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Mayor outlines plan to meet round-four housing obligation, cites rezoning of five sites and credits
Summary
Mayor Sha Fine told the Warren Township Board of Education the township plans to rezone five sites and use credits (age-restricted units, redevelopment credits and extensions of expiring units) to meet a state-imposed round-four affordable-housing obligation, while a legal appeal seeks to reduce the mandated unit count.
Mayor Sha Fine presented Warren Township's strategy to meet the state's round-four affordable-housing obligation during the March 9 board meeting, describing rezoning plans for five sites, a mix of age-restricted and market-rate units, and use of crediting mechanisms to meet a 262-unit target that the township is contesting in court.
————— ————— ("We were given a mandate of 262 units which we are currently fighting in the court system," Fine said. "Our argument is it's 181.")
The mayor said the approved plan presented in mediation includes five rezoned locations: two near Exit 36 (a soil pile site now planned as a 140-unit age-restricted development and a nearby townhouse-style project of about 176 units), and three in the center of town (the Wood Pile at about 69 units, Barty Farms at about 115 units and the Chua property at roughly 64 units). He described an overall total of about 564 units across the five areas, which he said would yield approximately 302 market-rate units and the remainder affordable when credits are applied.
Fine explained the township's approach is to minimize development impact by targeting already developed or constrained parcels, relying on higher set-asides where feasible and claiming extra credits for age-restricted units, redevelopment of existing structures and extending expiring subsidized units. He said some sites may not be built immediately and the township has 10 years to satisfy its obligation.
Board members pressed the mayor about school impacts and timing. Mr. Hegel and others asked where students from new units would be assigned; Fine said distribution would be decided later and that the planning-for-growth working group will model impacts. On whether zoning alone satisfies the state, Fine said rezoning and demonstrated developer interest can meet interim requirements but that the state will "stress test" the plan in mid-decade and could require replacements if projects fail to proceed.
The mayor also said the township is appealing the 262-unit calculation in court and seeks a lower figure (he mentioned an alternate contested figure of 181 and a negotiated position of 215 in discussion). He told the board the township will vote on the high-density rezoning for the five sites on Thursday and that the plan includes standards to control design, sewer improvements and park contributions from developers.
The board took no formal action on the mayor's presentation; a motion later on the agenda approved the consent agenda (which contained items including two retirements) by roll call.
The next step by the township committee is a Thursday vote on the rezoning; subsequent steps include master-plan updates and planning-board review if and when developers file applications to build under the new zoning."
