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Town council first reading trims industrial scale in B1 business zone, commission reports
Summary
Commission chair reported the township council passed first reading of a revised B1 business‑zone ordinance that would cap warehouses at 150,000 sq ft, impose tree‑planting and setback requirements and ban new data centers; council deliberations on technical tweaks continue.
The Franklin Township Environmental Commission heard a report May 18 that the township council passed a first reading of a revised B1 business‑zone ordinance that narrows earlier proposals on warehouse development and adds environmental design requirements.
The commission chair (S1) said the revised draft would limit warehouses to 150,000 square feet — a reduction from an earlier draft that had allowed up to 400,000 square feet — and would add setbacks, mandatory tree plantings and a ban on new data centers in the B1 zone citing power and water‑use concerns. The chair said legal counsel reviewed the draft and found the provisions enforceable.
Commission members said the revisions were intended to curb large industrial applications and speed up review so the township could act before any new applications were filed. The chair said the council convened a meeting led by Councilwoman Rudin to discuss what tweaks might still be needed. Other detailed provisions discussed at the council meeting, according to the chair's report, included a 60% maximum risk surface percentage and an obligation for "forward readiness" for warehouses above 100,000 square feet.
Commissioners noted related matters outside the ordinance's scope, including traffic concerns, would need to be handled separately through other planning processes. The ordinance remains at the council level; no formal commission vote on the ordinance text was recorded in the commission meeting.
