Oxford Committee introduces redevelopment plan to rezone Block 25, Lot 57 and allow selected cannabis uses

Oxford Township’s Committee introduced an ordinance on Jan. 21 to adopt a redevelopment plan for Block 25, Lot 57 that would create a "Block 25, Lot 57 Redevelopment Zone" and establish permitted uses, standards and a bulk schedule for future development.

The ordinance, introduced as Ordinance 2026-2, would allow any business requiring a Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 cannabis license under New Jersey law to operate in the redevelopment zone; Class 5 and Class 6 cannabis licenses are not permitted. The plan also enumerates accessory uses such as extraction booths and enclosed storage containers, and lists facilities and services needed for cannabis operations including security buildings, fencing and vehicular access.

Township Planner Tim O'Brien explained the ordinance text in the ordinance recital and the package filed with the Committee states the plan was prepared at the Committee’s direction. The plan includes several zone-specific standards that supersede otherwise applicable township codes where they conflict:

- Security and fencing: fences required by NJAC 17:30 for uses regulated under that code are allowed, with permitted heights up to eight feet and higher if state or other safety rules require greater height; features such as barbed wire or razor wire are permitted if required by the state rules. - Lighting: uses regulated by NJAC 17:30 are exempted from local site-lighting restrictions when necessary to meet state standards; property-line light levels are limited to zero except at driveway intersections where higher lighting may be allowed for safe travel. - Parking and EV standards: the plan references N.J.S.A. 40:55D for EV parking and permits reductions in required parking based on EV spaces; it sets a minimum parking ratio of one space per 1,600 square feet of gross floor area for principal uses, with provisions for banked/future parking and developer-submitted plans to add spaces later if demand increases. - Variances and review: the Land Use Board may grant 'c' variances under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70.c but not 'd' variances; the ordinance directs referral of the Plan to the Planning Board for statutory review after introduction and first reading, per the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq.).

The redevelopment plan’s bulk schedule sets minimum lot area at 3 acres, minimum lot width at 250 feet, rear/front/side setbacks (various), a maximum height of 50 feet (three stories) and a maximum lot coverage of 35 percent. The ordinance text also provides for exemptions from certain local standards where they conflict with state cannabis regulations, and includes specific rules for buffers, fire-lane access, accessory building coverage and parking variances.

The Committee introduced the ordinance on first reading and carried the motion to send the plan to the Planning Board for review; Georgette Miller moved to approve introduction, Linda Koufodontes seconded, and the motion passed unanimously on roll-call vote (Ayes: 3, Nays: 0). The ordinance notice states the Committee will consider final reading and adoption on Feb. 18, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal building.

Why it matters: The redevelopment plan would change the permitted uses for a specific parcel in Oxford and includes detailed, zone-specific exemptions and standards tied to New Jersey cannabis regulations. If advanced through Planning Board review and later adopted, it would allow certain cannabis businesses to locate on the site subject to the Plan’s standards and any conditions imposed by land-use authorities.

What happens next: The Planning Board will perform the statutory review required under N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-7; the ordinance’s final reading and adoption are scheduled for the Committee meeting on Feb. 18, 2026.