Sayreville council endorses planning board’s 4th‑round affordable housing plan amid public objections

The governing body voted to endorse the planning board’s recently adopted fourth‑round housing element and fair‑share plan — the municipal step required under the state’s affordable housing rules — after a lengthy public discussion that included calls to preserve open space behind Kennedy Park. The endorsement matters because New Jersey’s amended affordable housing regulations impose municipal obligations and a missed or weakened plan can be challenged under the state’s dispute resolution mechanisms, potentially ceding control to builders or courts. Peter VanDen Kooy, a licensed professional planner with Acuity Consulting Services who prepared the borough’s housing plan element and fair‑share plan, explained the methodology used to calculate Sayreville’s obligation. He said the state’s starting point for the fourth round was 270 units; negotiation and land‑capacity analysis reduced the target to 240…