Warren Township Planning Board adopts amended affordable-housing plan and finds related ordinances consistent with master plan

Warren Township’s Planning Board voted on Feb. 25 to adopt an amended Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan aimed at complying with Mount Laurel obligations and preserving the township’s immunity from builder’s-remedy lawsuits.

Attorney Steve Warner summarized the legal posture, saying the amendment follows a mediation process and a court order from Judge Mennen that requires the township to update its plan to maintain protection from exclusionary-litigations. Township Planner Katie Sarmad, sworn for the public hearing, described the amendment as largely archival but noted that it adds three replacement sites from the mediation agreement: 155 Washington Valley Road (the "Firewood Site"), 149 Washington Valley Road ("Bardy Farms"), and 41 Mountain Boulevard (the Village Square Mall/Chua property). She said the amendment is required by the Master Plan Reexamination Report adopted Feb. 11, 2025, and will allow the governing body to move ordinances forward as "not inconsistent" with the Master Plan before the March deadline.

On unit counts, Sarmad said the plan lists 262 total units (some of which are credits) and that roughly 150 of those are actual new affordable units; she estimated about 500 total new housing units would be built across the affected sites and said most site-level affordable mixes are expected to be about 25–30 percent. "The total is 262," Sarmad stated when asked about the figure.

Christian Kastrud, the board’s professional engineer, said the sites that would discharge to the Middlebrook system have no current capacity issues and that the team reviewed Stage I–V flow scenarios to confirm feasibility.

Two residents spoke during public comment. Bill Gilbert urged the board to require sidewalks on King George Road and Mountain Avenue and to consider trail connections when site plans return for review. Mildred Waale asked for clarity on the number of affordable units; Sarmad provided the figures above.

The board recorded a roll-call vote adopting the Amended Housing Element and Fair Share Plan and then reviewed a package of ordinances referred by the Township Committee for a consistency determination. Planner Sarmad recommended that Ordinance 26-06 (Affordable Housing/Development Fee Ordinance), which consolidates state administrative rules (NJAC 593/597/599) into local code, be found not inconsistent with the Master Plan. The board proceeded to find Ordinance 26-06 and five Affordable Housing District ordinances (AH-4, AH-9, AH-10, AH-11 and AH-12) not inconsistent with the Master Plan; each finding was recorded by roll call.

Votes at a glance

- PB 25-02 (Story Book Homes, LLC, 12 Wilshire Rd., Minor Subdivision): adopted. Motion: Mr. Ganta; second: Mr. Argiro. Recorded For: Mr. Argiro, Mr. Scuderi, Mr. Esposito, Mr. Ganta; Against: none. - Resolution to adopt the Amended Housing Element and Fair Share Plan: adopted (roll call recorded in the minutes). - Ordinance 26-06 (Affordable Housing/Development Fee Ordinance): found not inconsistent with the Master Plan (roll call recorded). - AH-4, AH-9, AH-10, AH-11, AH-12 Affordable Housing District Ordinances: each found not inconsistent with the Master Plan (roll calls recorded).

The board scheduled its next regular meeting for March 11, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 8:41 p.m.

Notes: The board’s actions rest on the Mount Laurel settlement process and a court order; site-specific approvals (site plans, subdivision final plats) will return to the board for review, where infrastructure and pedestrian improvements can be required at the project level.