[00:00:04]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. GOOD EVENING. YEP. UH THIS IS THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, SOMERSET COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY. IT'S OUR REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 14TH 2023. IT IS OUR INTENTION TO CONCLUDE THIS MEETING NO LATER THAN 10 P.M.
AND THE TIME RIGHT NOW IS SEVEN O'CLOCK UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT NOTICE OF THE TIME AND PLACE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED AND SENT TO THE OFFICIALLY
[I. ROLL CALL]
DESIGNATED NEWSPAPERS. DON ROWE CALL, PLEASE. CAMPUS HERE. UNABLE TO MAKE IT BATTLE. BUDGET UNABLE TO MAKE IT, HAMBLETON UNABLE TO MAKE IT KEENAN. ABSENT. YEAH. TODD. BUCKLER.HERE. KHAN. HERE. CASEY. HERE. SAFFRON. HERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PLEASE JONAS IN SALUTED THE FLAG.
OKAY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS AND OUR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO FIVE MINUTES AND WHEN PROVIDING COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA, OR FOR AN APPLICATION, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. SPELL YOUR LAST NAME FOR THE RECORD. AND IF YOU PREFER NOT TO PROVIDE YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE ADVISE
[IV. APPLICATION CONTINUATION TO THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2023 PLANNING BOARD MEETING]
WHICH MUNICIPALITY YOU LIVE IN. OKAY NEXT ITEM IS AN APPLICATION CONTINUATION. THE CASES PB DASH 3-23. THE APPLICANT IS HARLAND AND ASSOCIATES LLC. THIS IS BLOCK 6000 WON LOTS 33 34 34.01.35 35.1 AND 36 ON ROUTE 206. IT'S FOUR PRELIMINARY AND FINAL MAJOR SUBDIVISION AND SITE PLANT EXTRACTION TO CONSTRUCT THE MULTI FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF 32 STORY, AFFORDABLE AND MARKET RATE, MIXED HOUSING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH 18 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND 36 3 BEDROOM TOWN HOUSES. THE EXPIRATION DATE IS OCTOBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR, 2023 AFTER DAVID OF NOTIFICATION AND PUBLICATION IS REQUIRED AND PREVIOUSLY WAS FOUND TO BE AN ORDER AND THE ABOVE APPLICATION HAS BEEN CARRIED TO THE SEPTEMBER 11TH 2023 PLANNING BOARD MEETING. NO FURTHER NOTICE IS REQUIRED. OKAY? VERY GOOD APPLICATION IS CARRIED. NEXT
[V. MASTER PLAN HEARING]
ITEM IS A MASTER PLAN HEARING AND IT IS FOR THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN ELEMENT OF THE MASTER PLAN DATED JULY OF 2023. AND FOR OUR STAFF FREEZING STATION WE HAVE. HMM YES. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. LAURIE SABRA , AND I'M THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AND THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR.UM I AM VERY PLEASED TO BRING TO YOU ARE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN . IT WAS MULTI YEAR COLLABORATION WITH SO MANY PARTNERS THAT I DO WANT TO START OUT THINKING SOME ARE HERE WE HAVE LEARNED WAS ALASKA ARE OPEN SPACE COORDINATORS HERE AND STEVE BOYTON, WHO WAS ON THE OPEN SPACE. THIS COMMITTEE. UM AND THE RECREATION COMMITTEE, LED BY STEPHEN SHEA WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL. AND OF COURSE, JOHN KROGER, OUR RECREATION DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR AND EVERYONE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SHERRY CRUISE, AND SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM FOR KIND OF COLLABORATING ON THIS. UM SO WE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION. IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTING THIS ELEMENT OF OUR MASTER PLAN.
SO A QUICK JUST A FEW QUICK POINTS. WHAT IS THE MASTER PLAN FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT BE WONDERING MANY OF YOU DON DAVE. THE MAYOR HAVE WORKED ON MANY ELEMENTS OVER THEIR TIME SITTING ON THE PLANNING BOARD, TONY GALLACHER AS WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SERIES OF DOCUMENTS THAT WORK IN COORDINATION WITH EACH OTHER, WHICH WE CALL VARIOUS ELEMENTS. UM THE ONES YOU'RE PROBABLY MOST FAMILIAR WITH ARE THE LAND USE PLAN WHICH OUTLINES? UH RECOMMENDING ZONING WHERE HOUSING WOULD GO? WE'RE NOT. WE'RE NONRESIDENTIAL WOULD GO. UH AND THAT THEN IS USED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AS OUR GOVERNING BODY TO ENACT THE OFFICIAL ZONING REGULATIONS FOR THE TOWN. BUT THAT REALLY FORMS THE BASIS OF THE PLAN HERE AT THE PLANNING BOARD LEVEL.
