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Lambertville council adopts redevelopment plan amendments, approves Hibernia PILOT assignment amid public objections
Summary
The Lambertville City Council adopted amendments to the High School redevelopment plan and approved resolutions assigning an existing payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes (PILOT) for the Hibernia senior apartments and designating K & Home LLC as conditional redeveloper after extensive public comment raising concerns about taxes, traffic, environmental cleanup and school impacts.
The Lambertville City Council on the evening of the meeting voted to amend the Lambertville High School redevelopment plan and to approve related measures that clear the way for redevelopment activity on the hill above the city. The council adopted ordinance 22‑2025 (amending the redevelopment plan) and passed Resolution 157‑2025, which authorizes assignment and execution of a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) for the Hibernia senior apartments, and Resolution 158‑2025, which conditionally designates K & Home LLC as the redeveloper for the designated redevelopment area.
The votes followed more than an hour of public comment in which residents repeatedly criticized PILOT arrangements and urged stricter environmental and traffic protections. "Traffic and pedestrian safety in this area must be addressed proactively," said Beth O'Brien of Hancock Street, who asked the council to require an independent traffic and pedestrian safety study. John Towns, another resident, said the council "would be foolish to even consider one dollar" of public subsidy for the developer without clearer information on environmental and traffic impacts.
City staff and the city attorney explained the legal framework for PILOTs and redevelopment agreements. "Under the statute the payment that's made to the city goes 95% to the city, 5% to the county; there's no statutory requirement for schools," the city attorney explained, noting that how any municipal receipts are allocated is a council and budget decision. Staff also said the Hibernia PILOT terms (as reported in the record) start at roughly 7.5% and step down over the duration of the agreement; the exact percentages and timing will be specified in the PILOT agreement if a resolution is adopted.
Council adopters said many planning‑board recommendations will be required of the redeveloper. The council read the planning board's report into the record and accepted several recommendations, including a required traffic impact study prior to site plan approval, protections for steep slopes, landscaping and shade‑tree requirements, and pedestrian safety features such as sidewalks and enhanced crossings at critical intersections. Staff said those measures will be incorporated into the redevelopment agreement and enforced at the site‑plan review stage.
On the formal votes, the council approved Resolution 156‑2025 (release of certain executive session minutes), Resolution 157‑2025 (assignment/execution of the Hibernia PILOT) and Resolution 158‑2025 (conditional redeveloper designation). Resolution 158 passed on a roll call in which Councilman Stegman recorded a No vote while other members voted Yes. Ordinance 22‑2025 (the redevelopment plan amendment) was adopted on second reading by roll call vote.
Opponents of PILOTs told the council the agreements can shift tax burdens to existing homeowners and to local school districts and called for greater transparency. One resident said state controller reports show past PILOT arrangements have been abused and urged the council not to provide tax breaks to developers who already benefit from other subsidies and a builder's remedy. Residents also pressed the council for independent environmental oversight, with multiple commenters asking for the city to retain its own LSRP (licensed site remediation professional) to review developer remediation plans and to ensure any landfill or contamination on the site is addressed before construction proceeds.
Council members acknowledged the public concerns and said many protections will be negotiated into the redevelopment agreement. City staff noted that remediation requirements are expected to be conditions of the redevelopment agreement, and that the municipal review and site‑plan process will include environmental protections as required by law and by the eventual redevelopment agreement.
What's next: the council and staff said they will negotiate the redevelopment agreement with the conditional redeveloper; traffic and environmental studies and other requirements will be attached to the redevelopment agreement and enforced during site‑plan review. The city also noted an upcoming settlement conference with Fair Share/court oversight scheduled for Oct. 1, which relates to the city's affordable‑housing obligations.
Votes at a glance: Resolution 156‑2025 (release of executive session minutes) — adopted by voice vote; Resolution 157‑2025 (assignment/execution of PILOT for Hibernia apartments) — adopted by voice vote; Resolution 158‑2025 (conditional redeveloper designation for K & Home LLC) — adopted by roll call (one No recorded: Councilman Stegman); Ordinance 22‑2025 (redevelopment plan amendment) — adopted on second reading by roll call.
The meeting record shows the council framed the approvals as steps required by court order and the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law; opponents said the city must insist on stronger environmental and fiscal safeguards before moving forward.
