Cranford officials outline housing element, say plan meets fair‑share using credits; give tax breakdowns for recent projects

Mayor Terrence Curran on June 24 summarized Cranford’s housing element and fair share plan, saying the municipal plan “meets that goal” and uses existing credits so the township need not rely on large new developments to satisfy its affordable‑housing obligations.

Curran said the plan implements requirements of New Jersey’s fair‑share housing framework and the Mount Laurel decisions and is available on the planning board web page. The mayor said Cranford’s fourth‑round obligation was listed as 268 units and that, with vacant‑land adjustments, the town’s “realistic developmental potential” was satisfied by preexisting credits and overlay zones.

The mayor also gave a detailed breakdown of taxes and PILOT (payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑tax) arrangements for several developments. He said the 740 Walnut Avenue commercial project will pay “full conventional taxes” and estimated next year’s total tax on that parcel at $1,200,000, distributed approximately as $270,000 to the township, $680,000 to the schools, $240,000 to the county and $20,000 to the library. Curran said the adjacent 750 Walnut residential parcel has a negotiated PILOT tied to audited revenue and that the land component will still be taxed.

On other projects, Curran said a 5‑year PILOT at 201 and South Avenue phases in at 20% per year, with a current annual payment of $114,000 and a township portion of about $27,000 in the first year and $69,000 to schools. He presented figures for Birchwood net receipts: $606,000 in 2021, $855,000 in 2022, $782,000 in 2023 and $906,000 in the most recent year; he said distribution roughly allocates about 55% to schools and the rest among township, county and library shares.

A member of the public, who identified himself as Will Tilley, challenged characterization that PILOT projects “are paying nothing,” arguing that the residential PILOTs exempt substantial residential tax amounts for decades and that the PILOT payments are frequently a small fraction of conventional taxes. Tilley asked for clarification about unit counts and earlier negotiations; Mayor Curran and Township Administrator Lavona Patterson responded with explanations about assessments, the commercial/residential split, and that the town’s net valuation increases when mixed‑use assessments rise.

Township Attorney noted the plan is a state‑required document and that the planning board expected to meet Thursday to adopt the housing element, after which the governing body would consider an endorsement on June 30. No final development approvals or zoning changes were adopted by the Township Committee at the meeting; the discussion outlined the plan, provided financial figures and recorded public comment.

Officials said they will not seek new large projects to meet current obligations and described ongoing efforts to control township costs — including looking at health‑benefit options and reducing borrowing over time — but stressed that school levies remain the largest portion of individual property tax bills.

The meeting record shows the committee scheduled public hearings and noted that documents and analyses are available on the township’s planning and redevelopment web pages for residents seeking further detail.