[00:05:05]
TRAFFIC CIRCULATION. YOU'RE SEEING NEW LOOP LOOP ROADS BEING IMPLEMENTED. THOSE STARTED AS IDEAS AT THE PLANNING BOARD LEVEL WITH OUR TRAFFIC CIRCULATION PLAN, UM AND SO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OBVIOUSLY WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THAT PLAN COME TO FRUITION AND COMPLETION WITH THESE LAST FEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMPETING COMPLETED. THAT'S OUR STATE MANDATED OBLIGATION. THAT'S A PLAN THAT IS DEVELOPED AT THE PLANNING BOARD LEVEL AND THEN ADOPTED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IS AS WELL AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE MADE WITH FAIR SHARE HOUSING CENTER AND THE COURT SYSTEM ON THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION. OBVIOUSLY SUCH A FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENT HERE IN MONTGOMERY WITH SO MANY BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDINGS, THOSE GET RECOMMENDED IN THE PRESERVATION PLAN. HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT, AND THEN ZONING IS ACTUALLY ENACTED TO PROTECT THE RIVER ROAD HISTORIC DISTRICT BLAU LINDBERGH DISTRICT. THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR LOCAL DISTRICTS AND INDIVIDUAL HOMES CAN ALSO BE NOMINATED AND PROTECTED AGAIN. THAT'S ALL COMES OUT OF THE PLANNING BOARD IN COORDINATION WITH THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION. AND THEN THE ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT ARE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN, AND MONTGOMERY AS DON KNOWS, BECAUSE HE WAS HERE FOR IT. UM REALLY WAS ONE OF THE GROUNDBREAKING TOWNS IN NEW JERSEY TO SAY WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT WAS REALLY SUPER CHARGED BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND THE NINETIES. AND SO I HAVE AN L. A IMAGE APPEAR OF ONE OF OUR FIRST THE FIRST MASTER PLAN FOR OPEN SPACE WAS IN 83. I BELIEVE , BUT REALLY WHERE THINGS REALLY STARTED TO CLAIM FIORI ARE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE CHAIR. HE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT. THIS WAS REALLY, UM, A BRAINCHILD OF HIS. AND I KNOW DON YOU WERE VERY, UM IT WAS FOUNDATIONAL FOR THE FOR THE TOWN AND YOU'LL SEE SEE SO MUCH OF THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE IS ROOTED IN THAT PLAN. SO THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN REALLY IS. IT'S A GUIDE. IT'S NOT PRESCRIPTIVE. SO THE REGULATIONS THE FUNDING, UM, COMES OUT OF THE BUDGET. THAT'S ALL DONE THROUGH ACTION TAKEN BY OUR GOVERNING BODY. BUT THE PLANNING BOARD REALLY WORKS IN COLLABORATION TAKING INFORMATION FROM LIKE I SAID OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE, THE RECREATION COMMITTEE. TO FORM THIS PLAN OF WHAT DO WE HAVE? AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? HOW DO WE NEED TO ADDRESS FUTURE NEEDS IN OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY? SO LONG RANGE PLANNING ASSESSING THE NEEDS. WE ALSO INCLUDED A RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS BECAUSE QUITE A LOT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS. WE HAVE TWO NEW PARKS SKILLMAN PARK, WHICH IS A COUNTY PARK AND VAN HORNE PARK WAS A RELATIVELY NEWER PARK AS WELL. THAT'S A COLLABORATION WITH ROCKY HILL, THE COUNTY AND THE TOWNSHIP. UM AND ALSO, UM MUCH MORE OPEN SPACE HAS BEEN PRESERVED OVER TIME. IT IS ALSO A REQUIREMENT FOR OUR ELIGIBILITY FOR GREENACRES FUNDING. WE HAVE A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE DEPP'S GREENACRES PROGRAM AND THEY FUND UM 50% LOWER THAN 50% OF OUR ACQUISITIONS. SO THERE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER FOR US. ANOTHER PARTNER. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HIS MONTGOMERY FRIENDS OF OPEN SPACE . THERE ARE NON PROFIT IN TOWN.THEY ALSO RECEIVED MONEY FROM GREEN ACRES AND COLLABORATE WITH THE TOWNSHIP. SO WE'RE ABLE TO STRETCH THESE GRANT DOLLARS EVEN FURTHER. FROM THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A SLIDE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING BOARD USES IN ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT YOU LOOK AT, UM, WHEN WE REQUEST CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, AND WHEN WE REQUEST PATHWAY EASEMENTS, THEY ARE ROOTED IN THIS PLAN. SO MUCH OF OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE