COURT HOUSE — More than 150 concerned neighbors of proposed affordable housing developments showed up at the Middle Township Zoning Board meeting Monday evening, and without even realizing they were doing it, forced postponement of the hearings.
The meeting room in Township Hall at 33 Mechanic St. can legally hold 120.
When Zoning Board Chairman James McLaughlin asked if anyone was willing to leave, several attendees called out “no,” and no one budged.
Two separate developers want to build workforce housing apartment complexes in the township, a 90-unit development in Court House and a 168-unit development in Rio Grande.
The apartments would be available to working individuals and families with low and moderate incomes and would help the township meet its state mandated affordable housing quotas.
Neighbors opposed to the applications cite the potential impacts to township services such as police, fire, public works as well as schools. Taxpayers are also opposed to the PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, agreements that the developers have sought from the township in order to receive funding.
Both projects were seeking federal tax credit funding and tried to fast track their applications through the zoning board to meet an April 8 funding deadline.
Topsail Companies, the Rio Grande developer, which began its application March 12, decided to regroup and continue its application at the June 11 zoning board meeting at a undetermined larger location.
However, Conifer Realty LLC, the Court House developer, decided on Monday to present its application at the regular April 2 zoning board meeting.
What if the standing-room-only crowd returns for that meeting?
Fred Schmidt, attorney for the Conifer application, said that since only one application is on the agenda for that evening, maybe the group would be smaller.
“We’re not here just for Rio Grande or Court House,” someone from the crowd called out to a round of applause. “We’re here for Middle Township.”
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
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