Manchester, NJ – Manchester Township officials are preparing to move forward with recommendations outlined in the township’s 2025 Master Plan Reexamination Report, a document that concludes the municipality’s 2017 Master Plan remains fundamentally sound while calling for targeted updates to address conservation, housing obligations, and redevelopment priorities.
The report, prepared by the township’s planning professionals for the Manchester Township Planning Board, recommends maintaining the existing goals and policies of the Master Plan while adopting several amendments reflecting changes in state law, environmental priorities, and local development needs.
Manchester site a known death trap for unsuspecting visitors
The location has experienced multiple well-documented fatalities, prompting strict crackdowns by local police:
- June 2024: A 33-year-old Howell man drowned while attempting to swim across Crystal Lake after suffering a leg cramp roughly 30 yards from the shoreline.
- July 2024: An 18-year-old Perth Amboy man drowned while trying to swim across the lake, submerging after experiencing severe fatigue and going into distress.
- December 2020: A 62-year-old Howell man died when the utility terrain vehicle (UTV) he was riding in overturned and became submerged in 25 feet of water.
- August 2021: A 22-year-old Cliffside Park man drowned after going into distress while unlawfully swimming in the lake.
- July 2020: A 23-year-old Plainfield man drowned after going missing while near the shoreline of Crystal Lake
Heritage Minerals conservation takes center stage
Among the report’s most significant recommendations is the proposed creation of a Conservation Zone at the former Heritage Minerals site, one of the largest undeveloped tracts remaining in Ocean County.
According to the report, the recommendation follows years of planning and public discussion surrounding the property. Heritage Minerals was designated a non-condemnation Area in Need of Redevelopment in 2014, followed by the formation of the Heritage Minerals Working Group in 2015 to evaluate potential uses for the site.
Planning documents note that an early redevelopment concept envisioned approximately 6,543 residential units, 1 million square feet of commercial development, and another 1 million square feet of industrial space. Since then, township priorities have shifted toward protecting environmentally sensitive lands while limiting future development on the property.
“The Township should establish a Conservation Zone for the Heritage Minerals property,” the report recommends, describing the change as consistent with the community’s current planning objectives.
Affordable housing obligations updated
The reexamination also outlines Manchester Township’s continued efforts to satisfy New Jersey’s affordable housing requirements through ongoing litigation settlements and planning updates.
According to the report, the township entered settlement agreements with the Fair Share Housing Center and Manchester Development Group during previous affordable housing litigation. The township later acquired the Manchester Development Group property for open space preservation before preparing an updated Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan that has been submitted for state review.
Officials also recommend continuing updates to township land use regulations to remain consistent with New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards and other state planning requirements.
Additional redevelopment studies recommended
Beyond Heritage Minerals, planners recommend future redevelopment investigations involving several established commercial properties, including Whiting Town Center on Lacey Road, the Route 37 golf driving range, Crestwood Shopping Center, and the America Keswick property.
The report also encourages public visioning sessions as part of any future planning efforts involving Whiting Town Center, allowing residents to help shape redevelopment proposals before they advance.
Officials concluded that the township’s planning framework established in 2017 continues to provide an effective guide for future growth while incorporating the targeted recommendations identified during the current reexamination process.
The Master Plan Reexamination serves as the blueprint for future zoning, redevelopment decisions, conservation efforts, and housing policy throughout Manchester Township. While the report does not itself approve new development, its recommendations will influence future Planning Board and Township Council decisions affecting residents, property owners, businesses, and thousands of acres of undeveloped land.