BASED ON THE CRITICAL AREAS OF THE PROPERTY. IF IT'S IN THE STREAM CORRIDOR OR THE WETLAND AREA. BUT THE PATHWAY EASEMENTS ALL STEM FROM THIS PLAN THAT'S BEEN UPDATED THE PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE WAY CORRIDOR PLAN AND SO WHEN THESE LINES ARE ON A MAP, AND YOU COME IN AND WANT TO DEVELOP ON ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES THE PLANNING BOARD WILL ADHERE TO THE MASTER PLAN AND SAY WE NEED YOU KNOW A SIDEWALK HERE OR PATHWAY HERE. AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL WAYS WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT IS THROUGH ADOPTING THIS MASTER PLAN, SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT PLAN. SO THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THIS, UM, RECREATION, PEACE AND AN OPEN SPACE PIECE. WE JUST HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE MAIN POINTS TO EACH SECTION. WE'VE UPDATED AS I JUST SHOWED YOU THE BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT GREEN WAYS THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN AND ROCK. BROOKE GREENWAY IS ONE OF OUR HIGHLIGHTED AREAS WHERE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF ACQUISITION A LOT OF STEWARDSHIP
[00:10:01]
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, LAND PLANNING COUNCIL PLANNERS, OUR LAND CONSERVANCY, UM AND STEWARDSHIP AND ACTION PLANS, WHICH I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER AND IN THE RECREATION SECTION. WE TALK ABOUT RECENT PARK IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE MANY OF OUR OVER TIME MANY OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS HAVE BEEN UP. UPDATED UM AND SOME OF THE FUTURE NEEDS THAT WE TALK ABOUT PICKLEBALL CRICKET. I'M SURE YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT IT A LOT.THOSE ARE YOU KNOW, NEW DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND ADDRESS THAT. AND THEN LOOKING AT NEW FACILITIES. THIS MUNICIPAL COMPLEX, REPURPOSING UNDERUTILIZED FIELDS THAT MAY NOT BE NEEDED ANYMORE. WHAT COULD THEY BECOME? AND THEN ? AS WE HAVE TALKED FOR A LONG TIME, THE WHAT WE CALL THE BROWN TRACKED. IT'S THE FARM FIELD THAT THE TOWNSHIP OWNS NEXT TO THE AUTO, KAUFMAN COMMUNITY CENTER AND SKILLMAN ROAD. SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF THESE SLIDES. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THERE'S FIVE MAIN GOALS AND EACH OF THOSE GOALS THERE ABOUT OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION OPENS TO BE STEWARDSHIP. PATHWAYS RECREATION LIKE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING. THOSE ARE OUR FIVE GOALS AND UNDER EACH GOAL, THERE'S POLICIES AND ACTIONS THAT WE, UM THAT THE PLAN SAYS THESE WOULD HELP US ACHIEVE OUR GOALS. SO FOR EACH OF THE GOALS, I HAVE A SUPPLEMENTAL SLIDE THAT YOU CAN SEE. AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS WHAT WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. AND REALLY LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT NEARLY 40% OF THE TOWNSHIP IS PRESERVED LAND SO THIS MAP SHOWS THE EXISTING OPEN SPACE. IT'S EITHER OPEN SPACE OR DEDICATED FARMLAND. AND SO THAT IS QUITE A SUCCESS. UM WE ARE VERY LUCKY TOWN TO HAVE A FULL TIME OPEN SPACE AND STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR LAUREN WESOLOWSKI SO A LOT OF THIS IS AND OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH CLAM AND THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE WITH THERE'S THERE. SO UM, THOSE VOLUNTEERS DO SO MUCH FOR THE TOWNSHIP, SO WE REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM. AND THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WHO FUNDS ALL OF THE ACQUISITIONS, AND WE DO HAVE A DEDICATED OPEN SPACE TAX. THAT HELPS, SO THAT'S VERY CRITICAL TO STABLE FUNDING FOR WHEN PROPERTIES ARE AVAILABLE. LIKE I SAID, WE PARTNER WITH D E P AND WE ALSO USE OUR OPEN SPACE DEDICATED TAX. SO OUR SECOND GOAL IS AROUND STEWARDSHIP. SO WE'VE CREATED MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR OUR OPEN SPACE. UM AND THEY USE THOSE FOR ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS THAT THEY DO A AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WITH THIS PLAN. UH LAUREN AND THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE HAVE REALLY PUT A LOT OF GREAT WORK TOWARDS CREATING FOR NATURE PRESERVES. SO THESE