Land use and development

The former Lord Stirling School: redevelopment study

On Nov. 11, 2025 the Township Committee voted 3-2 to have the Planning Board study whether the former Lord Stirling School at 99 Lord Stirling Road and the lot at 25 Sherwood Drive are an area in need of redevelopment, without eminent domain. The Board opened its hearing on the study on Oct. 20, 2026 and carried it to Dec. 8.

Checked against the primary record on . Every figure on this page is sourced at the foot of the article.

Planning Board hearing continues Dec. 8, 2026; no vote yet Last moved

What happens next

The Planning Board's hearing continues Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the Warren Craft Meeting Room, Municipal Building, One Collyer Lane, as announced at the Oct. 20 meeting (township recording), with no further notice. The public may question witnesses and comment, in person or through counsel, orally or in writing. At the end of the hearing the Board votes on a recommendation to the Township Committee.

The former Lord Stirling School sits at 99 Lord Stirling Road (Block 3101, Lot 2), next to a single-family lot at 25 Sherwood Drive (Lot 3), in a zone for homes on two-acre lots. NJ Hills has reported that the campus covers 10.8 acres and that the school closed in 2020. In July 2025 the owner, Lord Stirling Property LLC (John Rocker), and its attorney spoke to the Township Committee about plans for the vacant property.

The study. On Nov. 11, 2025 the Committee adopted Res. #2025-0395, 3-2 (aye McNally, Tancredi, Fields; nay Asay, Duarte McCarthy), asking the Planning Board to investigate whether the two lots are an “area in need of redevelopment” under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law. It is a non-condemnation study: a designation would let the township use redevelopment powers, such as adopting a redevelopment plan with its own zoning, but not eminent domain.

Public comment. Residents spoke about the property at seven Committee meetings from Nov. 11, 2025 to Sept. 29, 2026, about 30 speaker appearances in all as the minutes list them, 15 of them on June 23, 2026. The minutes record the subject but not what each speaker said. As NJ Hills and Patch reported, some urged the township to let the owner build, and others, many of them neighbors, opposed redevelopment.

The hearing. The study, by Burgis Associates for the Planning Board, was put on file on Oct. 1, 2026. The Board opened its public hearing on Oct. 20, 2026; the township’s recording shows the Board took no vote and carried the hearing to Dec. 8, 2026. The Board had not posted minutes of the Oct. 20 meeting as of Nov. 1, 2026; this summary will be checked against them once posted.

What happens next. If the Board recommends designation, the Township Committee decides by resolution. Any redevelopment plan would then be adopted by ordinance, with a Planning Board review and a public hearing.

What residents can do. Attend the Dec. 8 hearing; members of the public may question witnesses and comment, orally or in writing. The study is open for inspection at the Engineering Services Building, 277 South Maple Avenue, and the Municipal Building. The explainer sets out the record. Corrections can be emailed to info@localwhy.org.

The Lord Stirling School study, explained

Timeline

Each dated event on this issue, oldest first, linked to the full sourced entry.

  1. Milestone Owner of the former Lord Stirling School asks the Committee to consider the vacant propertyAttorney Michael Silbert, for Lord Stirling Property LLC (John Rocker), and Mr. Rocker spoke at public comment about the vacant former school at 99 Lord Stirling Road and the owner's plans for it; five other speakers supported improving the property.
  2. Resolved Committee votes 3-2 for a redevelopment study of the former Lord Stirling SchoolRes. #2025-0395 asks the Planning Board to investigate whether 99 Lord Stirling Road and 25 Sherwood Drive (Block 3101, Lots 2 and 3) are an area in need of redevelopment, as a non-condemnation area. Aye McNally, Tancredi, Fields; nay Asay, Duarte McCarthy.
  3. Milestone Fifteen people speak to the Committee about the former Lord Stirling SchoolAt closing public comment, 13 listed entries naming 15 people "commented on the property located at 99 Lord Stirling Rd (formerly Lord Stirling School)." NJ Hills reported 11 speakers for the owner's plans and two neighbors against.
  4. Milestone Redevelopment study of the Lord Stirling School lots put on file; hearing set for Oct. 20The Planning Board gave notice that the Burgis Associates study, "Block 3101, Lots 2 & 3, Area in Need of Redevelopment Study," was on file for inspection and that the Board would hold a public hearing and vote on a recommendation to the Township Committee.
  5. Pending Planning Board opens hearing on the Lord Stirling School study and carries it to Dec. 8The township's recording shows the Board took no vote and the hearing was carried to Dec. 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., with no further notice.

