LINDEN - During their Wednesday night meeting, Woodward Township supervisors proposed a balanced budget with no tax increase.
They also discussed the need to come up with a cohesive plan for land development, which will reflect increased traffic flow and allow for potential commercial growth.
According to Chairman Thomas Frantz, money from the township's impact fee allotment - about $54,000 - helped to cover financial shortfalls and allowed the supervisors create a balanced budget.
"We'll be appropriating some of the impact fee to support the fire company and fund road improvement in the coming year," Frantz said.
According to the proposal, the township expects to see a surplus of about $4,000 in the coming year.
Township resident Bill Robinson said he would like to develop his plot of land, which sits at the corner of Young's Road and Route 220, sometimes known as the Old Young property.
Currently, the land is zoned for residential use only. Robinson would like to see it become zoned for commercial use as well.
However, supervisors expressed concern that a commercial property so close to a residential zoning area would cause unnecessary negative impacts for those who live close by. Concerns included increased traffic, as well as light and noise pollution.
"We have to somehow foresee the growth here. I know it's going to happen," Frantz said.
The supervisors discussed the possibility of meeting with the planning commission to flesh out a new development plan for the township.
"Planning has evolved in ways we couldn't have foreseen. Traffic flow has changed because of the highway," Frantz said.
Township solicitor Marc Drier agreed.
"We need to get a plan in place that acknowledges the growth potential for the township so we have a way to move forward," said Drier.