ARE NOT ACTIVE RECREATION PARKS . THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY JUST PASSIVE OPEN SPACE. THEY HAVE BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC MADE ACCESSIBLE AND PEOPLE LIKE IN THIS PICTURE WHERE YOU SEE THE ROCK BROOKE AT ZION CROSSING SO MUCH EFFORT HAS GONE INTO CREATING THESE REALLY LOVELY PLACES IN MONTGOMERY THAT ARE QUIET AND MARINE AND I HEARD FROM SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ENJOY THESE WILD, RUSTIC PLACES TO KIND OF GET AWAY FROM IT ALL. SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PLAN BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAD BEEN DOING BEFORE. THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN NETWORK. WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS. WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE SORT OF A HUBS AND SPOKES MODEL WHERE WE ARE CONNECTING DESTINATIONS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE WITH WHERE THEY WANT TO TRAVEL AND CERTAINLY USING THIS PLAN TO HELP US GET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GRANT MONEY FROM VARIOUS PLACES, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO OF THE RECENT PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN, UM IN GENERAL. AS WE'VE SAID PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS ARE HIGH PRIORITY. I KNOW FOR THE PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE YOU ADVOCATE FOR PATHWAYS AND SIDEWALKS WITH EVERY APPLICATION THAT YOU SEE, BUT WITH THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AS WELL, UM AND ORCHARD ROAD JUST RECENTLY PHASE ONE WAS COMPLETED, SO IT HAS A BIKE LANES AND NEW SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS. SO THERE'S A PICTURE THERE FROM THE RIBBON CUTTING, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC. THAT WAS A GREAT EFFORT ON THE PART OF OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO GET FUNDING FROM D, O T AND SKILLMAN ROAD PATHWAY. THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT LAUREN WORKED ON. IT HAS A SECTION OF POROUS PAVEMENT, WHICH WAS WHICH WAS WAS GREAT. THAT WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH RUTGERS UNIVERSITY. IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER. UM AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A GREAT AERIAL SHOT HERE . IT'S A WIDELY UTILIZED PATHWAY , AND THERE'S OTHER FUTURE LEGS THAT ARE PLANNED AS WELL. FOR THE PARK SYSTEM, OBVIOUSLY MAINTAINING AND KEEPING OUR PARK SYSTEM EXCEPTIONAL. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO AND HAVE DONE IS REPURPOSING. SO IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN PARKS. IT'S ALSO EXPENSIVE TO
[00:15:02]
BUILD NEW PARKS. SO THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT REALLY FOCUSES ON. CONSTANTLY SURVEYING OUR PARKLAND AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOW WE CAN REPURPOSE EXISTING FIELDS TO BE MOST ECONOMICAL. SO THIS IMAGE THAT YOU SEE HERE IS A NEW CRICKET PITCH THAT WAS PUT IN AND A PORTION OF MONTGOMERY PARK SO AH, IT KIND OF HAS DUAL PURPOSE THERE. WITH A EXISTING SOFTBALL FIELD. AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT THE PLAN TALKS ABOUT TO MEET CURRENT COMMUNITY NEEDS. THIS IS A THIS IS AN IMAGE. I MEAN, YOU DON'T GET MUCH MORE MULTIPURPOSE THAN THIS. THERE'S A PICKLE BALL COURT ON A BASKETBALL COURT AND EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, AND IT'S IN WOODS EDGE PARK, WHICH IS THE TINIEST PARK YOU'VE EVER SEEN, BUT IT IS SO WIDELY USED, AND SO THAT'S A GREAT RESOURCE. THERE AND SO WE ARE. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO THERE'S A TENNIS CENTER AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TRYING TO GET UM PICKLEBALL PERMANENT COURTS THERE, AND THAT'S BEEN WORKING REALLY WELL THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE BOARD. AND ONE OF THE OTHER NEEDS IN TOWN IS INACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND AND BEYOND JUST ACCESSIBILITY.ACCESSIBILITY WOULD BE THE SURFACING A SOLID SURFACE, SO IT'S NOT THE TYPICAL WOULD SHIP THAT WE HAVE, BUT REALLY A SOLID SURFACE THAT ANY BUTTON WITH MOBILITY ISSUES WOULD BE ABLE TO EASILY MOVE AROUND ON THE SURFACE AND ALSO THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS THERE. BUT WE'RE DOING AN ALL ACCESS PLAYGROUND. WHICH MEANS THAT CHILD THAT