Many people have been asking about the "Support the Greenbelt" signs. The Greenbelt Group is a small group of citizens from Washington, Allentown and Upper Freehold who support more open space in the far western Monmouth County area and the Mercer County area adjoining it. We are a group searching for solutions.

A greenbelt is open space configured in the general shape of a belt. I was pleased to see that Upper Freehold is considering clustering communities at the Planning Board's Smart Growth workshop. I think it is important to create villages and not things like Washington Town Center, which has large-scale buildings. We should create communities with community commercial places, churches and other services with a mixture of housing for different incomes surrounded by green areas.

The state plan policies with respect to "towns" are deadly for rural areas and containing communities, but "villages" are ideal with respect toward their policies. "Smart Growth" includes greenbelts for villages. I think both Upper Freehold and Allentown are moving in directions that can keep the area both attractive and a good place to live.

Ann Garrison

Allentown