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Record of Proceedings

Franklin Township Planning Board Regular Meeting - June 17, 2026

Planning Board — Wednesday, June 17, 2026
BodyFranklin Township, New Jersey
SessionPlanning Board
DateWednesday, June 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 31:44

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:04

According to the open public meetings act, PL 1975, Chapter 231, adequate notices, regular meeting of the planning board of the Franklin Township has been provided.

0:15

If everyone could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:19

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.

0:24

And to the Republic for which it stands.

0:27

One nation under God.

0:29

Indivisible with liberty and justice for Mark Dancy, Jennifer Ragnar, Mahir Rafik asks to be excused this evening.

0:44

Councilman in Borson, I do not see.

0:49

Huh?

0:51

Theodore Chase.

0:57

Here.

0:58

Robert LeCourt.

0:59

Here.

1:00

Charles Brown.

1:01

Here.

1:01

Robert Thomas.

1:02

Here.

1:03

Sammy Shabon.

1:05

Michael Arsini.

1:07

Here.

1:08

All right.

1:09

So before we begin, we're going to just re-jigger the agenda a bit to make it smooth.

1:21

And this probably won't take very long because we have no hearings.

1:24

We're going to move the ordinance draft discussion to after the discussion items.

1:29

Then we're going to go to public comments, then we're going to go to board comments, and then we'll adjourn.

1:34

And given what I see in the audience, there won't be much need to open.

1:39

So but we'll do it anyway.

1:47

So only Ted, Bob Thomas, and yourself can vote.

1:53

Okay, in that case, I will move the minutes.

1:56

Second.

1:58

Theodore Chase.

2:00

Yes.

2:01

Robert Thomas.

2:02

Yes.

2:03

Michael Orsini.

2:04

Yes.

2:06

Two resolutions.

2:07

The first uh Somerset County.

2:10

This was for the um it's for the open space, right?

2:13

Yeah.

2:14

Yep.

2:14

Um so uh PLN 26003.

2:18

Uh I move to approve.

2:20

Same three people can vote.

2:24

So uh Bob Thomas and Ted, somebody has to second.

2:30

Second.

2:31

Thank you.

2:32

Theodore Chase.

2:33

Yes.

2:34

Robert Thomas.

2:35

Yes.

2:36

Michael Arsini.

2:37

Yes.

2:38

This is uncontroversial folks.

2:40

Um Saddam Associates, this is the subdivision of a one-acre lot from the farmland preserved, which is uh by right.

2:50

So uh move to approve that.

2:52

Okay, Bob LeCourt can vote, Charles Brown, Robert Thomas, and yourself.

2:58

Second.

3:00

Robert LeCourt?

3:01

Yes.

3:02

Charles Brown?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Development█████████████████████████████████████████████71%
Procedural████████████████26%
Budget Equity Analysis██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Franklin Township Planning Board Regular Meeting - June 17, 2026

The Franklin Township Planning Board met on June 17, 2026, to consider approvals, ordinance reviews, and a work session on cluster subdivision updates. The meeting proceeded with limited voting members due to absences and recusals.

Resolutions Approved

  • County of Somerset / PLN-26-00003: Approved unanimously by members Theodore Chase, Robert Thomas, and Chairman Michael Arsini (three eligible voters).
  • Suydam Associates, FLP / PLN-26-00004: Approved unanimously by members Robert LeCourt, Charles Brown, Robert Thomas, and Michael Arsini (four eligible voters). This subdivision of a one-acre lot from farmland preserved is by-right.

