Lucas: "Twp. Committee Has No Input to Planning Board" on Car Dealership Question

The Township Committee meeting last night was brimming with Manalapan residents who wished to speak their mind against the proposed amendment to Manalapan’s Master Plan, which would allow car dealerships to be constructed in the OP-3 Zone of the township if approved by the Planning Board.

Ray Catena and his legal counsel approached the Township Committee in August for a meeting about erecting an Audi dealership as a part of the Ray Catena Auto Group at the intersection of Rt. 9 North and Taylors Mills Road, where the vacant Justin Corporate Center office building is located.

Catena presented his plan to the Township Committee at a to discuss possible rezoning and potential purchase of the 60,000 square foot CMX building on the site.

“The process of asking for a zone change is a process that’s governed by the Municipal Land Use Law,” Township Attorney Roger McLaughlin explained. “They were told that if they wanted to apply for a zone change they would have to go to the Planning Board, so they went to the Planning Board - that’s the process and that’s where they are now.”

Thus, Catena’s presentation merely informed the Committee of their plan to reach out to the Planning Board, as a courtesy; the rezoning was initially discussed at the Planning Board meeting on Oct. 27.

Currently, the Master Plan does not permit car dealerships anywhere in the township, but the amendment would change that, if adopted. The Re-examination Report of the Master Plan recommends allowing car dealerships in Manalapan, as it will bring ratables to the township.

Mayor Andrew Lucas explained to the crowd last night that the Township Committee has no say in the matter and does not direct the Planning Board, which is a semi-autonomous body.

Even after the law was explained to the irate residents, the public still voiced their dissension on the matter, citing safety, health, environmental, and traffic concerns if the dealership is constructed on that corner.

“The Township Committee really has no way to make any input into the Planning Board until the Planning Board passes a formal resolution to send a change to the Township Committee,” Lucas said. “If that does occur, and I do not know how the Planning Board will vote on that, but if that does occur we will have our public hearings, you will have every right to have your comments be heard. We value your opinion, and I can speak for myself but I believe the rest of the Township Committee agrees that we will take every piece of evidence and weigh it carefully and we will try to make the best decision that we can.”

The continuation of the public hearing in front of the Planning Board continues tonight, Thursday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. in the courtroom of the .