Woolwich JLUB adopts Master Plan amendment to meet fourth‑round affordable‑housing obligation

Woolwich Township’s Joint Land Use Board on June 5 adopted an amendment to the township Master Plan Housing Element and Fair Share Plan intended to help the municipality meet a fourth‑round affordable‑housing obligation of 241 units. The vote to adopt the amendment was unanimous.

Planner Ashton Jones walked the board through the state‑mandated compliance process and the arithmetic behind the amendment, saying the fourth‑round obligation is 241 units and that the plan balances new construction versus rehabilitation in meeting that total. Jones told the board the amendment would revise the township’s MUD (mixed‑use development) zone to increase affordable units per acre from 5 to 7 and require a 20% affordable set‑aside on qualifying developments.

The planner said the rezoning proposal would apply to three parcels now in the MUD zone covering about 82 acres. Using the higher density assumption, Jones said those parcels would create capacity to meet the obligation and could produce an illustrative surplus of roughly 48 units; he also identified an “unmet need” figure of about 59 units that the township would address via redevelopment agreements and other mechanisms. Jones described bonus/credit calculations under the amendment (a draft example produced about 46 bonus credits, with bonuses capped at 25% under the illustrative scenario) and explained that the township’s affordable housing trust fund — financed in part by fees from new construction — may be used to satisfy some obligations under state rules and local trust governance, which Jones said is administered by the township CFO.

Chairman Maugeri opened the public portion of the hearing; Rushton moved to open the floor and Kauffman seconded. With no members of the public speaking, Rushton moved to close the public comment period and Kauffman seconded; both motions passed unanimously.

After discussion, the board voted on the amendment. Rushton moved to adopt the Master Plan amendment and Nocentino seconded. Roll‑call votes recorded Cotton, Grasso, Kauffman, Matthias, Moorer, Nocentino, Rushton, Healey and Maugeri as voting yes; the motion passed.

Votes at a glance: Grasso moved and Rushton seconded approval of the March 20, 2025 minutes; the motion carried with Trautz and Cotton recorded as abstentions. The board adopted the Master Plan amendment on a unanimous roll‑call vote. The board also adopted Resolution 2025‑19 (motion by Cotton, seconded by Rushton) by unanimous roll call. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:32 p.m.

What happens next: The Master Plan amendment and the zoning changes described in the draft create the framework for developers and for redevelopment agreements that the board and township will use to satisfy the remaining unmet need. The amendment’s capacity estimates, bonus credits and trust‑fund applications are illustrative in the planner’s presentation; implementation will require subsequent ordinance actions, developer proposals and, where applicable, redevelopment agreements and administrative steps to apply the trust fund under state and local rules.