MANCHESTER – Members of the Township Council commented on the township’s future development and the need for appropriate commercial growth during a recent council meeting.
Council Vice President James Vaccaro reminded the audience once again that “Manchester Township is referred to as the gemstone of the Jersey shore and the gateway to the Jersey shore.”
Vaccari noted a commercial development “renaissance taking shape in Manchester Township. We need to review and reshape commerce for the future of the township. We are currently embarking on a traffic survey and we need to address our 10-year plan in Manchester for renewable energy resources such as solar energy. Lastly, we need to address our infrastructure needs.”
He stressed that the governing body needed to “act as a catalyst for the growth of new businesses in the community. By doing such we can transfer a portion of the tax burden from our residents to our commercial stakeholders thus making Manchester more affordable for all residents.”
He explained that the goal is to grow commerce in select areas, while keeping Manchester’s rural environment.
Vaccari called for the council to develop an ordinance that would make it easier for new businesses to come into the community by possibly waiving or reducing certain permit fees. He also reminded residents to shop within the town to support existing local businesses.
The official once again brought up the need for the presence of a healthcare village within the municipality and closed by calling for residents to express one act of kindness a day to put a smile on someone’s face and to make their day brighter.
Councilwoman Judy Noonan reported on a meeting she had with an official concerning having the township be a potential site for consideration for film/TV show/streaming service productions. Many productions have been filmed in the Garden State. The township has taken part in a program that required an online course to be taken that would guide the municipality in making itself more attractive to film producers and providing information to potential locations within the township that might be sought for such productions.
Noonan is also working with New Jersey Transit concerning getting mass transit available within the township. As for current stops within the township, “we don’t have any.” She said a study the Ocean County Office on Senior Services had been looking into the needs of seniors and one of the top issues was transportation. “We need regular bus service. I think it is very important so I am working on that issue. Not everyone has a car.”
She also recommended the township adopt an idea from nearby Jackson Township concerning a property management license. “A lot of homeowner associations and regular apartment condominiums have management companies and nobody monitors these management companies. Jackson passed an ordinance that has a lot of definitions in there such as ‘business management.’” She explained that over the last year, the township received a lot of complaints, especially in the winter, with residents dealing with management companies.
“The town doesn’t really have any power to tell any management company or HOA anything but some of these companies need to be looked at and the township needs to have some legal authority. Their ordinance oversees commercial real estate property and anybody who is taking in money for managing over anything. You need a real estate license. I’d really like the council to look at it,” Noonan requested.
During this week’s council meeting the council passed Ordinance 26-35 providing for a special emergency appropriation of $395,000 providing for the preparation of a master plan. Business Administrator Carl Block explained the expenditure would be spread out over a five-year period. “Technically you are borrowing from yourself.”
Karen Argenti, a former active member of the township’s Environmental Commission asked if there would be public meetings concerning the passage of the new master plan which Block responded, “they are statutorily required. There has to be some at the Planning Board and some here. The passing of the Master Plan requires both the Planning Board and the governing body and requires public input.”
Block noted that a traffic safety study is being done first “and there will be meetings to address that as it moves forward.” Other factors include the review of the affordable housing plan and environmental updates. “There will be an opportunity for public input at each phase.”
Other ordinances that were heard include 26-37 which involves amending salary ranges and positions of non- bargaining unit employees and Ordinance 26-34 concerning fences, walls, screening, hedges, trees and sight triangles.
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