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Residents warn of regional affordable-housing cutbacks and ask borough to track legal risks
Summary
Public commenters told the Oakland Borough Council that neighboring municipalities’ recent steps to sharply reduce fourth‑round affordable-housing obligations could spur litigation and asked whether the borough might need to pursue legal options; councilors said Page Drive access rules were struck from an ordinance and will be handled by the planning board.
Several residents used the council’s public-comment period on May 26 to urge Oakland officials to monitor regional developments on affordable housing and to clarify a restriction on Page Drive.
Jamien Noss (17 Hannah Road) told the council he had reviewed reporting about nearby Mahwah and said that, following mediation on March 31, 2025, Mahwah had an agreement for “a 4th round affordable housing requirement of 495 affordable units to be built over the next 10 years” but later approved plans to build only three of those units. “Over the next few months, we’ll certainly hear legal challenges,” Noss said, arguing that several municipalities are reducing obligations by invoking Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act changes.
Noss asked whether Oakland could consider town‑funded litigation if neighboring towns attempted to avoid fourth‑round obligations; the mayor said he did not have an immediate answer and would “have to find out, get back to you.” Council members said the issue is messy and likely to prompt legal action in some places.
Frank Furbacher (56 Walton Avenue) asked about a separate matter: a Page Drive access restriction the borough had put in an ordinance to meet affordable‑housing obligations. According to council discussion, the restriction that limited Page Drive to emergency vehicles was struck from the ordinance by a judge and the question now reverts to the planning board as part of any site‑plan review. “We don’t even have the site plan,” a council member said; the planning‑board review could take weeks, months or longer.
Elizabeth Banducci (Valley View Avenue) raised a street‑signage safety concern on West Oakland Avenue, a county road, asking whether vegetation that obscures warning and street signs could be trimmed. Council members said they would bring the issue to Public Safety and noted the county plans to repave West Oakland Avenue this year and typically replaces street signs during repaving.
The council did not take formal action on the housing or Page Drive items; the mayor and other officials said they would seek more information and that any ordinance or site‑plan decisions would proceed through the planning board or legal process.
