Council advances amendment for 61 Wanakyu redevelopment plan; tax-abatement pilot tabled after debate

A proposed amendment to the downtown redevelopment plan that would enable redevelopment of 61 Wanakyu Avenue was approved for introduction and referred to the Pompton Lakes Planning Board for review, while a companion ordinance creating a tax-abatement pilot program tied to that project was tabled for further consideration.

The Planning & Redevelopment ordinance (filed as Ordinance 25-11 on the council agenda) was presented with an attachment that includes existing text from the borough code. Planner Kristen Russell and counsel for the applicant explained the amendment is intended to address specifics for the 61 Wanakyu project; the ordinance’s changes are limited to the sections shown in bold in the attachment, they said. Attorney Steve Laleta, representing the redeveloper (61 Q Urban Renewal Entity LLC), told the council the bolded edits apply only to Block 6300, Lot 1 (the 61 Wanakyu parcel) and asked the council to move the ordinance to the planning board as the next step.

Council members debated…