MAY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS OR BE MOBILITY IMPAIRED CAN PLAY SIDE BY SIDE WITH OTHER CHILDREN AND ALSO MULTIGENERATIONAL, SO THEY'LL BE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT FOR SENIORS . THAT COULD COME AND YOU KNOW PARENTS, SO IT'S A IT'S A WELL INTEGRATED AND, UM REALLY ALL ACCESS PLAYGROUND. SO WE'RE WE'VE RECEIVED GOSH CLOSE TO, I THINK $600,000 IN GRANT FUNDING FOR THAT PROJECT, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL BE SEEING COMING UP IN THE FUTURE. THE COUNTY IS A BIG PARTNER WITH US ON THAT. THE RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING IS ALSO TALKED ABOUT . I MEAN, IF YOU GET THE NEWSLETTER, YOU KNOW HOW DIVERSE THEIR PROGRAMS ARE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE RECREATION DEPARTMENT DOES SO WELL, IS THEY KIND OF ALWAYS HAVE A PULSE ON WHAT IS NEW OR WHAT'S UPCOMING AND SO THEY REALLY DO A GOOD JOB , I THINK, PROVIDING QUALITY PROGRAMMING, AND THE PLAN REFLECTS THAT. SO THE PLAN KIND OF LANDS ON 77 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS. UM NUMBER ONE IS DEFINITELY ONE THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT. FOR A WHILE. WE HAVE THE AUTO COFFMAN COMMUNITY CENTER. IT'S A HALF SIZED GYM. IT'S UM IT'S HUGELY POPULAR WITH ALL SORTS OF INDOOR SPORTS. AND SO WHETHER, AT SOME POINT THAT COULD BECOME A FULL SIZE JIM I KNOW SOME STUDIES YEARS AGO HAVE LOOKED INTO THAT AND MAYBE SOME ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING OR ACTIVITY ROOMS THAT IF YOU REMEMBER THAT WAS DONE YEARS AGO AS A REPURPOSE OF A WAREHOUSE THAT WAS THEIR OFFICE SLASH WAREHOUSE. WHAT YOU WHEN YOU SAY YEARS AGO, WHEN WAS THE ORIGINAL BUILDING? OVER 500 REOPEN. WAS THE REOPENING. WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BUILDING? PROBABLY THIS SIX, SIXTIES OR SEVENTIES. SO WE HAVE A REALLY OLD BUILDING. AND I MEAN, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE'RE BRINGING WATER THERE, SO AT LEAST WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DRINK A PEOPLE AROUND THAT WON'T LOCAL PEOPLE. YEAH NO, I THINK IT'S BEEN. IT'S BEEN A GOOD ASSET IN THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO WE DO? GOING FORWARD TO RIGHT? UM CONTINUING TO IMPROVE OUR PARK FACILITIES, REPURPOSING THINGS, THE CONNECTIVITY OF THE PATHWAYS AND SIDEWALKS IS OBVIOUSLY A LARGE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLAN , MAINTAINING SUPPORT FOR PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE, EXPANDING OUR STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT WE OWN ALL THIS LAND, BUT IT'S WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF THAT LAND THAT WE OWN AND JUST GENERALLY INCREASE AWARENESS OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING, BECAUSE UM IT'S SUCH A GREAT VALUE AND ASSET TO ALL OF THE MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS . WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE. UM THIS IS ONE OF THE MAPS IN IT THAT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT . IT DOES SHOW ALL OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION RESOURCES SO YOU COULD SEE SOME OF THEM ARE PRIVATE. SO THERE'S YOU KNOW, THE GOLF COURSES ARE ON HERE. WE HAVE ALL OF OUR REC FACILITIES. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION LANDS COUNTY OWNED FACILITIES SORT OF ONE MAP THAT SHOWS EVERYTHING AND POTENTIAL EXPANSION WHERE THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. UM AND THEN ONE LAST SIDE. I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU NEW TO THIS PLAN IS A SERIES OF QUITE DETAILED SERIES
[00:20:01]
OF ACTION PLANS THAT HAVE ACTIONABLE ITEMS AND STRATEGIES TO IMPLEMENT OUR GOAL. SO THIS IS THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE. UM I DO HAVE A SLIDE FOR ALL OF THEM, BUT I THINK YOU KNOW IT'S ALL IN THE PLAN. THE PLAN IS ONLINE. DEFINITELY YOU KNOW, CHECK IT OUT. