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MONTVILLE
TOWNSHIP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF DECEMBER 19, 2007
7:30AM
ROLL CALL
Nick Cifaretto -
present Ron Cain, Jr. - Present
Everett Vreeland -
present Mark Tabakin - present
Ron Soussa -
present Jennifer Horowitz (Alt #1) - absent
Carol Ann Soroko (Alt #2) - present
Anthony Speciale - absent
Liaisons:
Township
Committee: Art Daughtry - Present
Planning Board Liaison: Gary Lewis - Present
OLD BUSINESS
Rezoning
The Changebridge Road
corridor discussed relative to allowing the industrial property to be permitted
to have a larger retail component within the inside of their facility. This was an amendment, noted Mr. Lewis,
recommended by the Planning Board. Mr.
Lewis elaborated indicated that there is also plans at the board level to look
at retail use along Changebridge Road, noting the various zones existing along
this roadway. Mr. Soussa indicated that
if all bulk requirements are met, there should be no limitation on retail uses
on this street. Traffic discussed as it
relates to the current situation, noting the volume is already heavy, and what
would more retail do on this corridor?
Discussion ensued. Perhaps small
service type business/offices would lessen traffic because local people would
shop and work locally: idea is to keep
shoppers in our township. Parking
regulations were also felt to be more a problem in this community, and that we
should make a change on this. It was
felt that retail parking is ok ‘as is’ but perhaps parking standards in “OB and
I’ zones should be look at since it is felt these are a hindrance to marketing
this site. We would need to
consistently look at progress, noted Mr. Cifaretto. Chairman polled board asking for their input on retail along
Changebridge Road. Motion by Mr.
Vreeland, seconded Mr. Soussa that retail should be looked at strongly by the
Planning Board along Changebridge Road.
Unanimous agreed upon. Letter
will be sent to Planning Board by Chair.
Towaco
Mrs. White updated EDC
on rezoning items pending at Planning Board level. She indicated the Board was going to notice for the master plan
discussions on January 24th, gave a draft copy to the EDC and asked
for their input to the Planning Board.
Mr. Cifaretto asked Mrs. White to put this back on agenda of EDC for
January 16th agenda.
Mr. Daughtry updated
EDC on the status of NJ Transit and Firehouse Road with work starting on the
joint County/Township lighting improvements on Firehouse Road around Feb. March
of 2008. He also elaborated on the discussion
of the county possibly looking at the parallel parking issue, indicating he
asked the County to look at this along Whitehall Road.
The Planning Board will
also be considering an impact ordinance which would require a developer to
deposit improvement monies into a fund that would allow for development of a
parking lot, streetscape, etc. There
would be specific wording that would indicate when such a deposit would be
required.
Development of Business Interest Questionnaire
Mr. Cifaretto also felt
that there are times when the EDC should consider inviting owners to attend
their meeting to discuss their expansion ideas. Along these lines, Mr. Lewis reminded members that he had
thought we might want to develop a questionnaire that would go out to all
industrial and commercial users existing in town and ask them ‘what are they
looking for’, i.e. how can we help them.
Mr. Ciffaretto and Ms. White were to work on this questionnaire. It was felt that this would have to be a
simple questionnaire.
Invite Potential Developers
Mrs.White indicated
that both Mr. McDermott and Mr. LaSala were both interested in developing in
the Towaco Center area. Mr. Cifaretto
indicated he would like to invite them in to the EDC, but one at a time and
would coordinate that with Mrs. White.
Kevah Konner
Mrs. White indicated
that they are still pursuing redevelopment of this area, and that the Planning
Board has asked that both the sites in this area work together to stress to the
State DOT how important it is for them to address this area jointly since the
ultimate build out will need state upgrades.
Mrs. White indicated she did express this to both Mr. Boswell of GI and
Scott Konner of Kevah Konner site. EDC
members expressed interest in moving and assisting this effort.
Update:
Website Development
Members felt that the web page is an improvement but needs more
‘pop’, although functional it really needs to be more upscale/enhanced.
Update: Budget Support – Planning Board
Mr. Cifaretto indicated that we need to make sure the Township
Committee knows that the EDC supports the updating of the Master Plan for the
community, and towards this, moved that a letter go to the Township Committee
and Planning Board supporting the adoption by the Township of the Planning
Board Master Plan and Operating Budget in order to address the goals of
continued economic growth.
Update:
Contact with Hotels
Mrs. White indicated she contacted all of the listings for the
contacts for major hotels. These
numbers were not direct contacts. Issue
tabled.
Morris County Seminar – March
19th from 5 to 8pm
$30 per person – The following members wish to attend: Ron Soussa, Dick Vreeland, Nick
Cifaretto, Deb Nielson
Goals for 2008
Mr. Cifaretto and
members agreed that our goal for 2008 should be retention of commercial
businesses and development of a business survey to determine what we can to
better enhance their operations.
MINUTES (Note – minutes not
acted on – carried to January meeting)
Adoption of EDC minutes
of: 9-19-07 Eligible: Mr. Speciale, Mr.
Cain, Ms. Horowitz, Mr. Soussa, Mr. Tabakin, and Mr. Cifaretto
Minutes of 10-24-07 –
Eligible: Mr. Speciale, Mr. Cain, Mr.
Soussa, Mr. Cifaretto, Ms. Soroko and Mr. Vreeland
Meeting adjourned unanimously,
Respectfully
submitted,
Linda M.
White
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