Warehouses and the B-I zone ordinance

The special-meeting agenda marks APPROVED the Board's resolutions on the 258,150 sq ft warehouse at 135 Davidson Avenue and the related church subdivision and site plan. It then took up the Tawheed Dahwah Center's amended site plan for a place of worship at 630 South Middlebush Road, which the agenda marks carried to October 1. Minutes are not posted.

The Council approved a $500,000 settlement with Transco over the federal condemnation of an access easement for Compressor Station 206, on land whose development rights the Township holds, plus $100,000 for a community benefit program, 9-0. It awarded the Catalpa Park construction contract and introduced a $1,380,000 open-space ordinance for the park. Eight of 15 speakers addressed the Flock license-plate cameras.

The Public Safety Director and a Flock Safety representative presented the township's license-plate camera system, and most of the residents who spoke in Public Discussion asked about data retention, audits, cost and civil liberties, several calling for the contract to be cancelled or put to a referendum. The Council adopted the cannabis and short-term rental ordinances, introduced the cluster-subdivision ordinance 4517-26, awarded $1.8 million in resurfacing and a $1,064,962 East Millstone water main, and met in closed session on warehouse and Transco litigation.

The agenda marks all three 135 Davidson Avenue applications APPROVED: the D(1) use variance and site plan for Syracuse 1950 Easton Avenue Owner LLC's 258,150 sq ft warehouse, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of U.S.A.'s subdivision and site plan. The Board's minutes for this meeting are not posted, so the vote and conditions are not yet in the public record.

The Council adopted Ord. 4507-26, the B-I zone ordinance limiting warehouses and removing data centers as a permitted use, 6-3, after a hearing with ten speakers. It introduced Ords. 4509-26 and 4510-26 on the 2026 master plan reexamination and the Collins Property open-space purchase, and approved a cost-share to preserve the Horses and Hay Farm. Residents presented a petition for safety measures on Beekman Road.

The Planning Board found the Council's B-I zone warehouse ordinance, Ord. 4507-26, "not inconsistent" with the Master Plan, 9-0, and reported back to the Council before its June 9 hearing. Its planning consultant said the ordinance was more restrictive than the Board's recommendation but served the same goals. No public comment was taken on the ordinance.

The Council adopted the CY2026 municipal budget as amended, 9-0, with $75,455,645.64 in appropriations and $41,722,842.00 to be raised by taxation for municipal purposes. Five residents spoke, among them one thanking the Council for limiting warehouses and banning data centers. The consent agenda carried a $325,000 guiderail repair contract and final change orders on water main and resurfacing work.

The Council introduced Ord. 4507-26, the B-I zone ordinance setting limits on warehouses, 6-0 with three members absent, after six residents spoke on warehouses and truck traffic. It adopted the 2026 general and water-utility bond ordinances, a $293,500 Open Space Trust Fund ordinance and a CAP bank ordinance, and awarded a $2,697,496 water-main replacement contract.

The objectors presented their case against the 258,150 sq ft warehouse at 135 Davidson Avenue and the related church applications. Their planner, Peter Steck, testified that the use variance should be denied and raised notice issues; the applicant entered the Council's ordinance vacating Executive Drive, which removes the variances tied to that street. Carried to June 18.

The Planning Board carried the Concore Realty warehouse application at 403 Elizabeth Avenue to October 21, 2026, with new notice required, and carried the County of Somerset's Canal Road subdivision, which adds a lot to open space, to May 6. It approved 10 EV charging stalls at 607 Somerset Street, 8-0.

With Deputy Mayor Kharazi presiding and seven members present, the Council adopted Ord. 4501-26 vacating part of Executive Drive, which the Manager said will become a private driveway for an approved warehouse, and a temporary budget with an emergency capital appropriation, each 7-0. A resident objected to a new leaf disposal fee, and others raised traffic and crosswalk safety.

The Board memorialized, 4-0, its February 5 approval of JC IOS Acquisitions' outdoor materials storage facility at 945 Route 27 in the B-I zone. It approved a gymnasium for Somerset Bible Baptist Church and a sign setback variance for Wash King, and carried PSE&G's substation application to June 18.

The third night on the 258,150 sq ft warehouse proposed at 135 Davidson Avenue and the related church applications. The applicant's architect, traffic engineer and planner testified; the Planning Director noted that the site abuts a residential zone, which the B-I reexamination's draft standards would not allow; objectors' counsel argued the use variance needs an enhanced quality of proof. Carried to May 7, 7-0.

The Planning Board approved resolutions on the 2026 Master Plan Re-examination Report, the Fourth Round affordable housing obligations and the amended affordable housing development fee ordinance, each 8-0. It then heard a presentation sorting the re-examination's recommendations into batches of zoning changes. The Concore Realty warehouse application at 403 Elizabeth Avenue was carried.

In a short meeting with no public present, the Planning Board adopted the 2026 Reexamination of the Master Plan and Development Regulations, 9-0, and the Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan addendum, 9-0. It memorialized the 230 Davidson Avenue warehouse approval.

The Planning Board memorialized its resolution adopting the B-I zone Master Plan reexamination, 5-0, and found the Fourth Round inclusionary-zoning ordinances 4489-26 to 4492-26 and redevelopment ordinance 4493-26 not inconsistent with the Master Plan. It extended the approval for a warehouse expansion at 50 Atrium Drive and held a work session on the general reexamination.

At a special meeting the Planning Board heard the B-I zone Master Plan reexamination, which sets size, loading-dock and location limits for warehouses, and adopted it 5-0. It then voted 5-0 to recommend the B-I zone standards to the Council. Seven residents asked questions or commented.

At its reorganization meeting the Planning Board approved a 35,510-square-foot warehouse behind an existing building at 230 Davidson Avenue, 8-0, adding sidewalks and limiting trucks to the WB-50 size. The Planning Director set out the schedule for the 2026 Master Plan reexamination and the January 14 B-I zone hearing.

On a 7-0 consent agenda the Council adopted Res. #25-511 supporting the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act, asked the Franklin Township Sewerage Authority to transfer $100,000 to the Township budget, and set the 2026 budget hearings as remote meetings. A resident urged quick adoption of a new B-I zoning ordinance to limit warehouses.

The Planning Board memorialized its October 15, 2025 approval of two warehouses at 500 Atrium Drive, 5-0, and approved a shopping center at 390 Davidson Avenue. The Planning Director told the Board the ten-year reexamination of the Master Plan was due in the first quarter of 2026.

The Board continued its joint hearing on three applications at 135 Davidson Avenue: a 258,150 sq ft warehouse proposed by Syracuse 1950 Easton Avenue Owner LLC on a D(1) use variance, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of U.S.A.'s subdivision and site plan for the land it keeps. The applicant's engineer testified on access, stormwater and parking; objectors' counsel questioned the authority to sell the land, tree replacement and wetlands. All three were carried.