A rezoning request that was met with disapproval by both the Milford Township Planning Commission and Board of Trustees has also been denied by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

This is the latest rejection for developer Ray LeDuc in his effort to get approval for the rezoning of his proposed Belle Terre subdivision. LeDuc is hoping to build the 157 house sub on approximately 67 acres west of Milford Road and south of Rowe Road. To do so requires rezoning from restricted office and suburban residential to single family residential.

The Milford Township Planning Commission unanimously rejected the conditional rezoning request at their August meeting for reasons including incompatibility with the township's master plan and the negative effect it would have on adjacent neighborhoods. That was followed by a denial from trustees. The developer previously told the planning commission that the rezoning would be appropriate and serve as a transition between higher and lower intensity land uses.

Residents opposed to the change collected around 1300 signatures, roughly 1000 of them online, against rezoning. Traffic and the disruption of wetlands were often cited as concerns. Officials say LeDuc may now seek to gain the rezoning through litigation. (JK)