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Woolwich committee advances rezoning for 100% affordable housing parcel, endorses Park Grove project
Summary
The township introduced and amended a zoning ordinance to rezone Block 16, Lot 5 for a future 100% affordable housing development, endorsed the Joint Land Use Board's housing plan and adopted agreements determining Park Grove Development, LLC will meet part of Woolwich's affordable-housing obligation.
Mayor Matthias and the Woolwich Township Committee on June 16 moved forward with zoning and project approvals intended to satisfy state-mandated affordable-housing responsibilities.
Ashton Jones of engineering firm Remington & Vernick presented Ordinance 2025-12, which would rezone Block 16, Lot 5 to enable what Jones described as a future "100% affordable housing development." Committee members questioned whether deed restrictions required to remove the parcel from a conservation designation would be sufficient and raised concerns about the State's retention of transfer-of-development-rights (TDR) rules, which Deputy Mayor Nocentino said can limit farmers' options for land preservation.
Committeeman Frederick pressed for specifics on parking and tree-placement rules. Jones said parking for the rezoned parcel would be provided on interior streets within the development, and the Committee unanimously amended section F(8) to prohibit planting street trees between curbs and sidewalks, specifying curbside (non-roadside) placement instead.
The Committee later considered R-2025-164, a resolution endorsing the Joint Land Use Board's Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. Jones clarified that the affordable-housing trust fund may be used only for affordable-housing purposes and that group homes were not included in the municipal affordable-housing counts. The roll-call recorded in the minutes showed Frederick and Minhas voting NO and Williams, Nocentino and Matthias voting YES.
The Committee also adopted a development agreement with Park Grove Development, LLC (R-2025-167) and a related resolution determining that the Park Grove project provides for and meets the township's affordable-housing need (R-2025-171). Those actions were recorded as adopted during the meeting.
What happens next: the ordinance introducing the rezoning was introduced and amended for further processing; additional approvals and final plan specifics will be required before development can proceed.