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NOT DONE BEFORE. AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY GREEN ACRES THAT NEW PLANS ARE UPDATED PLANS INCLUDE THESE ACTION PLANS. UM AND SO IT REALLY IS A GREAT TOOL FOR STAFF OR EVEN THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WHAT ARE THEY THINKING ABOUT DOING THERE AND THEN IT'S IT CAN GIVE THEM THEY CAN FOLLOW UP WITH US TO SAY, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS, SO I REALLY SUPPORT THAT, UM AND THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT, PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT DOES A SURVEY OF THE COMMUNITY AT LEAST EVERY FIVE YEARS. THEY TRIED TO DO IT, MAYBE MORE, YOU KNOW, MORE FREQUENT, AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE CURRENT NEEDS. TRY ALWAYS TRYING TO ADAPT, AND I THINK THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAD TO, UH, PRESENT TONIGHT ON THE PLAN. I DON'T KNOW. LAUREN. YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING IF YOU IF YOU DO IT, WE DID IT ALL IN HOUSE. YEP YEP.YEP. LIKE I SAID IT WAS A GROUP EFFORT, YOU KNOW? YEAH NO, I'M TRYING TO THINK IF WE MISSED ANYBODY. LAUREN, WHO HELPED UH, ROCKS AT ALL OF OUR MAPPING AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
YEAH, THAT WAS REALLY VALUABLE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY EXCITED TO BRING THIS PLAN TO TONIGHT. CLEM COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. HE WAS VERY UPSET. HE COULDN'T MAKE IT . BUT HE JUST WANTED ME TO EMPHASIS THAT THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. RIGHT STEVE? UM SOMETIMES AT TOO MUCH LENGTH, BUT THEY WHOLLY ENDORSE THIS PLANS, ADOPTION AND HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL ADOPT IT TONIGHT. THANK YOU, LAURIE. THANK YOU, LAUREN. OKAY ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE OPEN SPACE PLAN? I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE 39% CAN YOU CAN YOU JUST PULL? PULL THE MICROPHONE FOR JUNE? YEAH HELLO. BETTER ALL RIGHT. NOT GONNA JUST MY VOICE NOW, UM 39% WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I'M NEW TO THE TO THE CONVERSATION. SO WHAT ARE THE GOALS THERE LIKE ARE WE SET AT 39% WHAT? AND FIRST ONE OF THE GOALS AND THEN SECOND, I GUESS.
WHAT ARE OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS LOOKING FOR WHAT ARE THE STATE MANDATES. IF THERE ARE ANY IN TERMS OF, UH, PRESERVED LAND. OR SPACE. I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY LIKED YOUR QUESTION. WHAT IF WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING? WHERE ARE WE AT? THAT I'M NOT SURE IF WE PRESERVED EVERYTHING ON OUR WISH LIST. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE WOULD BE. WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN HESITANT TO SET A PERCENTAGE GOAL OR AN ACREAGE GOAL BECAUSE OUR NEEDS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING AS A COMMUNITY. AS WE'RE BUILDING MORE DENSE DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE HAVING A GREATER INFLUX OF POPULATION, SO WE NEED MORE OPEN SPACE AND MORE AMENITIES AND PARKS FOR FOLKS TO ENJOY. SO WE'VE NEVER REALLY SET AN UPPER CEILING. UM I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE. IF WE PRESERVED EVERYTHING ON OUR WISH LIST WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT. OKAY BUT WE ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES. I THINK WE ARE THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ANY OF OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES OF HOPE. ALL PRINCETON, HILLSBOROUGH KIND OF EVERYBODY ALONG OUR BORDERS. UM WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS. LAURIE STARTED IN MY POSITION MANY YEARS AGO AND CLIMB STARTED AT HIS KITCHEN TABLE. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE AT 39% EXCELLENT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. JUST JUST TO BE OFFICIAL. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE EMOTIONS CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENT. TO HAVE SOME MOVED IN FAVOR. ALRIGHT, OKAY. ALRIGHT NOW WE CAN GO BACK TO THE BOARD DISCUSSION NOW. UM ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS THAT YOU HAVE MORE AL I'M I'M DONE. THANK YOU THINKING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT, UM. THAT NUMBER IS AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE. I THINK THE AMOUNT OF PLANS WE HAVE HOW MUCH WE HAVE AN OPEN SPACE, THE PARKS. WE HAVE IT, ETCETERA.
OTHER THAN PICKLEBALL, WHICH I HURT MY SHOULDER PLAYING ONCE I'LL NEVER PLAY THAT AGAIN. BUT UM I JUST I WONDER HOW CAN WE GET THAT MESSAGE OUT? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, ANECDOTALLY, WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT OH, MY GOD. THE TOWNSHIP HAS SO MUCH MORE BUILDING AND WE'RE SO CROWDED.
