TO THE EDITOR: It’s been a busy few years on the Bedminster Township Land Use Board. As the chair for the past eight years, I’ve presided over a wide range of land use hearings.
The lens my board has consistently applied when reviewing applications is whether the proposed use supports the objectives of Bedminster’s Master Plan. While that plan has always been consistent in its objectives, the way we achieve them has changed in response to the dynamics of the times.
I am proud to say that Mayor Larry Jacobs has been the catalyst behind our ability to anticipate and address the needs of an ever-changing real-estate market. The result has been improvements that have benefited our residents and businesses alike.
For example, several years ago Mayor Jacobs identified the need to provide relief for homeowners looking to make improvements to their properties.
Many were prevented from investing in their own homes due to dated land use policies that prohibited the addition of amenities like a pool or a patio. Without the ability to do so, families were leaving for neighboring communities, and home values were depressed.
By adopting some commonsense revisions, we turned the tide while still maintaining the look and feel that makes Bedminster unique.
When AT&T’s lease on its Bedminster campus looked to be coming to an end, Mayor Jacobs sprang into action. His objective was twofold – keep AT&T in town, and make sure the former AT&T headquarters site didn’t go the way of the dinosaur.
Not only did he ensure that AT&T continue to call Bedminster home, he also helped relocate them to the former Mallinckrodt campus, which itself had been vacated following the pharmaceutical company’s bankruptcy. Talk about a brilliant bit of land use strategy!
At the same time, recognizing the emergence of life sciences, he championed the rezoning of the former AT&T campus to include research, development and laboratory uses, in addition to office space.
As a result, the property is now being marketed by its owner as a highly desirable location for businesses engaged in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. A location situated at the crossroad of Routes 78 and 287 puts Bedminster at the intersection of great companies and high-paying jobs.
Speaking of great companies, we’ve got a new one in town, thanks again to our forward-looking mayor. Last year, Freshpet, the premier manufacturer of fresh pet food, was looking for a new location for its corporate headquarters.
Without hesitation, Mayor Jacobs knew that Bedminster was the perfect fit for Freshpet, which highlights people, pets and the planet as its corporate mission.
With the full support of the Land Use Board, he worked with the company and a local property owner to make this vision a reality. Today, as you drive North on 206, you’ll see construction underway on Freshpet’s beautiful addition to Bedminster’s business corridor, slated to open by mid-2025.
Recognizing that Pluckemin’s downtown business district needed a “good kick in the pants,” Mayor Jacobs convened local business and property owners, along with state and county resources, to identify areas for improvement. Pedestrian access, parking, signage and safety were all cited as key objectives, and the mayor has made it his personal mission to effect the necessary changes. Once again, I suspect my land use calendar is about to get busy as a result.
Why does this all matter and why should you care? Well, as former Mayor Steve Parker used to say, you can think of local taxes as a pie divided between residents and businesses.
Too few businesses mean more of the tax burden placed on our residents.
Conversely, too many businesses, while decreasing the tax burden, would dramatically lessen the desirability of our local community and drive residents away.
Maintaining the right balance helps us achieve the objectives of the aforementioned Master Plan, and executing against that plan is significantly advanced by the wisdom, guidance and experience of our chief executive, Mayor Larry Jacobs.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, I plan on voting for the candidates who consistently work to keep Bedminster a step ahead, making our small town a great place to live.
Please join me in re-electing Mayor Larry Jacobs, along with his running mate Committeewoman Renee Mareski, to the Bedminster Township Committee.
CAROL GUTTSCHALL
Chair
Land Use Board
Bedminster Township
Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.