Marlboro’s master plan review left a lot to be desired

In August, Marlboro’s Planning Board received Maser Consulting’s review of the township’s master plan. The public had an opportunity to comment at the board’s Nov. 5 meeting.

The review should have included an objective discussion of pros and cons for various development scenarios, with background information, but that did not occur. The review should also have included recommendations to better address the town’s affordable housing obligations; in the past, litigated settlements have prevented good planning.

The only new information was the build-out analysis. Two numbers for population growth were given. The county projects an increase of 12,120 people (33.65 percent above the population in 2000), Maser projects an increase of 9,537 (26.4 percent).

What should the Planning Board do with this new information? Maser Consulting just presents the numbers, but not the impact. The board and public need to know impact on traffic, taxes, utilities, services (water, fire and health), recreation, and on natural resources such as wildlife, streams and aquifers.

The review can be best summarized in its own words, "Since 1997 there have not been significant changes in the assumptions, policies and objectives which formed the basis for the master plan. The assumptions, policies and objectives of the 1997 plan had a firm basis rooted in pragmatism and reality. The density and distribution of population and land uses, while growing and expanding since 1997, cannot be characterized as significant given past patterns and rates of growth." So the review is saying everything is well.

As anyone living in Marlboro knows, everything is not well. Rural character is lost, discharges from our streets, houses, cars and driveways increase, traffic clogs roads. Marlboro needs a fresh and thorough analysis of the master plan.

Stephen R. Knowlton

Chair, Conservation Committee

Jersey Shore Group, Sierra Club

Fair Haven