AND WHAT DO WE GET? BUT YOU KNOW , 40% OF THE TOWNSHIP IS PRESERVED SPACE. I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT. SO HOW DO WE GET THAT OUT? I MEAN, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT TOWNS DO . THERE'S WE'RE STARTING A MAYOR'S WELLNESS CAMPAIGN. I BELIEVE IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE LEGAL MUNICIPALITIES RECOMMENDS , AND IT DOES USUALLY HIGHLIGHT SOME, UM, INITIATIVE THAT THE TOWN HAS. SO YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED WITH THE MAYOR OF THAT PUTTING HER ON THE SPOT HERE AT ALL. BUT, UM ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LAUREN DOES EVERY YEAR IS A
[00:25:05]
TRAILS DAY EVENT AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT I THINK ARE GREAT FEEDBACK WAS ONE YEAR THAT WE HAVE TRAILED. WE HAVE GUIDES ON THESE WALKS, AND ONE WAS A WALK WITH A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBER . I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, AND PEOPLE REALLY ENJOYED THAT BECAUSE THEY GOT TO EXPLORE THE OPEN SPACE BUT GOT TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN TOWN. SO THAT COULD BE 11 WAY TO REACH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. AND YOU WOULD BE WHEN YOU WOULD TALK ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP. YOU COULD HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT THINGS AND EXPLAIN AND PUT IT IN CONTEXT IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH OF THE TOWN IS PRESERVED. WE CAN ALWAYS BE GETTING OUR MESSAGE OUT THERE, THOUGH, AND SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND DOES EVERY BUILDER AND POTENTIAL BUILDER. GET A COPY OF THIS. UM SO WHEN, WHEN A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION OF THE MASTER PLAN YES, I AGAIN . IF I'M A BUILDER, I'M PUBLICIZING THIS STUFF. I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF. I MEAN, THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE THAT RESIDENTS THAT COME IN. WE HAVE A NEW RESIDENT PACKET THAT GOES OUT TO NEW RESIDENTS. AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPEN SPACE BROCHURE, OPEN SPACE PUSHER OR. YOU BET THERE USED TO BE THE WELCOME WAGON. SO MAYBE NOW WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S NOT EVEN THE NEW PEOPLE THAT COME IN. IT'S PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED HERE, HOWEVER, ABSOLUTELY AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE OUR TAX DOLLARS GO FURTHER AND GET GRANTS FOR THESE THINGS. AND OUR HOPE IS WITH THIS NEW IDEA OF CENTRAL JERSEY. A LOT OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE MARKETING AND MARKETING FOR US IS OUR OPEN SPACE ARE GREEN SPACE IS A BIG DEAL FOR BRANDING, SO I'M I THINK YOU KNOW, HOPING THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE REALLY HAVE A VERY CONCERTED EFFORT TO DO THIS. THIS IS WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK, MAKES MONTGOMERY REALLY WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE. AND BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IT. AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE DON'T KNOW WHICH IS. I THINK THE SADDEST THING ABOUT IT IT IS AND THERE'S NO REPORTER FROM THE MONTGOMERY NEWS HERE TONIGHT, CORRECT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW THAT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT SHOULD BE REPORTED. LET ME ADD TO THAT. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN ADD. THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID. BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT AS SOMEONE WHO'S YOU KNOW, LIVED HERE RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THIS FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING PRESENTATION IS VERY INFORMATIVE. WE SHOULD FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF IT AS WELL AS NOT ONLY BUILDERS, BUT REAL ESTATE AGENTS TO USE IN THEIR MARKETING. IS THEY SELL THIS TOWN, BUT I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT THIS TOWN IS JUST ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE. AND THIS REALLY HIGHLIGHTS IT AND SHOWS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO IMPROVE IT SO THAT IT WILL REMAIN BEAUTIFUL AND BE EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL WITH THE AMENITIES THAT ARE COMING AS A AS A RESULT OF THIS PLAN, SO THANK YOU. I DID WANT TO POINT OUT PAGE 80 OF 87 HAS THE INCREASED AWARENESS AND ACTS ACCESS ACTION PLAN AND SO EXACTLY TO YOUR POINT, THOUGH, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE LAWRENCE BEEN WORKING HARD ON ALREADY CONTINUING, ADDING AND UPDATING THE PARK IDENTIFICATION SIGNS INTERPRETATION SIGNS. SO