TOMS RIVER, NJ – The Township of Toms River on Tuesday night announced what is being described as a “significant” development project at the former Ciba Geigy owned superfund site.
Township planner Dave Roberts, speaking before the council announced that the new owner, BASF is planning a large development project on over 200 acres
A new ordinance before the township council is working to make it easier for BASF to come before the town planners as they begin a project to build on their land.
“We’re anticipating that at some point in the future they [BASF] will have about 250 acres that they’re going to want to develop,” Roberts said. “It’s going to be a significant development. Under a general development plan, anything over 100 acres can submit a general development plan…then come in for site plan approval on a periodic basis.”
Previously, Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill denied there was a plan to develop land at the Ciba Geigy’s property, going as far as calling it an “outright lie“.
At this point, it is uncertain if that project would be a major residential development as exposed by Toms River Councilman Dan Rodrick in 2019.
“He has taken lying and fear-mongering to a new low. He has conjured up a story of massive residential development at the Ciba-Geigy site. This outrageous statement is more than mere political exaggeration: it is an outright lie that has resurrected painful memories of the cancer-cluster scare of the mid-1990s,” Hill said in a 2019 Asbury Park Press interview.
Roberts said Ciba-Geigy is zoned for industrial development and cannot be used for residential development. However, under the law, BASF can apply for a zoning variance in the future to seek approval to build outside of the township’s current zoning designation.
Roberts also announced a future mass expansion at Community Medical Center. He also announced a plan to allow developers to pay money to the town instead of replacing trees when they cut them down. The town will then use that fund to plant more trees.
Councilman Rodrick voted no against the ordinance, saying it allows for the future development of Ciba-Geigy.
“Time and time again, we’re told no, no no, there’s no apartments coming downtown,” Rodrick said. “Our master plan calls for the development of Ciba Geigy. I’m not in favor of that. The residents aren’t in favor of that.”
As far as establishing a fund to allow major site developers to simply pay the town instead of replanting trees after cutting down trees, Rodrick said, “I think the residents like the trees where they are.”
