Freehold reacts to 'Village' defeat

By Jason Cohen

June 20, 2008

Freehold residents are forming a coalition consisting of members of Jewish organizations, temples, the local JCC, the Jewish federation, Jewish Family Service, and other locals in support of a proposed nursing home that was rejected overwhelmingly by the local zoning board.

The Freehold Township Zoning Board of Adjustment June 12 voted down 6-1 an application for the Village for Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Workmen's Circle of Freehold Township, an elderly care center on 14 acres of woods on Halls Mill Road off of Route 33.

Lie Ghton, one of the members of the zoning board that voted against it, said the board felt the Village compromised the zoning plan for the land.

"It is zoned for industrial use and the properties adjacent couldn't be developed if the Village was there," Ghton said.

Ultimately, it comes down to location, Ghton said. 

"If the Village was built on that location, it would create conflict between them and the industries or factories that would be on either side of them," Ghton said.

The lone member of the board that voted for the Village was Annmarie Ferdinando. Ferdinando could not be reached at press time.

According to reports and meeting attendees, there was not a single member of the public who spoke up against the project; everyone who spoke during the public portion spoke in favor of the Village. With a growing elderly Jewish community in Monmouth County, many of those residents felt the Village would have supplied a great need for many people.

Patrick Gaire, a resident of Turf Drive in Freehold, said he couldn't believe that the Village wasn't approved, and was quite surprised that the zoning board rejected it.  

"I'm in favor of the community and I live right around the corner from where it would be," Gaire said.

Gaire said it's an ideal situation, not only for the prospective members of the Village, but for residents of the town as well.

"It's a secluded, quiet environment and it would be great for the residents of the town that live nearby like me," Gaire said. "Also, if they put an industrial place there instead of the Village, it wouldn't be good and really would be opposed by the town."

Another resident of Freehold that was outraged by the decision to reject the proposed Village was Cynthia Forsyth. She is 54 years old and has lived on Asbury Avenue of Freehold her entire life. 

Designed by NK Architects of Morristown, the plans for the 100,000-square-foot facility called for the construction of a 152-bed nursing home, a 37-bed assisted living residence, and a 32-bed dementia unit, arranged into three eight- to 12-bed clusters around a strolling path.

Each household in the nursing home would include a family-style kitchen, dining room, activity area, and living room, with access to an enclosed courtyard or balcony. They would also include alcoves for a care station, medication, and linen storage. According to the plans, the "central core" of the unit will include bathing areas, a team room, and utility rooms.

The dementia household units would include a sunroom, a family pantry, and a dining room.

The assisted living residence was planned to be a separate, two-story, 44,000-square-foot building. The building would include seven "households" of one- and two-bedroom apartments on two floors. The households would be arranged around a "support core" with a care station, bathing room, laundry room, and storage. The common areas would include a dining room and recreational areas.

Village spokesman Jonathan Jaffe said he simply didn't understand the board's justification for voting down such a seemingly popular plan.

"People were stunned and shocked that the zoning board didn't approve it," Jaffe said. "When the board asked if anyone opposed the Village to stand up, no one stood up."