NOTICE OF DECISION
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that upon the Application of The Wetlands Institute (the “Applicant” or “TWI”), the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the Township of Middle (the “Zoning Board”) on April 9, 2026, granted Use Variance Approval, Preliminary Major Site Plan Approval, Final Major Site Plan Approval, Bulk Variance Approval and Design Waiver Approval while also denying a requested Building Height Variance, and, on May 14, 2026, adopted Resolution #262303 memorializing those Approvals, and the denial, in connection with the proposed TWI campus development.
The proposed development includes a new campus building with a 10,180 +/- square foot footprint (total 19,800 +/- square feet of floor area), an improved salt marsh trail, a new maintenance shed, relocation and replacement of an existing boathouse shed, improved on-site parking and related site improvements involving 33.30 +/- acres of both upland and marshland located in Middle Township at 1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard, adjacent to the Scotch Bonnett, within a RC Rural Conservation Zoning District, and more particularly known as Block 315.01, Lot 22 on the Official Middle Township Tax Maps.
The Zoning Board granted “d.(1)” Use Variance Approval to allow for its proposed development since the TWI campus is not a permitted use in the RC Rural Conservation Zoning District.
The Zoning Board denied “d.(6)” Height Variance Approval to allow the new proposed campus building to have a 54.8 +/- foot height above the Base Flood Elevation 9, where the Township Code Section 250-614.D. limits building height to 35 feet above Base Flood Elevation.
In addition, the Zoning Board granted “c.(2)” Bulk Variance Approval to allow for:
i. The size, location and number of proposed freestanding and façade signs for the campus which exceeds the amount of signage allowed by Township Zoning Code Section 250-607 and Section 218-83;
ii. Fifty-five (55) on-site passenger vehicle parking spaces where one hundred and seven (107) parking spaces are required under Township Code Section 250-608 and Section 218-77.B;
iii. A fourteen (14) foot buffer between a parking space and the proposed campus building where a fifteen (15) foot buffer is required under Township Code Section 250-609 and Section 218-81.D.(4); and
iv. Relief from installing poured concrete curbing for separation of landscaping and parking areas as required by Township Code Section 250-637.D.
The Zoning Board also granted Design Waiver Approval and / or Bulk Variance Approval to allow relief from the requirements of Township Code Section 218 to allow for the proposed campus parking spaces, parking area design, driveways, and solid waste enclosure fence.
Resolution #262303, the Zoning Board determinations, the Application, plans, reports, correspondence and supporting documentation are on file with the Office of the Zoning Board of Adjustment Secretary and the Zoning Officer in the Middle Township Zoning Office located at 10 South Boyd Street, Cape May Court House, New Jersey 08210 and is available for public review and public inspection during normal Middle Township Zoning Office business hours (8:30am to 4:00pm on Monday through Friday – excluding holidays).
If you wish to schedule an appointment to review and inspect the Resolution #262303, the Zoning Board determinations, the Application, plans, reports, correspondence and supporting documentation, the Zoning Board of Adjustment Secretary and the Zoning Officer may be contacted by email (rmshepherd@middletownship.com) or telephone (609 / 465 – 8742) during normal business hours for the Middle Township Zoning Office (8:30am to 4:00pm on Monday through Friday – excluding holidays).
CLINT B. ALLEN, ESQUIRE
ARCHER & GREINER, P.C.
1025 Laurel Oak Road
Voorhees, New Jersey 08043
Attorneys for Applicant
856-795-2121
232196692 v1
