Diamond Chip controversy incites ordinance update

The Sparta Township Council will send the town planning board a draft of an ordinance to replace the 2021 ordinance that allowed the proposed Diamond Chip Realty warehouse application on Demarest Road.

Sparta Mayor Dave Smith said any land use ordinance would have to go before the planning board anyway.

Councilwoman Molly Whilesmith said the council is taking the original ordinance – 21-01 – and having it redrafted to address concerns made by the public that it was allegedly adopted without adequate scrutiny, and to benefit the Diamond Chip application.

“As with many suggestions we’ve received and suggestions from council members, that ordinance is going to be retooled and rewritten with the input of residents, and the subcommittee of the planning board is designed to do that,” Whilesmith said.

Smith said after the planning board considers the ordinance and makes its own recommendations, it will be sent back to the Sparta Township Council for introduction.

On the second reading the public will have an opportunity to speak on it.

Specific items in the ordinance were not revealed.

“We’ve used the attorneys we’ve used [township attorney Tom Ryan and planning board attorney Tom Collins], we’ve used our two engineers, and we used two planners,” Smith said. “Those are basically the ones who crafted the ordinance to begin with. They’re the ones sending back our recommendations. Then, the planning board and the subcommittee are the ones that actually make the determination. They will make their changes and send it back up to us.”

Township resident Marjory Murphy questioned the possibility of traffic studies being conducted.

Smith said he believed traffic studies were one of the recommendations for the ordinance.

Ryan said some portions of the original ordinance are expected to be retained.

“You want to replace 21-01, but there are going to be parts I’m sure that will remain,” Ryan said. “But we anticipate a substantially amended Ordinance 21-01.”