Planning Board Finds Alcatel-Lucent Redevelopment Plan Consistent with Master Plan

This article was updated May 15, 11 p.m.

The Holmdel Township Planning Board members agreed Tuesday that the proposed 2012 Alcatel-Lucent Redevelopment Plan is consistent with the objectives laid out in the township's master plan.

Now the document will be sent over to the five elected members of the Township Committee, who will hold the public hearing and vote on its adoption. That meeting will be held at Town Hall at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 17.

This will be the Committee's second attempt to adopt a new vision statement for the 472-acre property, which is currently under contract by Sterling Oversight LLC. An attempt to adopt the plan last December was thwarted by a legal challenge by Alcatel-Lucent. The meeting drew 90 people to Town Hall to the rare afternoon meeting. As of noon on Tuesday, Township Clerk Maureen Doloughty said she was not aware of any new challenges by Alcatel-Lucent ahead of Thursday's vote.

The plan, which officials say is not much different than the December version, would supercede the local land use laws when it comes to development at the site. It sets forth a vision for land uses, bulk and area requirements, and design development within the Alcatel-Lucent Study Area that were developed with community objectives in mind.

The plan favors development of the site primarily as a corporate commercial site. It requires a developer to find a new use for the 6-story, two-million square foot building vacated five years ago. Some uses could be for business, professional and medical offices, health care, retail, restaurants aand more.

New surrounding structures at the 472-acre property can include limited single family housing, age-restricted multi-family housing, and indoor field house, outdoor recreation facilites including an 18-hole golf course, playing fields and a fitness center.

It calls for a network open space that can be deed restricted against housing or commercial development down the road.

The plan also leaves the township with options to use eminent domain or tax abatment to make the property more attractive to a developer.

A copy of the plan is posted on the Holmdel Township website and attached to this article.