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Allendale to sign court-ordered TWWA for outside development, council votes to appeal
Summary
Facing a court order, the Allendale council authorized the mayor to sign a Treatment Works Approval that could allow a 275-unit development to use borough sewer capacity and simultaneously approved a resolution to appeal the judge's determination, citing infrastructure concerns.
The Allendale Borough Council on Aug. 14 authorized Mayor Amy Wzinski to sign a court-ordered Treatment Works Approval (TWWA) that would permit a large, nearby 275-unit development to connect to the borough’s sewer system while also voting to appeal the court’s decision.
"We are forced to sign that. So we will be doing that today against our wishes," Mayor Amy Wzinski said in explaining the action. Borough Attorney Ray West told the council he believes the judge "misinterpreted the law in requiring us to sign this permit" and described the timing as particularly problematic amid the fourth round of affordable-housing planning.
West and other council members raised infrastructure and planning concerns: Saddle River (the neighboring municipality identified in the transcript) lacks municipal sewer and historically looked to Allendale for capacity, they said. Council materials and remarks noted that 275 proposed units would include an estimated 20% designated as affordable housing, with the remainder market-rate units; officials said that mix increases local service demands without proportionate affordable-housing benefit to Allendale.
The council approved Resolution 25200 to (1) comply with the court order by signing the TWWA as required and (2) initiate an appeal of the underlying judicial determination. Council members said the appeal is intended to protect the borough’s planned capacity for its own present and future housing needs. Attorney Ray West said objectors can file challenges to municipal housing plans through the end of the month under the fourth-round process and that the borough intends to defend its position.
The action does not change local zoning or formally transfer responsibility for capacity planning to Allendale; it authorizes the mayor to sign the permit under a court mandate and starts an administrative and judicial review process. Officials advised residents with questions to contact borough leadership for additional information.
