MIDDLE TOWNSHIP – The Township Committee has taken a step to encourage construction of housing on 22 vacant acres along North Railroad Avenue in Rio Grande, the site of a former concrete plant.
The committee on Aug. 18 adopted an ordinance to facilitate construction on the parcel, which occasionally has been a site for homeless encampments. The township had declared the area as in need of redevelopment in 2018.
As of now, the concept calls for 151 townhomes plus 38 affordable housing units, most probably rentals, for a total 189 living units.
New housing developments are required to set aside 20% of the total housing units for affordable housing under a court-approved agreement the township reached with the Fair Share Housing Center.
Discussion at the meeting revealed that there is an interested developer, but no formal plan at this point.
Any plan submitted by a developer would have to go through Planning Board review and a public hearing before returning to the governing body for approval.
Part of what the township approved Aug. 18 would allow a different configuration of the townhomes in clusters.
Talk of a housing development on the site has occurred multiple times at Township Committee meetings. Periodically, the committee discussed the possibility of building townhomes and high-end apartment complexes there.
Nearby homeowners have concerns about parking and traffic from any new development, since North Railroad Avenue pours out onto Route 47 close to the highly congested intersection of routes 47 and 9. The parcel is also right behind one of the busiest retail complexes in the county.
Adding to congestion in Rio Grande, especially in the summer, is not an issue to be taken lightly, as public comment on these proposals has shown time and again.
The advantage of the state’s redevelopment laws is that a municipality can streamline project approvals through greater flexibility with zoning regulations. The redevelopment designation does not change the underlying zoning laws or the approval process, but it can make changes easier and significantly shrink the project approval process.
Municipalities may also use the designation to offer developers incentives, such as tax abatements.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
