Clark Township planning board approves 138‑unit Westfield Avenue project with conditions after traffic and school concerns

The Clark Township Planning Board voted unanimously to approve a site plan for a 138‑unit mixed‑use development on Westfield Avenue, the board announced after a roll call vote that recorded eight affirmative votes and no dissent.

The board approved the application with conditions read into the record by staff and counsel, including compliance with multiple professional reports, submission of recent traffic counts, pursuing a county crosswalk on Westfield Avenue, redistribution of affordable units across floors, an amenities plan during compliance review, and adjustments to electric‑vehicle parking placement. The applicant also agreed to increase ground‑floor retail by 3,600 square feet in exchange for a reduction of 12 parking spaces.

Why it matters: the project adds 21 affordable units — nine more than the earlier approval — which staff said will help the township address its unmet third‑round fair‑share housing obligation. That housing obligation and the town’s ongoing negotiations with state housing authorities were cited by planning staff as a key reason for moving the application forward.

Traffic and public concerns: several residents said they feared the development would worsen existing traffic, reduce neighborhood safety and strain school capacity. John Raffoa, a nearby resident, said the proposal “changes the landscape of Clark” and warned that “between Lincoln and Broadway’s a racetrack.” Jackie Tamillo, who lives on Ivy Street, asked whether the angled parking and added density were the right approach for creating a walkable downtown and said she feared more children in already‑crowded school classrooms.

The applicant’s traffic engineer responded with recent counts and trip‑generation estimates. “A 138‑unit residential development … in the weekday morning peak hour … we would generate 51 total trips,” the engineer stated, and “in the weekday evening peak hour … we would generate 54 trips,” adding that these volumes are small relative to existing peak flows on Westfield and Broadway. The engineer estimated the project would add roughly 20 vehicles to Broadway and 25–30 to Westfield in the peak hour and said Joseph Street currently carries about 30 vehicles in its highest peak hour.

Tax and PILOT questions: residents asked whether the development would pay traditional property taxes or enter a payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes (PILOT) agreement. Staff said either approach is possible depending on future agreements and that pilot receipts typically allocate a large share to the municipality.

Conditions and next steps: staff listed a set of compliance requirements the applicant accepted, including adherence to professional review letters (specific reports cited in the hearing record), the submission of traffic counts to the board, and coordination with county authorities for any crosswalk on Westfield Avenue. Staff also noted the increase in retail space will raise affordable‑housing fee contributions for the town’s affordable housing trust fund. The planning board’s approval was contingent on those conditions and associated compliance review steps.

The board chair closed the public comment period after the vote and announced upcoming meeting dates. The approval now moves to the compliance stage where staff will review the applicant’s submittals and track the listed conditions.