the master plan and fleshed out after adoption): sidewalk-fund accounting and gap projects; trails and rails-to-trails potential; Hamilton Street parking/streetscape considerations; cluster-zoning cleanups; ADU policy analysis; and consideration of drone-delivery siting and air-rights interactions. The meeting adjourned with the next meeting scheduled for Feb. 18.