Fire equipment was on display, as usual, in the 75th annual Red Bank Halloween Parade last month. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank’s next steps toward a possible “transit village” of higher-density housing around the train station will be discussed when the council meets Thursday night.
Also on the agenda: tweaks to the fire ordinance regarding membership.
Community Planning Director Shawna Ebanks addresing the council in Septemeber. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Among the items on the agenda:
• Following up on a September 14 presentation on the status of the borough’s pursuit of a “transit village” designation for the area surrounding the train station, Community Planning Director Shawna Ebanks is scheduled to outline an anticipated “Area in Need of Redevelopment” ordinance.
Under New Jersey’s Transit Village program, the Department of Transportation and New Jersey Transit provide incentives for municipalities to redevelop areas around transit stations “using design standards that are attractive, vibrant, and pedestrian-friendly,” Ebanks told the council.
A state website describes transit villages as “compact, mixed-use neighborhoods with a strong residential component.” Statewide, 34 towns have the designation, including four that, like Red Bank, are served by NJT’s North Jersey Coast Line rail system: Asbury Park, Belmar, Long Branch and Matawan.
Red Bank took its first step toward the designation in October, 2018, but the effort had a long period of little activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was restarted in April, 2022, Ebanks said.
Next, the council would need to adopt a zoning ordinance for a proposed “transit-oriented” redevelopment area, and “come up with design standards that support transit,” she said.
• Proposed changes to the ordinance spelling out the structure of the fire department and its membership requirements.
Among them is one pertaining to non-resident members, who must live “within five air miles” or town or work here.
Originally, Chief Wayne Hartman told redbankgreen, a person had to live in town to join as an “active” member. But “many years ago, we added an ‘active associate’ membership that would allow more people to be qualified to join,” he said via email Wednesday.
“While we did gain membership, these members did not have all the same benefits as active members. So to gain and retain these members, it was decided to drop the active associate classification, and just have everyone as an active member,” Hartman said. “Also, the state requirements have been changed several times over the years. We wanted the ordinance to reflect properly on them.”
In addition, the proposed amendments would add detail to the categories of criminal records that would disqualify an applicant from joining the department.
Here’s the full agenda. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at borough hall, 90 Monmouth Street, with remote participation available via Zoom.
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