What's Making News in the Town Next Door?

In Freehold

Freehold Borough Council Votes to Support Charter School Legislation

At a Borough Council meeting earlier this week, the council passed a resolution that backed the Borough Board of Education decision to pass the charter school legislation also known as Senate Bill 458. The bill now requires communities to vote on the building of charter school where before, the Commissioner of Education could force communities to support an unlimited number of Charter Schools.

In Manalapan:

Residents Protest Car Dealerships on Route 9

Public testimony was heard regarding the new amendment to Manalapan Township's Master Plan which would allow car dealerships in the township in some zones along the Rt. 9 corridor. This amendment has replaced a previous amendment that only looked at the OP-3 Zone in Manalapan for potential car dealership suitability. This new amendment prepared by the Township planner reviewed additional zones along Rt. 33 and Rt. 9, but only found Rt. 9 appropriate for automobile sales agencies. Residents packed Town Hall on Thursday night in opposition to the possibility of car dealerships in the township, particularly the possibility of a Ray Catena Audi Dealership at the corner of Taylor Mills Road and Rt. 9. No vote was made by the Planning Board; continued testimony will be heard at the next meeting.

In Holmdel:

St. Ben's Goes Green

St. Benedict Church and School is going solar. Residents are holding a rally Saturday morning to defend picturesque Cross Farm, at Longbridge and Willow Brook Roads near Colts Neck, from a potential sale by the township. Best Market prepares for a Feb. 17 opening at the former site of Top Tomato, in the Holmdel Commons, and the story of Bruce Springsteen stopping in to visit a Holmdel High Student during her hospital stay is making the rounds.

In Marlboro:

Affordable Housing in Marlboro on Aberdeen Border

A development that was set to begin in the late 1980's is back before the Marlboro planning board, after the township's long battle with the Council on Affordable Housing. The 385 unit development, off of Lloyd Road on the Aberdeen border will have 85 units of affordable housing. An application for the Northpointe development was first presented to the planning board in 1990, but was never developed. In 2004, another application was denied. At the  Jan. 18 planning board meeting, several pieces of the plan were questioned by board members. Board members raised concerns that pieces of the development would require variances.

In Oceanport:

Oceanport Eliminates School Budget Vote, Moves Board Elections

School board candidates , the K-8 board of education decided by a 6-1 vote (with one abstaining) at a workshop meeting held at Thursday evening. Board member Mark O'Neill attempted to get the board to table the matter to look into the potential cons of the changes in light of , but was defeated. Board Attorney McOmber said he believed Mayor Mahon's fears of an upcoming cap expiration date were unfounded. McOmber said he checked on the law with the Chief Counsel to the New Jersey School Boards earlier Thursday afternoon.