SHRINK 
THE CIRCUS LIQUORS REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
​ 
THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, AS PUSHED THROUGH BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, LACKS VISION. IT IS DESTRUCTIVE OVERDEVELOPMENT. MIDDLETOWN DESERVES BETTER.
​

March 2019. What's Needed:


​SHOW UP! BRING YOUR NEIGHBORS!

A big show of force is needed at the Planning Board Meeting. This one, March 20th, is the initial site plan review. 

​The Township is counting on resident complacency.  Please know, it's not a done deal!  

The The Circus Liquors Redevelopment Plan (CLRP) application consists of 350 residential units, a Wegmans, a dine-in movie theater, and 20-30 strip mall stores on +118 acres. The plan is absurdly large, (larger than the Monmouth Mall), for an already congested Route 35 frontage location. The poorly planned road reconfigurations will not alleviate the enormous amounts of traffic coming to Route 35 and through our neighborhoods.

The Circus Liquors Redevelopment Plan presents:
  • congestion and density with no long-term sustainable vision for the community 
  • health & safety hazards related to traffic & pollution
  • environmental destruction
  • hardship on our civic services — police, firefighters, EMTs
  • compromised education in select schools
All of which equates to lower property values and lowered quality of life.

We want the CLRP project to be less dense, which in turn will cut down on traffic. We want the project to be in keeping with Middletown's Master Plan. As CLRP stands now it is not appropriate for the area.


​FUND THE LEGAL CHALLENGE!

Minding Middletown LLC, the parent company of Stop Village 35, has filed a lawsuit challenging the Township’s “area in need of redevelopment” designation.

This was done on the advice of our Legal team as the best way to  stay involved in the outcome of the project. It’s the necessary next step in our efforts to fight overdevelopment in Middletown. 

The Challengers who represent our endeavor against the Circus Liquors Redevelopment Plan (formerly know as Village 35) include:
• Land Use/ Redevelopment Legal:  Litwin & Provence, LLC
• Planning expert: Marta Lefsky
• Another legal rep will be named to oversee local hearings

WHY WE ARE SUING THE TOWN:
1. As major stakeholders, residents and taxpayers of Middletown, we want a voice in what's being developed in our Town.
​
2. Area in need of redevelopment designation enables the Township and the developers to negotiate a PILOT (Payment in Lieu Of Taxes) agreement which is a scheme to encourage development.  The developer does not pay market rate taxes (like us home owners or any other commercial business) and the Township does not have to pay taxes toward Education (which is 62% of home owner taxes in Middletown). 

In other words, with PILOT, neither the Township nor Developers pay their fair share of taxes, in this case for prime real estate that did not need redevelopment incentive, it already had development contracts in place before the Town pushed through the designation!

Sadly, the only way for tax-paying residents to be heard and to be considered stakeholders in their town is to have Legal representation.  PLEASE CONTRIBUTE NOW.

MAKE NO MISTAKE 
THIS PLAN WITH ITS NEW NAME IS AS MUCH OF A CIRCUS AS THE ORIGINAL VILLAGE 35 PLAN.

​STAY INVOLVED.
​MAKE THE TOWNSHIP REMEMBER THEY WORK FOR YOU.

First introduction of Ordinance 2018-3232 for the Circus Liquors Redevelopment Plan was read on July 16, 2018.   

This Redevelopment Plan shall constitute an overlay zoning to be applied solely to the Redevelopment Plan Area properties and adoption of this Redevelopment Plan by the Township Committee shall be considered an amendment to
the Middletown Township Zoning Map.

This 48-page Redevelopment Document does not improve zoning or change the zoning in significant ways for the greater good.
​
The zoning is almost exactly the same or even less beneficial in some areas than the Village 35.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW.
Residents, you must stay involved.
Speak out as a group. The best place to be seen and heard is at Township Committee and Planning Board Meetings. Public opinion matters. 

​Email. Call. Write.  
The Township will reply: due to a lawsuit, public meetings are “legally impossible." Regardless, it's important to have your concerns entered into record. Make Contact! 
​
History. In spite of our continuing efforts to meet with Township officials, we have been denied a meeting…again.  Read More >


​THE VILLAGE 35 PLAN = IRRESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
ON VIEW, THE NRDC, COMMERCIAL PORTION OF THE APPLICATION.

Picture
NRDC's newest plan: Wegmans, a dine-in Movie Theater, stand alone fast-food dining in the parking lot (A - E), and a block of retail space (2-5), 20 stores proposed OR ANOTHER BIG BOX STORE, that have no takers, translation: Dead Mall in the making. MORE OUT-OF-TOWN TRAFFIC CUTTING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, LATE NIGHT ACTIVITY... WHAT ABOUT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE?

NRDC's new plan exceeds all General Development Plan (GDP) approval conditions. 
Picture
Credit: Caption above, and Table 1, are from the Village 35 Planners June 30, 2017 review.
Certified Public Notice.
​NRDC requests major changes to the commercial application under the guise of a "hardship.." The new plan consists of a building with 151,955 sq. ft. of retail space, 420-seat 26,536 sq. ft. movie theater, and now a 130,000 sq. ft. Wegman’s grocery, plus other free standing buildings. 
Residents for Responsible Development.
We believe responsible development is key to the long term health of Middletown and its citizens Quality of Life.

​ Village 35, as proposed, lacks respect for the natural environment, historical character of the community and the residents well-being, which is why we are opposed. ​ 

THE VILLAGE 35 PROPOSAL.

​A proposal named Village 35 is so similar to the Circus Liquors Redevelopment Plan currently being routed to become an Ordinance by the Township Committee, it is pathetic.

It’s 118 acres, a Retail and Residential application that is larger than the Monmouth Mall, with just RT 35 and local neighborhood roads to support it.

  • Residential: 400 units vs. 350 units Village 35 plan 
  • Retail: 400,000 sq ft.  vs. 340,000 sq ft. Villlage 35 plan
  • 1700+ new parking spaces
  • 3000+ more cars on the site at peak hours.

The plan, which we oppose, represents irresponsible overdevelopment  that will have a direct negative impact on the Quality of Life throughout Middletown and surrounding areas.

Key issues are centered on the last expansive tract of "green space" on Rt 35, dense traffic, unsustainable retail, minimal buffers and inappropriate use of the site & scenic roadways.  

We all know something will be developed here. The Village 35 / Circus Plan is not it. 
​
•  Register and jump in to help oppose the Circus Liquors Redevelopment Plan, formerly known as Village 35.
Start here.

• Our Facebook Page is the best source for news alerts. Like & Follow us here.

LARGER THAN THE MONMOUTH MALL. 1/2 MILE FRONTAGE ON RT 35.

WATCH THE VIDEO

GET INVOLVED

WAKE UP, MIDDLETOWN!
Many residents are unaware of the Village 35 proposal. It's important the Developers & Planning Board know we are not going to sit idle and let the destruction of our community pass without a fight.

SPREAD THE WORD: know the issues, get social, share fact sheets to inform your neighbors, find info about buying lawn signs.

SPEAK OUT: find the contacts needed to write letters, call, and email. Let's get attention & make a lot of loud noise.
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NEWS & EVENTS

IMPORTANT DATES. PLEASE ATTEND
​
  • Events Calendar
  • ​Mar 20. Planning Board Meeting, 6:30pm.
  • Mar 20. Mayor's Open Office. 5:30-7:30pm.

TAKE ACTION

SIGN THE PETITION.
• It's important that the Middletown Planning Board and the Town Committee know our position on Village 35. We, the taxpayers, are opposed.

 NEWSLETTER & VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP

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