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Growing, Progressive Community Seeks To
Direct Retail Growth To A Planned Town Center
Upper Deerfield Township, in Cumberland County, New Jersey is
experiencing the initial stages of what is expected to be substantial
residential and retail growth. The planning board, economic development
committee and the governing body have established a redevelopment zone
and plan to manage the townships expected growth.
The redevelopment plan discourages scattered, big-box development and
provides incentives for large and small retail development to occur in a
planned, life-style center as part of its planned main street/town
center. Upper Deerfield is seeking innovative retail developers to
review its redevelopment plan and to make presentations to its
redevelopment agency for plans to create the main street/town center and
other aspects of its redevelopment plan.
TOWN CENTER CONCEPTUAL PLAN
TOWN CENTER AREA
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163 Acres
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2 Land-Owners
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Greenfield
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Public Water & Sewer
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AUTHORIZATION OF THE
REDEVELOPMENT AREA
Upper Deerfield has determined that the area of
the Township defined as the Redevelopment Area as set forth in the
Planning Board’s Resolution No. 14-2001and pursuant to the Township
Committee’s Resolution No. 9012, dated 6 September 2001 included herein
by reference, has been determined to be an “Area in Need of
Redevelopment” pursuant to the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (N.J.S.A.
40A:12a-1 et seq.1). Accordingly, this area shall be referred to as the
“Upper Deerfield Redevelopment Area” (“Redevelopment Area”).
PURPOSE AND GOALS
The Township, having undertaken the prescribed
process to determine that the Redevelopment Area exhibits conditions
which meet the statutory criteria for an “Area in Need of
Redevelopment”, must now prepare a Redevelopment Plan. This
Redevelopment Plan will provide a mechanism by which the public and
private entities will be legally linked for the orderly planning and
redevelopment of the Redevelopment Area.
Such action will be undertaken in a manner that
will be consistent with the applicable statutes and with the Goals and
Objectives of the Master Plan of Upper Deerfield. This Plan will provide
the planning principles to further Smart Growth within the Redevelopment
Area – protection of the environment, high quality design / development
standards, circulation planning, etc.
- Upon adoption by the Governing Body, this
Redevelopment Plan shall satisfy all statutory requirements and
constitute the legal prerequisite for the Redevelopment actions
outlined herein.
- It will also provide a process which will
form a partnership with private landowners to enhance and encourage
private enterprise to develop land with public support and
participation in a manner beneficial to both parties.
- It is the goal and purpose of the
redevelopment process not only to provide incentives for controlled
development within the redevelopment area, but to do so in a manner
which is consistent with regional planning strategies, the State’s
Smart Future Planning initiatives and environmentally sustainable
techniques which render the redevelopment initiatives as a prototype
for the immediate region as well as the State.
- The implementation of the redevelopment
process will provide for various development options within this
area – such development options may be carried out by Upper
Deerfield Township, the Cumberland Development Corporation, or other
private entities / developers. The decision of the Redevelopment
Authority, as designated, to utilize an entity for a development
proposal should not preclude the Redevelopment Authority from
working with another entity (public or private) for a separate
development proposal.
- This Plan may also provide for the
opportunity to merge the efforts of the host community, Upper
Deerfield, and the Cumberland Development Corporation with its
participating member communities into a regionally competitive eco -agri
business / industrial park that uses advanced sustainable techniques
in the design of the park. Again, such proposal is only one of many
options available to the Redevelopment
Authority. The Redevelopment Authority has the right to negotiate a
Developer’s Agreement with either one or more entities. By
incorporating these purposes and goals via the redevelopment
process, it is the intent of this Plan to create a participatory
partnership between public and private entities that could maintain
a competitive posture in the region.
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REDEVELOPMENT AREA - SITE
CONTEXT
- The Redevelopment Area is located in the
Township of Upper Deerfield, County of Cumberland, and State of New
Jersey. (See Exhibit B, Redevelopment Area Map). Exhibit C also
illustrates Block / Lot Identification as well as adjacent
infrastructure improvements.
- The Redevelopment Area encompasses
infrastructure availability primarily via the Route 77 corridor as
well as an easement that runs in a north / south direction
approximately ±400’ east of the Seabrook Main Line Rail Road
right-of-way, from Cornwell Drive at the southern terminus to Finley
Road at the northern terminus, west along Finley Road to and north
to Parsonage Road.
- The Redevelopment Area has a number of
defining characteristics including the unique ownership patterns as
noted by the following:
• Privately Owned Vacant Land 725.28 acres
• Privately Owned Developed Land 291.30 acres
• Publicly Owned Vacant Land 0 acres
• Publicly Owned Developed Land 45.53 acres
• Total Acreage (excluding public rights-of-way) 1060.11 acres
- The Redevelopment Area is located in an area
of the Township that is primarily used for agricultural purposes,
with some commercial activity to the south and some industrial land
uses along the western boundary line (adjacent to the Seabrook Main
Line rail road right-of-way). Any proposed development must be done
with respect to existing wetlands and any other natural features.
Development must also be consistent with the New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection regulations and New Jersey State
Development and Redevelopment Plan.
 
This Plan provides for development within the
Redevelopment Area that encourages high quality, well-planned growth. It
also provides a process which will form a partnership with private
landowners to enhance and encourage private enterprise to develop land
with public support and participation in a manner beneficial to all
parties.
- Tax incentives from 5 - 30 years as
negotiated with the redevelopment agency
- 167 acres available for professional office
development
- 163 acres planned for retail development
- 450 acres planned for industrial development
- Green, developable, open land
- Infrastructure includes public water, sewer,
electric, natural gas, rail service
and telecommunications
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