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Board presses planner on density and how to meet affordable-housing numbers
Summary
During review of the Dean Drive redevelopment plan, board members asked whether lower unit counts could still produce the required 20 affordable units; planner David Novak said reducing to 75 units would require an affordable set-aside above 25 percent to reach 20 units.
A substantive portion of the March 25 meeting focused on the numeric trade-offs between total residential units and the affordable housing set-aside required under the amended Redevelopment Plan for 123–145 Dean Drive. Board members expressed concern about density, pedestrian safety, and mass-transit access for a proposed development intended to serve as a gateway to Tenafly’s downtown.
When a member asked whether reducing the proposal by a floor to 75 total units would address density concerns, planner David Novak explained a mathematical constraint: "to reached 20 affordable units with 75 total units, the set-aside would need to be higher than 25%." The exchange framed a basic trade-off for the Mayor and Council to consider — whether the board and the Borough prefer fewer total units with a larger affordable percentage or keep the proposed 100 units with the 20% set-aside.
