The June 22, 2009 Township Committee meeting minutes

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The June 22, 2009 Township Committee meeting minutes have been posted.

http://www.cranburytownship.org/TC_minutes062209.pdf

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TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING
JUNE 22, 2009
"Mr. Stannard reported on June 10, 2009 he had attended the Business and Professional Association’s meeting to determine how the Township can assist business owners. Mr. Stannard reported the Business Association is very angry with the Township Committee, the Township’s Professionals, Planning Board and Zoning Board. He stated the Township Administration on down is not a problem and they are happy with the services they receive from the Town Hall staff. Mr. Stannard reported the Township has a reputation of being very
“unfriendly” to new businesses coming into Cranbury because of the lengthy and costly expenses associated with the Township’s process. Mr. Stannard recommended forming a subcommittee to work on the problem to make it friendly towards businesses. Mr. Stannard then volunteered to serve on the subcommittee and Mr. Cody also volunteered to serve as well. Mayor Stave recommended having Mr. Preiss, the Township Planner, on the subcommittee."

OMG! Another subcommittee.

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Specific example is when Hot Wok was ready to open, the township enginner came in and decided they had to redo the back parking lot. For small businesses, unplanned expenses like that can make a huge difference. Another is the outdoor dining ordinance. We are not NYC - we have just a few restaurants. While having some "standards" the businesses must follow is fine (I agree there should be rules to ensure quality of life issues for neighbors) they are required to pay an outdoor dining fee every year. More government paperwork and expenses.

A subcommittee to study this is not only unnecessary, but ridiculous. Just speak to the business owners - they'll tell you the issues.

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Agreed, historically and currently the process to open a business is very difficult in our town. It is better with the Flower Shop that went in, but Hot Wok, Hannah and Masons, and many others have had difficulty. The average resident doesn't see it because they don't attend Planning Board meetings and don't see the 12 months it often takes to get the approval to open. The place where Harold's once operated was denied the ability to sell flowers because they were a gift store and flowers according to the planning board were not gifts. If a business like the Inn puts a sign out like they do then the town can and does at times ask them to bring it in since it is not approved.

Our town has a culture of being so protective of Main St, that we fail to realize it is important to have businesses as well to make our down town viable. More than a few businesses pulled out because they could no longer afford to continue the process. Their start up capital was being used on parking studies, engineering reports, paying our town engineer for her to make studies, etc...

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The subcommittee should include a PB and ZB member and have ultimate say in terms of finalizing a process where a small mom and pop business can come in and open rather quickly. Our PB, engineer requirements and process is so problematic now that we cannot as a town keep going with the current method and leaving the PB with this authority has shown to not work efficiently. In fact, last year the PB was looking at refining the downtown area to make it so restrictive that businesses would be in even more trouble. For example, they wanted to say businesses had to have x spots or that drive through windows such as at a bank or a pharmacy would be prohibited.

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I have lived in this town my whole life. I have seen businesses come and go. Anymore it is crazy how hard it is to start a business in this town. Once all the businesses do shut their doors and Cranbury is just a residential town with NO businesses that is when we will all feel it. This town used to have so many little shops - now look at what it has - and for how long??? This town is ridiculous with all of its rules and regulations.

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After reading the planning board minutes, two things are obvious:
1) If you are from Cranbury, it is easy to start a business. and
2) The engineer and township attorney spend way too much time nit picking small items that in no way help the residents.

I see that Mr. Stanard was appointed as a liason to the business community. That was a poor choice.

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Disagree on that. I know a few Cranbury residents who had difficulty and stopped. The Blue Rooster owner grew up in Cranbury, is a resident and received the same treatment as others have.

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Hannah and Masons had a much more difficult time then the Blue Rooster. So did the Hot Wok. It took them over a year to be approved. Gil and Berts took one meeting as did the new florist. The dentist took one, but I don't think he is from Cranbury. The inn took a very long time for its addition. There is no real pattern. Any others that I missed?

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Yeah, there have been several new business on 130 and those approvals took many meetings and cost the owners thousands in startup costs

[Guest57]

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I went to several of the BR PB meetings as I had been going to the PB meetings off and on for the last 5 years or so and I can assure you that the process for them and others was not as easy as it should be. They were even questioned not only on how many chairs they would have, but also how many tables. They had to do a parking study as well with the town knowing the parking issue already.

This is not supposed to be a BR thread. Businesses clearly have an issue opening here.

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I agreed. This should not be about the BR. However, you bring up a good point about the planning board. How could they allow for a new restaurant and waive all parking requirements? That is POOR planning. The BR just took advantage of it. Shame on the planning board.

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