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Pompton Lakes planning board adopts 4th-round housing element to meet new state targets
Summary
The Pompton Lakes Planning Board voted to adopt the borough's 4th-round housing element and fair-share plan, endorsing measures intended to meet a new Department of Community Affairs allocation and reduce the town's exposure to builder's-remedy lawsuits.
The Pompton Lakes Planning Board voted to adopt the borough's 4th-round housing element and fair-share plan, a master-plan amendment the board must submit to the state by the end of June.
Attorney for the borough (speaker 9) told the board that New Jersey's statutory framework requires municipalities to provide a reasonable expectation of affordable housing and that completing the state process can confer immunity from builder's-remedy suits. Senikita Sanchavan (speaker 8), who presented the plan, said the borough faces a new-construction obligation of 105 units set for 2025'2035 and that, because Pompton Lakes lacks developable vacant land, the plan treats most of that number as "unmet need" under the statutes.
The plan proposes to rely in part on previously rezoned sites, including the Tilcon Quarry rezoning (ordinance 19-26), which Sanchavan said is expected to produce approximately 27 affordable units — roughly 20 percent of the borough's calculated need. She noted the statute'driven requirement and a legislative change that the board treated conservatively: "25% of 105 is about 27," she said.
Sanchavan described the required contents of the housing element (demographics, housing stock analysis, land suitability and a vacant-land adjustment) and said the document includes an inventory and a program for meeting rehabilitation and new-construction obligations. The board opened a public comment period as required; no members of the public spoke.
Chair (speaker 3) asked for a motion. The board passed the resolution adopting the housing element and amending the master plan; roll-call votes recorded approval by the board members present. The board's attorney confirmed the adoption will be transmitted to the governing body for endorsement and that ordinances and supporting resolutions will follow as needed.
What happens next: the planning board approval starts the municipal process for the DCA review and for the suite of implementing ordinances and spending resolutions that will follow; the governing body is expected to endorse the element at a subsequent meeting.
