Township Council — May 12, 2026

What was decided

Six members were present: Deputy Mayor Kharazi, Mayor Kramer, Mr. Onyejiaka, Mr. Singh, Mr. Vassanella and Mr. Wright. Mr. Anbarasan, Ms. Francois and Ms. Uddin were absent. Every vote below was 6-0: ayes Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Singh, Vassanella and Wright; no nays; Anbarasan, Francois and Uddin absent.

• Ord. 4507-26 introduced (mover Kharazi, second Singh). The ordinance amends Chapter 112 and is “Intended Primarily to Address Light Industrial Development, Including Warehouses, in the Business and Industry (B-I) Zone”. The public hearing was set for June 9, 2026. See warehouses.
• Adopted on second reading, each with no public comment at its hearing:
  • Ord. 4502-26, to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and establish a CAP bank (mover Kharazi, second Wright);
  • Ord. 4504-26, the 2026 general capital bond ordinance, appropriating $8,049,100 and authorizing $6,979,145 in bonds or notes (mover Kharazi, second Wright);
  • Ord. 4505-26, the 2026 water utility bond ordinance, appropriating $4,588,000 and authorizing $4,588,000 in bonds or notes (mover Wright, second Kharazi);
  • Ord. 4506-26, appropriating $293,500 from the Open Space Trust Fund for capital acquisitions and improvements (mover Wright, second Kharazi).
• Consent agenda (Res. #26-196 to #26-218; mover Wright, second Kharazi). It included:
  • the Johnson Road, Orchid Court, King Road and MacAfee Road water main replacement, MSP Construction, not to exceed $2,697,496.00 (#26-205);
  • Highwood Area resurfacing, Discover Construction, not to exceed $256,758.82 (#26-206);
  • water system emergency repair services, J. Fletcher Creamer & Sons, Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2028, not to exceed $450,000 a year (#26-207);
  • Motorola maintenance renewal, not to exceed $150,127.96 (#26-203);
  • an NJDOT Municipal Aid application for JFK Boulevard Phase 1, Easton Avenue to Hughes Road (#26-210), and an extension request for the NJDOT Van Cleef bike path grant (#26-211).
• Executive session on a “Potential Land Acquisition – Kerani Realty LLC Property – Block 5.02, Lots 61.01-61.09 – Riddering Drive” (Res. #26-219; mover Kharazi, second Wright).

Public Discussion

The minutes record six speakers.

• Dave Robinson, Somerset Run, supported the draft ordinance. He noted its stricter criteria for warehouse size and distance from the I-287 interchanges and its new standards for loading docks, operating hours and noise testing. He raised truck traffic and the projected level of service at intersections such as Elizabeth Avenue and New Brunswick Road by 2028.
• Anthony Riccio opposed more warehousing, citing the state of the road network. He suggested new roads, a capacity analysis and a master plan to manage development, and warned against “segmentation” of warehouse approvals.
• Kiki Anatasakos of Enclave Circle, commended the transparency of the B-I zone study and the approach to data centers and operating-hour limits near homes. She asked what “interior access road”, scenic roadway frontage and the buffer zones mean, and said 16 failing intersections were not addressed in the ordinance.
• Jan Brant of Bryant Court, opposed the ordinance as premature. She said nearly 8 million square feet of warehousing had been proposed by October 2023, much of it built or under review, and that traffic impacts were occurring before full build-out. She urged the Council to put infrastructure first and keep the conditional-use protections.
• Skip Richards repeated concerns about the traffic study and failing intersections. He said trucks violate 4-ton weight limits on roads such as Schoolhouse Road, suggested AI cameras to monitor them, and asked that a sign on Weston Canal Road be changed to steer trucks away from Schoolhouse Road.
• Terri Thorpe said trucks and school buses parked on New Brunswick Road narrow the road. She also reported snow-plowing damage at Van Wickle and asked for repairs.

Answers. The minutes record that the Township Attorney and Manager explained:

• an “interior access road” is a private road within one roadway mile of the I-287 interchanges, such as Atrium Drive;
• the scenic-roadway frontage rule applies whichever side of a building faces the road, though no scenic roadway lies within one roadway mile of the interchanges;
• traffic studies are usually referenced in master plans, not zoning ordinances, and the Planning Board is undertaking a master plan reexamination that will consider these issues;
• trucks may use 4-ton roads when their destination is on or just off the road, and New Jersey law does not allow automated camera enforcement for summonses, though police monitor cameras to investigate complaints;
• the Weston Canal Road sign will be changed to read “Truck traffic use Randolph Road ahead”;
• the Police Department will reassess parking on New Brunswick Road, and the Manager will look into the Van Wickle property.

Council comments

• Mr. Vassanella said he would not dissect the warehouse ordinance because of possible lawsuits, but felt it “doesn’t go far enough”. He said traffic and infrastructure problems around World’s Fair Drive, Davidson Avenue and Franklin Boulevard near Easton Avenue remain unresolved, and that he did not support the ordinance. (He is recorded among the ayes on its introduction.) He said he would put New Brunswick Road parking on the next Public Safety meeting agenda.
• Mr. Singh called the ordinance “a positive step in the right direction” for setting limits, strengthening buffering and traffic controls, and removing data centers. He also asked for a land-use conversation on accessory dwelling units for elderly parents, which current zoning does not permit.
• Mr. Wright asked for more police patrols near new housing construction behind the Franklin Somerset First Aid Squad. He said the Redevelopment Agency was reviewing RPM’s revised plans for buildings on Franklin Boulevard and Route 27, and that the Township does not own or build affordable housing.

Records

• Minutes (approved June 9, 2026) · Agenda · Packet
• Video on Granicus (1:32). Granicus publishes no captions for Franklin meetings; this page follows the Clerk’s minutes.