UPDATE: Middle Zoners Shoot Down Affordable Housing Project

COURT HOUSE — On June 11 at approximately 11:15 p.m. after a four-hour meeting, the Middle Township Zoning Board unanimously denied an affordable housing project application for a proposed 90-unit apartment complex on a 9.6-acre lot at 8 Railroad Ave., near the township Public Works facility.
Conifer Realty, of Mount Laurel, was seeking several variances from the board to construct the complex, which company officials said would help the township comply with state affordable housing quotas. Conifer representatives said the site was also particularly well suited to the development because of its proximity to local services including shopping, schools, township and county offices and recreation.
Over 150 concerned neighbors of the proposed site came out to this application’s second meeting to express their concerns over potential negative impacts this project could have brought to their community. It was the large crowds that forced the hearings from their usual venue in Township Hall to the Middle Township High School cafeteria. An earlier meeting there was cancelled when the room’s occupancy of 120 was surpassed.
Residents have said the increased density in this rural area would negatively impact local services including police, fire and schools and also increase local taxes and harm the fragile environment of the site, which is adjacent to Cape May National Wildlife Refuge property.
When the board denied the company’s variances, the assembled neighbors exploded with cheers and a round of applause.
Zoning Board Chairman James McLaughlin told the Herald that while affordable housing is accepted statewide as “inherently beneficial,” this applicant had failed to demonstrate to the board that this project would not be a substantial detriment to the public good.
“The board agreed with the local residents that this site was not the right location for this project,” McLaughlin said.
The American Littoral Society’s Jessica Knox said her group, which promotes conservation of coastal habitat, applauded the zoning board for putting the environment and community first.
“This proposal would have had devastating impacts on all fronts,” she said.
“The outcome of this hearing should put developers on notice – when projects target natural resources of international acclaim or would undermine the refuge’s ongoing land acquisition goals, the Littoral Society will continue to work with the public to stop those projects dead in their tracks. These types of developments will continue to threaten the refuge until the State and COAH fulfill their responsibilities to protect public resources and not ignore the superseding values of the federal refuge system.”
Conifer attorney David Oberlander told the Herald that his clients were “very disappointed.”
He said Conifer has yet to decide where to go from here. He said they had several options including an appeal of the board’s decision to Superior Court as well as inclusion in the township’s Coalition On Affordable Housing (COAH) proceeding.
“We believe we have certain rights because we’re in the town’s housing element and fair share housing plan,” Oberlander said.