Explainers

Documents

The township's own records on this issue. Each links to the official copy.

Meetings

  • Planning Board — October 20, 2026

    The Board opened its public hearing on whether 99 Lord Stirling Road, the former Lord Stirling School, and 25 Sherwood Drive qualify as a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment. The township's recording shows the Board took no vote and carried the hearing to December 8, 2026. The township had not posted minutes of this meeting as of Nov. 1, 2026.

  • Township Committee — September 29, 2026

    With McNally absent, the Committee rejected the second round of bids for the 2026 road program, citing record diesel and asphalt prices, moved the Lake Road project's completion to November 10, 2026 at no added cost, and introduced the filming ordinance (#2602) and two traffic ordinances (#2606, #2607), all 4-0. One person spoke, on the Master Plan and the former Lord Stirling School property.

  • Township Committee — September 15, 2026

    With Hodges absent, the Committee adopted Ordinances #2604 and #2605, accepting two riparian conservation easements, tabled the introduction of a filming ordinance (#2602) to September 29, and approved an opioid-settlement-funded agreement with Community in Crisis, Inc., all 4-0. Four people spoke, one about historic preservation of the former Lord Stirling School.

  • Township Committee — August 11, 2026

    The Committee introduced Ordinance #2603, a property maintenance ordinance for non-residential properties, appointed seven Class III special officers for school security under agreements with the Board of Education and Saint James School, and awarded crossing guard services for 2026-2027 (not to exceed $201,000.00), all 5-0. Five people spoke.

  • Township Committee — July 28, 2026

    The Committee continued the community-based deer management program for 2026-2027, approved change orders on the Renda Roads repair contract (+$79,952.87) and the 2025 Reivax road program (+$31,701.57), and bought Public Works trucks, hooklift equipment and a van totaling about $851,000, all 5-0. Five people spoke, all on the former Lord Stirling School property.

  • Township Committee — July 14, 2026

    The Committee adopted salary Ordinance #2601, authorized an online tax sale on or about October 6, extended the third-quarter tax grace period because the county had not released the tax rate, and applied for an $835,000.00 federal grant for police communications and $1,447,960.00 in state aid for three roads, all 5-0. Three people spoke, all on the former Lord Stirling School property.

  • Township Committee — June 23, 2026

    With McNally absent, the Committee adopted Ordinance #2599, as amended with the Planning Board's recommendations, prohibiting data centers in all zones, and #2598, a new construction fee schedule, both 4-0. It certified the 2025 audit, extended Ridge Oak's tax abatement 40 years, awarded Pleasant Valley Park court improvements and introduced salary Ordinance #2601. Thirteen entries naming 15 people commented on the former Lord Stirling School property.

  • Township Committee — November 11, 2025

    The Committee voted 3-2 (Resolution #2025-0395) to have the Planning Board investigate the former Lord Stirling School property, 99 Lord Stirling Road and 25 Sherwood Drive, as a possible non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment. It adopted two wetlands conservation easement ordinances and rescinded the Aqualis award for MS4 stormwater mapping. Eight of the ten public speakers commented on the Allen Road incident.

Sources for this overview

  1. Township Committee minutes, Nov. 11, 2025 (Res. #2025-0395, 3-2)
  2. Planning Board notice of public hearing on the study, Oct. 1, 2026
  3. Planning Board agenda, Oct. 20, 2026
  4. Township recording of the Planning Board meeting, Oct. 20, 2026
  5. Township Committee minutes, June 23, 2026 (public comment on 99 Lord Stirling Rd)
  6. Planning Board minutes, June 2, 2026 (redevelopment law presentation)
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