Bedminster staff outlines housing‑element deadline and 72‑unit obligation

Township staff reviewed Bedminster's current affordable‑housing duties and the schedule for updating the municipal housing element, telling the Land Use Board the state has assigned the township a 72‑unit fair‑share obligation and that the housing element must be adopted by June 30.

Frank (staff member) said the number assigned by the state is modest relative to some prior rounds and emphasized the need to identify rental family units to meet the requirement. "We have to have our housing element adopted by June 30th," Frank said. He added that a portion of the obligation must be rental units and that roughly half of those rentals should be family‑sized units.

Why it matters: municipalities that receive a state fair‑share number must adopt a housing element and fair‑share plan to remain in compliance with state rules; the board will be asked to review and comment on the draft section two cross‑acceptance response to the State Plan prior to county submission in early April.

Frank said staff will circulate a draft of the portion of the housing element bearing on the obligation and expects to provide an initial version within a week and a second version by the end of the month, allowing members to comment by email to avoid an extra meeting.

The board discussed timing for cross‑acceptance submission to the county; staff said the county needs materials in time for an April 5 deadline and recommended circulating a draft for member comment so the board would not have to hold an additional special meeting.

Next steps: staff will circulate the draft housing‑element material and follow the timeline discussed; the board will consider the housing element and cross‑acceptance comments at upcoming meetings before the June 30 adoption deadline.