WHEN PEOPLE DRIVE BY THERE, OH, THAT'S THAT'S PRESERVED. OH, THAT'S OPEN SPACE. UM OBVIOUSLY INCREASING OUR CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE BUT HOSTING SEASONAL COMMUNITY EVENTS, HOSTING EVENTS ON THE PATHWAYS AND WORKING WITH OUR NONPROFITS AND PUBLICITY OF TRAILS WITH RIBBON CUTTINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE WE JUST DID OUR SIDEWALKS. SO UM, HOSTING GUIDED WALKS, SO THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 10 TO 15 DIFFERENT THINGS IN OUR ACTION PLAN. THAT'S CORRECT. IF I CAN ADD SOMETHING IT MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A BYLINE UNDERNEATH MONTGOMERY ON EVERYTHING WE SAY LIKE HOME OF THE OPEN SPACE. YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK WE ARE OPEN SPACE. WE ALL KNOW THAT VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S YOU KNOW THAT AFTER 50 YEARS AND I THINK WE'RE AROUND 32% OPEN SPACE. AND THE PLAN WAS TO GET UP TO 35. OF COURSE. NOW YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO 40 AT THAT TIME? IT WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO THINK THAT WE COULD DEVELOP THAT MUCH AND IT'S REALLY BEEN A GREAT GREAT JOB AND I HAVE TO THAT'S A THANK PEOPLE LIKE RICH CUPOLA WHO WE HAD IS OUR FIRST BECAUSE SHE'S GONE NOW, BUT HERE WAS OUR FIRST PLANNER, AND CINDY, CINDY, COMPORT RICH AND CINDY CUPOLA. I KNOW. I BELIEVE IT WAS CINDY COLUMNS KITCHEN TABLE AND WORKED ON THAT THERE IS NO PLAN BUT REMARRIED, RIGHT? BUT UM, THAT THAT HELPED, AND UH AND IT WAS JUST A GOAL. TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO SAVE IT, AND WE'RE DONE VERY WELL. EVERYBODY'S PICKED UP ON THAT. IT'S AMAZING WHEN YOU GO DOWN THE ROAD AND AT ONE OF THE THINGS THERE ISN'T ENOUGH.MAYBE IT'S NOT NECESSARY. ENOUGH SIGNS THAT SAY THAT PRESERVES BASE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE SMALL. YEAH MAKES PEOPLE REALIZE YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT MEANS. MHM WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT A FIELD.
[00:30:05]
IT'S GOING TO BE A HOUSE NEXT WEEK OR DEVELOPMENT AND DO THE SAME. I GO AROUND ALL THE TIME AND LOOKING AT THE TOWN AND WONDERING WHAT CAN DEVELOP MIXED AND EVERY TIME I SEE SOMETHING MAKES ME CRINGE, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S DONE GOOD. YOU GUYS ARE DOING GOOD. YOU REALLY ARE. I APPRECIATE IT. WELCOME TO THE STAFF TALKING ABOUT WILL PASS THAT ALONG. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. ANY OTHER? COMMENTS TONY JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. UH I THINK PUBLIC WORKS. THERE'S A GREAT JOB AND KEEPING OUR TRAILS OPEN AND WHEN TREES FALL DOWN ACROSS THE TRAIL THERE THERE WITH CHAIN SAWS CLEANING IT UP, AND IT'S THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. YEAH I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING EVENTS THAT USED THE TRAILS BECAUSE WE DO GO OUT ON THOSE TRAILS. AND IT'S UNFORTUNATELY WE OFTEN MEET NOBODY ELSE. AND SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THE TRAILS INVOLVED . IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT SOME OF THE OPEN SPACE HAS A TERMINAL TIME. THAT IS, IF THE JOHNSON FARMS WE BUY THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS. IS THERE A 50 YEAR LIMIT ON THAT KNOW NO LIMITS? PERPETUITY IF THEY'RE OPEN NOW THEY'RE OPEN FOR GOOD.YES MHM. THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD. THAT'S GREAT. WE SOLD THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TO THE CHILD. NEVER GET IT BACK FOREVER. ALRIGHT THEN. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN ELEMENT OF THE MASTER PLAN? SO MOVE TO HAVE A SECOND. THANK YOU, AL. WELL, CALL. PLEASE. DON YES. YES. KEENAN? YES. MATTHEWS? YES. TODD. YES. CAMPUS? YES.
BLACK COLOR. KHAN. YES. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. LAURIE AND LAUREN AWESOME JOB.
[VI. MINUTES]
OKAY THE LAST ITEM IS THE MINUTES TO THE JULY 24TH 2023 REGULAR MEETING TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES MOVED SECOND YES, MOTION AND A SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. BATTLE. YES.KEENAN? YES. MATTHEWS. CLARK CLARK. YES. KHAN. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU DON FUTURE MEETINGS. AUGUST 28TH PLANNING BOARD AT 7 P.M. SEPTEMBER 5TH 2023 SITE PLANTS SUBDIVISION COMMUNITY COMMITTEE AT 8 30 AM SEPTEMBER 11TH 2023 PLANNING BOARD MEETING, SEVEN PM AND SEPTEMBER 25TH 2023 PLANNING BOARD MEETING SEVEN PM AND THOSE ARE AS OF RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT.
THAT BEING IT TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED SECOND ALL IN FAVOR.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.