Franklin Township Planning Board Meeting - March 4, 2026

The Franklin Township Planning Board met on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 12:45 PM. The meeting included approval of several resolutions, a hearing on a major subdivision application (Odin Dhun, LLC) which was approved with conditions, and a discussion on the Master Plan re-examination action items. The hearing for Concore Realty, LLC was carried to April 15, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: Approved the regular meeting minutes of January 14, 2026, and January 21, 2026. (Roll call votes: all eligible members voted in favor; Councilman Barrison, Mark Dancy, Jennifer Ragnow, and Charles Brown could not vote on these items.)
• Resolutions:
  • Amended Affordable Housing Development Fee Ordinance: Approved (Mahir Rafik unable to vote).
  • Master Plan Re-examination Report: Approved.
  • Fourth Round Affordable Housing Obligations: Approved.
  • Appointment of Special Counsel (Eric Bernstein) and memorialization of resolution: Approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No general public comments were made during the public comment period.
• No public comments were made during the hearing for Odin Dhun, LLC.

Hearing: Odin Dhun, LLC (PLN-24-00007)

• Application: Preliminary & Final Major Subdivision with C Variances for a 16-lot subdivision (14 buildable lots) at 295 Cedar Grove Lane (Block 508.02 Lot 12, R-40 zone).
• Key Testimony:
  • Attorney Tim Arch and engineer Greg Oman (Menlo Engineering) presented revised plans, emphasizing a 40-foot landscape buffer (expanded from 15 feet) and significant tree preservation efforts.
  • Tree Preservation Statistics:
    • Total trees on site: 2,649.
    • Trees to be removed: 1,597 (60% of existing, reduced from 82.4% in prior submission).
    • Required replacement trees: 1,230.
    • Proposed tree plantings: 895 (including 75 evergreen supplements in buffer).
    • Deficit of 365 trees to be paid into township tree fund.
  • Environmental Commission letter noted satisfaction with reduced tree removal.
  • Applicant agreed to conservation easement for the buffer, black-coated chain link fence (instead of PVC), and deed notices on lot coverages.
  • Applicant representatives Akshay Joshi and Vijay Raju argued for an unmanned gate for security, citing anecdotal crime concerns and offering operational conditions (e.g., gates closed only 10 PM–6 AM). Board members expressed opposition to the gate, citing community aesthetics, enforceability, and lack of evidence for necessity.
• Board Discussion:
  • Board members questioned clustering vs. the proposed plan; engineer explained that regulations (DEP stormwater, Delaware Raritan Canal Commission) make clustering less feasible and that tree value analysis showed healthier trees along buffer edges.
  • Staff recommendations included: black-coated chain link fence, conservation easement, HOA maintenance of porous driveways, deed notification of coverage limits, and condition that all outside approvals (e.g., Sewer Authority) be secured before any site work.
  • The gate was not approved; road design to be standard two-lane without gate or guardhouse.
  • Driveway for Lot 12.02 to be flipped to avoid conflict near entrance.

Key Outcomes

• Odin Dhun, LLC Application: Approved unanimously (all voting members voted yes). The approval includes the following conditions:
  1. Two frontage variances and a lot coverage variance for the roadway lot.
  2. Black-coated chain link fence (instead of white PVC).
  3. Conservation easement on the 40-foot landscape buffer.
  4. HOA responsible for maintaining porous pavers on driveways.
  5. Tree plantings approved by lot with deed notice of coverage limits.
  6. No site work or final plat signatures until all outside approvals (including Somerset County Planning Board, County Conservation District, Delaware Raritan Canal Commission, and Franklin Township Sewer Authority) are obtained.
  7. Driveway of Lot 12.02 flipped to west orientation.
  8. No gate or guardhouse; road designed as standard two-lane access.
• Concore Realty, LLC (PLN-23-00006): Hearing carried to April 15, 2026, with no further notification needed. A second carry without appearance would require re-noticing.
• Master Plan Action Items: Chairman presented a prioritization framework for ordinance amendments. The board agreed to form a subcommittee (under four members to avoid a quorum) to work with planner Mark Healy on bundling easy and high-priority ordinance changes (e.g., rezonings, definition clarifications) for recommendation to the Township Council. More complex items (e.g., signage, clustering standards) to be addressed later.
• Board Comments: Member Jen Ragno reported on an environmental justice course and advocated for improved access to open space in overburdened communities, including exploring the East Millstone rail trail. Member Charles Brown noted that gated communities are appreciated in 55+ contexts but not for this small subdivision.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned.