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Council adopts inclusionary‑zoning package implementing town's affordable‑housing plan; developer requests brief delay
Summary
The council unanimously adopted a set of ordinances to create multiple multifamily inclusionary zones and related code updates as part of the township's court‑approved housing element; an attorney for a local property owner asked for a two‑week adjournment to secure consultants, but municipal counsel said objection periods and program deadlines had passed and urged proceeding to meet court orders.
On Feb. 10 the Franklin Township Council adopted a package of land‑use ordinances (including the MFIZ series and the Franklin Boulevard Development Plan) that implement the municipal housing element and the township's obligations under the state affordable‑housing program.
An attorney representing the Palace at Somerset Park asked the council to carry the public hearing for at least two weeks, saying the client received notice only recently and needs time to retain a planner and other experts. The speaker said the client first received notice around Jan. 23 and had retained counsel the day before the meeting.
Municipal counsel and staff responded that the rezonings and ordinances are part of a housing element and fair‑share plan adopted by the planning board and filed with the state program in 2025, that there was a period for objections which has closed, and that the township is proceeding under adjudicator and court directives (including references in the record to a special adjudicator and Judge Menon) to meet statutory deadlines and avoid exposure to builders'remedy litigation. Staff emphasized the plan had been vetted through public process and program review.
The council moved through multiple ordinance votes (codification, water curb connection fee changes, several inclusionary zone ordinances MFIZ‑1 through MFIZ‑5, the Franklin Boulevard Development Plan, and administrative code updates) with unanimous roll‑call approvals recorded on the public record.
Council and staff noted that affected property owners will have project‑level opportunities to participate in planning‑board site‑plan review and that notices of future hearings would be posted for those proceedings.
