Madison council endorses revised 3rd-round and adopts 4th-round housing element after planner—riefing

The Borough of Madison council voted to endorse an amended 3rd-round housing element and to adopt the 4th-round housing element and fair share plan following a detailed presentation by borough planner Susan Favati and remarks from the public.

Favati told the council that a court order required the borough to revisit its 3rd-round plan and account for 77 additional affordable units tied to a vacant-land assessment of approximately 48.322 acres of the Drew campus. She said the borough met that 77-unit obligation by combining existing affordable units, projects already under way and developer negotiations, including credits from a former Quest Diagnostics site, a multifamily/inclusionary project at 1 Geraldo, and additions at Pine Acres, Walnut Street/Community Place and the Madison Mall.

"These are not proposed for development or rezoning," Favati said, emphasizing that the vacant-land analysis is an accounting mechanism to calculate realistic development potential and not a mandate to force development on private properties. She explained that the 4th-round process begins with the state ssessed prospective need of 206 units; a vacant-land adjustment reduced Madison nsatz to a realistic development potential of six units, and the borough must affirmatively address 25% of the remaining difference, producing an adjusted obligation of 56 units for the next 10-year cycle.

Favati outlined how the borough expects to meet that adjusted obligation: extending affordability controls at existing properties (27 Elm Street), using portions of the supportive-housing proposal at 1 Geraldo, and creating three overlay districts covering a set of residential and commercial parcels (Brunn Street, Shunpike office conversions, and two lots on Kings Road) that would allow owners the option to redevelop with a 20% affordable set-aside. She said these strategies, combined with bonus credits available under state rules, generate more credits than the 56-unit target.

Several residents spoke during public comment. Sam DiMarzo asked the council to go beyond minimum notice requirements for neighborhoods that may be affected by zoning changes, saying he opposed any zoning change on Westerly Avenue. "Minimums should be exceeded for changes that are permanent and lasting for the community," DiMarzo said. Borough counsel placed the town—ulfillment in legal context, saying the municipality meets its statutory obligation by creating realistic opportunities for development; if private owners decline to redevelop, that does not create a civil or carryover penalty to the next planning round.

Council members asked for clarifications about notice requirements and the overlay process. Favati said draft ordinances and site-plan review will follow; she noted that when and if zoning changes are proposed the borough will use the normal notification process and that site-plan review, not the master-plan endorsement itself, is where traffic and design impacts are examined.

The council approved the endorsement resolutions by roll call. Council members said the plan reflects extensive work by the planning board and borough staff and keeps the borough on schedule for state deadlines and the upcoming challenge and mediation periods.

The endorsement is procedural: adoption of the housing element and fair share plan as a master-plan element does not itself change zoning. Any zoning changes or redevelopment proposals would come later, with separate notice and approvals required.