Oxford Land Use Board recommends Wall Street parcels as 'area in need of redevelopment'

At its June 23 meeting the Oxford Township Land Use Board approved Resolution 2026‑06 recommending that a delineated collection of parcels along Wall Street be designated an Area in Need of Redevelopment under state redevelopment law. The resolution transmits the board’s recommendation to the Township Committee and incorporates a preliminary investigation prepared by Township Planner Timothy M. O’Brien of VanCleef Engineering Associates.

The Investigation Report described the Study Area as approximately 2.6 acres, with roughly 550 feet of frontage on Wall Street from Route 31 east to the Wall Street/Washington Ave./Belvedere Ave. convergence and additional rear lots accessed via Keps Road. The report concluded the Study Area meets statutory criteria under N.J.S.A. 40A:12A‑5 (the transcript records Mr. O’Brien citing subparagraphs “a,” “d,” and “h” for the parcels generally and subparagraph “c” for Block 6, Lots 11 and 12). The resolution text reads in part: "A recommendation is hereby made to the Township Committee that the Study Area, as defined in the Investigation Report, qualifies as an Area of Need of Redevelopment pursuant to the statutory criteria (non‑condemnation)."

The motion to adopt Resolution 2026‑06 was recorded as made by Mrs. Taranto and seconded by Mr. Lewis‑Lahey; the minutes record a vote tally of Ayes 9, Nays 0, Abstain 1, Absent 2 and note the motion carried. The board’s recommendation is advisory to the Township Committee; no redevelopment plan or eminent‑domain action was adopted at the June 23 meeting. The Investigation Report and its boundary map will accompany the recommendation to the Township Committee for further action.