Residents press New Providence council over setbacks, drainage and traffic at St. Andrews affordable-housing hearing

New Providence officials opened a public hearing on Ordinance 20-26-01, an amendment to borough zoning intended to enable affordable housing on the St. Andrews Church property. After several residents described safety, flooding and visual-impact concerns, the council closed the hearing and approved the ordinance by roll call.

Resident Eric Waters, who lives across South Street from the St. Andrews site, said he saw a public statement from the church saying the front "great lawn" would remain untouched and asked how that could be reconciled with a 25-foot setback in the proposed zoning. "I don't see how those two things can both exist," Waters said, asking whether the council had a site plan to show neighbors before adoption.

Council members and staff said the detailed location and design of buildings are handled at the planning-board stage and emphasized the constraints of the state-mandated timeline. "If we don't pass these ordinances today, then we are subject to what's called builder's remedies lawsuits," Paul said, explaining the legal exposure and calendar that led to the ordinance's timing. The mayor and other councilors said plans will return to the planning board and that abutters would be noticed before site-level approvals.

Several residents raised infrastructure concerns. Fran Jackowitz, speaking for parents who live on Ethan Drive, said a July storm flooded her parents' backyard and that runoff from the church parking lot funnels toward nearby houses. Jackowitz said she had a video showing the flooding and asked whether new development behind the carriage house would increase risk; councilors urged her to provide the material to borough staff and engineering so it can be reviewed at the planning-board stage. "If there's drainage problems, we can address that," the mayor said, pointing to required engineering review and underground retention basins described by staff.

Other commenters pressed the council on traffic, parking and density. Rosemarie Zebeda (410 South Street) argued South Street already carries regional traffic and that adding dozens of units could worsen congestion and safety at crosswalks. Maljiri Kapoor pointed to multiple concurrent projects across the borough and asked how county roads, the sewer plant and schools would absorb added residents. Borough staff said county and school officials are consulted where appropriate and reiterated that some site-level mitigations are required by code.

Father Daniel Gunn, the rector of St. Andrews, told the council the parish expects its site plan to be completed and submitted to the planning board shortly and that parishioners "were adamant that they did not want to have to do anything to affect the great lawn" or the memorial garden. Gunn offered to meet with neighbors after Easter and to share the plan if permitted by his attorney.

Council proceeded to a roll-call vote after the public hearing closed. The clerk recorded unanimous affirmative votes on Ordinance 20-26-01; council then introduced and approved a second housing-related ordinance (20-26-02) to repeal and replace the borough's housing chapter to conform with recent changes to state law.

What happens next: zoning adoption allows St. Andrews to seek planning-board approval for a detailed site plan. Planning-board review will include engineering studies, stormwater and RSIS parking calculations and public notice to neighbors; council repeatedly told speakers that specific siting and drainage questions are resolved in that subsequent process.