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New council‑elect urges alternatives to high‑density proposal behind Kennedy Park; ethics review requested
Summary
Council‑elect Alberto Rios urged the borough to find alternatives to placing hundreds of apartments behind Kennedy Park to meet affordable‑housing obligations and requested a review of potential conflicts involving the borough attorney; residents and speakers called for preserving a 40‑acre open‑space referendum victory.
At the public‑comment portion of the Nov. 10 Sayreville council meeting, council‑elect Alberto Rios urged the borough to direct its planner to identify alternatives to a proposal that would place hundreds of apartments behind Kennedy Park to satisfy affordable‑housing credits.
"Responsible housing does not mean placing high density development right behind our most valued park," Rios said, urging the borough to seek credits through rehabilitation, partnerships, or redevelopment elsewhere.
Rios also raised governance and ethics concerns, asking the council to review whether the borough attorney’s prior representations of a developer could create an appearance of a conflict of interest. The borough attorney responded in the meeting that, upon learning of the prior relationship, he had announced he would recuse himself from matters involving that developer and that the affordable‑housing settlement process is ongoing.
The public portion included several speakers who cited last week’s referendum results and urged protection of 40 acres of open space. Resident and campaign organizer Jim Robinson told the council the referendum was a mandate to limit overdevelopment and asked members to heed newly elected councilors pressing for preservation measures.
What the council said Council members and the borough attorney said staff are examining alternatives: extending affordable‑housing controls, negotiating purchase of existing units or affordability restrictions, and exploring other sites. The attorney noted UHAC (uniform housing affordability control) rules and timing constraints tied to settlement deadlines.
Next steps Councilors agreed to have staff and the planner pursue alternatives and to prepare a resolution opposing a state bill mentioned in the meeting that council members said would restrict local planning review for certain nonprofit or religious redevelopment projects. Any formal ethics review or designation of special counsel was discussed as a possible follow‑up and was not decided during the meeting.
