PLUMSTED – Township officials recently met for a spirited midafternoon committee meeting concerning the introduction of Ordinance 2024-07 that had it passed, would have changed several lots in downtown New Egypt to C-4 zoning.
Many of the 111 attendees came out to object to the ordinance which some called blanket casting commercial zoning and paving the way for overdevelopment. The lots include five properties on Brown Lane and one on Main Street.
Residents also loudly protested the unusual time for the meeting which featured some verbal sparring amongst the committee and residents and the mayor about how it came about and what – if any – benefit it would have for the township.
Normally, the Township Committee holds its executive session at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month but this month it was moved to 2 p.m. The public session that usually takes place an hour later took place around 3:15 p.m.
The meeting was moved to earlier in the day as Mayor Dominick Cuozzo had an obligation in the evening. He told The Jackson Times after the meeting that other committee members also had conflicts with the regular evening session time.
Committeeman Robert Bowen said “I saw this for the first time two days ago. I attended the agenda meeting last Tuesday and there was no mention of this ordinance being introduced. I was not made aware that this ordinance was being prepared and that we were looking to expand the C-4.”
“The only discussion I was aware of was that the school had approached us about the property across from the elementary school (on Main Street) be re-zoned to C-4. I recommended that they look to land preservation for that from the County and that perhaps the township could be involved,” Bowen added.
Bowen stressed that, “the only discussion I have heard this year of rezoning is that property. I never heard of four lots in the town being rezoned. I don’t think it is appropriate to introduce an ordinance of this impact two days before a meeting in August for a 3 p.m. meeting.”
With that, the audience exploded with applause for several minutes. “Thank you, sir,” resident Bernard Bahnam said.
Republican Committee primary winners James Hagelstein and Thomas Potter were in opposition to the ordinance. There was a long line of citizens who came up to the microphone to speak during the public comment period.
Committeeman Michael Hammerstone attended the meeting via phone and said he had some difficulty hearing the meeting and gave that as a reason for why he abstained from voting.
Committeeman Bowen explained his objection to the ordinance saying there wasn’t sufficient discussion about it, that its introduction went against procedure and recommended it go back for discussion at a workshop meeting.
Committeeman Leonard Grilletto said he would not vote for any ordinance pertaining to rezoning unless he had the details on the specific areas being impacted. The ordinance listed the lots to be rezoned but did not provide specific addresses which Grilletto took issue with. Like Bowen and Deputy Mayor Herb Marinari, Grilletto voted against the ordinance.
Cuozzo argued that sufficient discussion had occurred about the development of the ordinance which he said had been drafted by Township Clerk Jennifer Witham, Township Attorney Jean Cipriani and himself. He maintained there was no breach of procedure but he also voted against the measure noting it could be revised and revisited later.
Cipriani attempted several times during the meeting to bring order as audience members shouted out comments and reacted to statements made from the dais. Most of their responses were directed toward the mayor regarding transparency, the purpose of the ordinance and comments he made.
Cuzzo started the meeting saying he was “happy when we have people who are interested and involved and hopefully for what we will do today will be informed about all that is going on about local township government.”
He cited the folklore of “the boy who cried wolf and how he got everyone up in an uproar and then it turned out that there was no emergency. I’m afraid for some of you that you have fallen for a boy that cried wolf. Hopefully, we will be able to inform everyone today and I hope that doesn’t spoil your urgency or your involvement for those things.”
The mayor added, “nothing about this committee is ever done in the dark. There are Sunshine laws.” That comment drew laughter from the audience.
“I know you have strong feelings and opinions. You will all have your opportunity to be heard,” Cipriani said asking the audience to refrain from yelling out. “It is disrespectful and disrupts things.”
“Disrespectful? Giving us a lesson about the wolf was disrespectful as well,” a member of the audience responded.
“With the boy not the wolf,” the mayor interjected.
Cipriani explained that had the ordinance been introduced it would have gone on to the Planning Board for review for consistency with the township’s Master Plan.
“Because it involves a boundary change, changing the size of the C-4 district, then everyone within 200 feet of where that boundary changes would get individualized notice. There would be a planning board hearing on whether or not there is compliance with the master plan,” she added.
“For the bulk of these properties (in the C-4 Zone) these four lots (13,14,15 and 24) that the mayor spoke of (they) are currently in the R-40 zone which is primarily residential.”
“Residential zoning is part of the C-4 zoning and what it allows the Planning Board to do is to take all the other zonings and apply them to whatever situation comes down. It is called a redevelopment zone which allows to do what needs to be done,” the mayor remarked.
Cipriani explained were the ordinance to have been adopted, “no existing single-family homes become invalid.”
