Washington Township endorses amended housing plan after marathon public hearing; ordinances continued to March 16

The Township Council of the Township of Washington voted March 9 to endorse the amended 2026 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, a measure council members and township attorneys said was needed to comply with state affordable-housing obligations.

Township attorney Siobhan Bailey, who led a detailed explanation of the state process and the town’s settlement negotiations, told the council that the state’s raw requirement is 184 affordable units but that a vacant-land adjustment reduced the realistic development potential for Washington Township to 19 units. "The number of units that the state requires that Washington Township provide for is a 184 affordable units," Bailey said, adding that negotiations and a realistic development assessment produced a plan centered on two primary sites in town.

Under the plan before the council, the Valley Bank site was zoned for up to 72 total units, and the 660 Pascack site was permitted for up to 32 units; at least seven of the 32 units at the Pascack site must be affordable. Bailey said the agreement limited density increases on other contested sites and sought to preserve community character while avoiding the severe consequences of noncompliance — including loss of local zoning control should a court appoint a special master. "In my view, we did very well for the township," she said.

The endorsement drew extensive public comment. Residents questioned how the town will police developer promises, how stormwater runoff and sewer capacity will be addressed, and whether local residents could be prioritized for affordable-unit occupancy. Christine Garris, who said she could not find information about the town’s affordable-housing trust, asked, "How is that resource? I couldn't find it." Residents also pressed how and when developers must submit detailed site plans and whether conceptual footprints shown in the plan would change when applications reach the planning or zoning board.

Township officials and the attorney repeatedly told the public that technical details — traffic studies, stormwater management plans, parking layouts and buffer widths — are resolved at board review when a developer files formal applications, and that an administrative agent will carry out marketing and applicant prioritization consistent with state rules. The council also adopted companion administrative documents (an affirmative-marketing plan and administrative manuals) to implement the housing plan and to meet state requirements.

Because the ordinances that implement the plan require additional refinement and to allow further public input, the council voted to continue second readings and open public hearings for the implementing ordinances (including changes to the affordable-housing code and new AH-1/AH-2 districts) to March 16, 2026. That continuation also allows staff and the planner to finalize language incorporating planning-board edits.

What happens next: The council’s endorsement preserves the negotiated settlement with Fair Share Housing Center and places the implementing ordinances on a short extension for final consideration. If the council does not secure realistic, on-the-ground production of units, the town will report to the state at its statutorily required review in 2030 and may be required to identify additional sites or zoning changes at that time. Developers have not yet submitted final site plans for the two primary properties; planning and zoning review — where stormwater, parking and design are assessed — will follow when applications are filed.