COURT HOUSE — In light of the recent controversy regarding affordable housing in Middle Township, officials here addressed several issues at a recent Middle Township Committee meeting.
On June 15, committee members passed a resolution directing the Planning Board to hold public meetings to review the township’s Housing Element of the Master Plan and its COAH Fair Share Housing Plan. If it finds that the plans would benefit by revisions, it should make those revisions and recommendations to township committee.
Committee passed that resolution after the township Zoning Board recently denied an application for a 90-unit, 100 percent affordable housing apartment complex in Court House. That project, proposed by Conifer Realty, had been included in the township’s housing plans, which were submitted to the state on a strict deadline at the end of last year to protect the township from “builders remedy” lawsuits.
The township was applying for substantive certification from COAH, which is the agency’s determination that a municipal fair share plan presents a realistic opportunity for the production of affordable housing to address the town’s portion of the affordable housing need.
Why did committee send the plans back to the planners?
“Township Committee has decided that due to the urgency with which the plans were prepared and adopted, due to the number of objections and what the Township Committee deems to be the legitimacy of the objections to the Fair Share Housing Plan, and due to the desire of the Township Committee that the public participate more and have further comment on the Housing Element and the Fair Share Housing Plan, and also in light of recent case law suggesting that COAH plans should be realistic and able to be implemented by the municipality,” the resolution stated.
In addition, committee designated the following individuals to represent the township in mediation with COAH regarding its housing plan: Bob Noel, Engineer Vince Orlando, Committeeman Steve Barry and Sam Kelly.
Deputy Mayor Susan Atkinson DeLanzo also announced at the June 15 meeting that the township is accepting resumes for the newly formed housing advisory board.
“We are looking for assistance from the concerned members of the community to help guide us through the housing obligation the township is facing,” DeLanzo said in a subsequent release. “We need a diverse group of individuals who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work hard.”
The release said the mission statement of the middle township housing advisory board is:
“To advise and provide recommendations on how to meet Middle Township’s COAH obligation to provide safe, quality housing to low and moderate income families while addressing the overall needs of the entire community”.
The board will consist of 12 individuals and résumés should be mailed to Jill Zarharchuck, Middle Township Municipal Housing Liaison, 33 Mechanic St., Court House, NJ 08210 or emailed to jzarharchuck@middletownhip.com. Depending upon the board members and their schedules, township committee is hoping that the board can meet at least 12 times a year on a monthly basis, the release stated.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
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