Discussion Items

  • Implementation of 2026 Reexamination Recommendations (Ordinance #4509-26): The board reviewed a referral from the Township Council to assess consistency with the Master Plan. The ordinance, which implements Master Plan recommendations, was deemed not inconsistent. The board voted to recommend adoption to Council. A memorializing resolution was also approved.
  • Amendment to Land Development Code (Ordinance #4510-26): The board considered updates to planning and zoning fees and escrow deposits, last revised 15 years ago. Proposed changes included increasing application and review fees to better cover township costs, aligning with fees charged by similar towns. Homeowner zoning permit fees were standardized to $50 (from $25-$30), with higher fees ($100) for commercial buildings or new homes. Professional review fees for projects increasing impervious coverage by 1,000 sq. ft. or more were also raised to account for stormwater review. The board approved the ordinance and a memorializing resolution.

Work Session / New Business

  • Cluster Subdivision and Related Ordinance Updates: As part of the Master Plan Reexamination, the board discussed consolidating five or six existing provisions on cluster subdivisions and lot size averaging to eliminate redundancies and inconsistencies. Mark presented an overview showing historical cluster subdivisions (11 of 12 used the Natural Resource Preservation Cluster option). The recommended changes include:
    • Retaining the Natural Resource Preservation Cluster option and eliminating the Agricultural Cluster (which included a 2.3 density bonus no longer aligned with township goals).
    • Clarifying that preservation of agriculture is also permissible.
    • Adding lot size averaging to the A Zone (currently allowed in RR3, RR5, and Canal Preservation zones) with provisions to require a yield map accounting for stormwater, environmental constraints, etc.
    • Updating the zoning map nomenclature for overlay zones (e.g., NRPC R15 and R20 options) to improve clarity without changing substantive bulk standards.
    • Allowing board flexibility to require or waive maintenance escrows for open space deeded to the township.
    • Correcting a missing garden shed setback requirement in the Canal Preservation zone to match other zones (5-foot setback for small sheds).
  • After discussion, the board voted to forward the recommendations to the Township Council for consideration.

Public Comments

  • No public comments were made. The board opened and closed the public portion without testimony.

Board Comments & Announcements

  • Upcoming events were announced: June 28 D&R Canal Master Plan presentation at 2 PM; band concerts (June 6-7:30 PM with ice cream truck); Fireworks on July 2 with NJ National Guard Band; July 8 reading of the Declaration of Independence at the gazebo; Franklin Township Victory Town flag signing; and tickets available for a baseball game ($10).

Key Outcomes

  • Approved two resolutions (Somerset County and Suydam Associates subdivisions).
  • Recommended adoption of Ordinance #4509-26 (2026 Reexamination recommendations) to Council.
  • Approved updated fees and escrow deposits under Ordinance #4510-26 for Council introduction.
  • Forwarded cluster subdivision and lot size averaging ordinance draft to Council for consideration and introduction.

Meeting Transcript

According to the open public meetings act, PL 1975, Chapter 231, adequate notices, regular meeting of the planning board of the Franklin Township has been provided. If everyone could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Indivisible with liberty and justice for Mark Dancy, Jennifer Ragnar, Mahir Rafik asks to be excused this evening. Councilman in Borson, I do not see. Huh? Theodore Chase. Here. Robert LeCourt. Here. Charles Brown. Here. Robert Thomas. Here. Sammy Shabon. Michael Arsini. Here. All right. So before we begin, we're going to just re-jigger the agenda a bit to make it smooth. And this probably won't take very long because we have no hearings. We're going to move the ordinance draft discussion to after the discussion items. Then we're going to go to public comments, then we're going to go to board comments, and then we'll adjourn. And given what I see in the audience, there won't be much need to open. So but we'll do it anyway. So only Ted, Bob Thomas, and yourself can vote. Okay, in that case, I will move the minutes. Second. Theodore Chase. Yes. Robert Thomas. Yes. Michael Orsini. Yes. Two resolutions. The first uh Somerset County. This was for the um it's for the open space, right? Yeah. Yep. Um so uh PLN 26003. Uh I move to approve. Same three people can vote. So uh Bob Thomas and Ted, somebody has to second. Second. Thank you. Theodore Chase. Yes. Robert Thomas. Yes.

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