Paving the Way for Patsy’s Way

COURT HOUSE—The work session for Middle Township Committee held on Oct. 21 dealt with only one issue: the building project known as Patsy’s Way. The developer, Ron Ruckenstein was present as was attorney Martin Bershtein for the United Cerebral Palsy Association. Introduced by Mayor Dan Lockwood, they came to explain the 10-home building project to a room full of concerned residents.
But before they began, Senator Jeff Van Drew (D-1st) made an appearance. He said that he only learned of the project recently when contacted by constituents. Not waiting for the presentation by Ruckenstein and Bershtein, some audience members asked if it were true that “Sandy funds were being used for this type of project.” Van Drew stated that Governor Christie decided Sandy funds could be used for such projects. Ruckenstein expanded on the explanation in response to a comment by Gary Riehl, stating that Sandy money is not tied to people affected by the storm but “replacement means replacement of housing stock not housing lost to Sandy.” This project fit into that classification.
Van Drew said he was always available to constituents but this was really a township issue. He wished the committee well, referring to his own time as mayor of Dennis Township and then he was off to debate his senate opponent at the Old Courthouse on Main Street.
The project of 10 single family homes on one acre plots had already secured funding for 75 percent of what was needed to complete it, including $500,000 from Sandy Relief funds. Nine of the lots are located on Patsy’s Way and the 10th is on Talley Ho Road. The developer came seeking community support to make this project the first in New Jersey that would provide housing specifically for families with a disabled person, child or adult. The houses would be built in a ranch style, with lower light switches, not bottom closets and rolling showers, along with other design modifications. This is a change from the original two-story, three-bedroom house planned for the non-disabled.
Ruckenstein said he was told by the County Office of Disability that there are 13,000 disabled people in Cape May County, of whom 972 are children. This is in a county of under 100,000.
The floor plan calls for a 1,400 square foot print. Resident Dana Tyndall asked them if they were aware that there was an 1,800 sq. foot deed restriction. The development’s HOA filed this restriction with the County Clerk’s Office but not the Township. The developer said he was not. She also wanted to know if the properties, which will be rentals, will be open to rental assistant applicants. Ruckenstein said there will be no special assistance from the developer but added, “You can’t discriminate against someone with rental assistance.”
The men had brought with them pictures of other projects they had finished including Salem City but the Cape May project was unique in that it was the first single family home undertaking for the disabled in the state.
The subject of the issuance of a Certificate of Need came up as the developer seeks it to access funds from additional sources. The Middle Township committee is the government body that would issue the Certificate of Need for the project to be completed. Ruckenstein reiterated that this was a fully approved subdivision already. Bershtein said that after adopting a special needs child from Russia 20 years ago he found a way to combine his professional life as a lawyer with his personal life as a dad and advocate for those with handicaps. Creating suitable living spaces was a way for him to do this. Mike Butterfield commended him for this and then asked if felons would be excluded as renters. The developer said there would be background checks and a drug test upon application. After that federal laws would apply, which do not require ongoing drug testing.
Kimberly Anderson, who has a daughter with cerebral palsy looked for reassurance that special needs families would indeed get first consideration. “My daughter and other disabled people are always getting kicked to the back of the line,” she said.
Madeleine McCarroll raised more than one question during the evening’s discussion. She worried that the residents would have to personally foot the bill for sidewalks and the taxpayers would have to put in curbs to comply with federal and state laws regarding the handicapped. She also brought up the issue of exactly who was considered disabled. “Does that include victims of domestic violence, the homeless or recovering addicts as persons with special needs?”
Ruckenstein said it referred to the “physically and developmentally disabled.”
Along with others in the room McCarroll brought up flooding issues. She said she feared that the project would “potentially put disabled people in a risky situation.”
Zoning Officer, David May responded by saying that the project would “abide by all zoning and planning regulations.” He also pointed out that the developers could have built on the properties with the approvals they already have and “you wouldn’t have known. So it’s ready to go.”
Sandy Kohn who was there with her husband Dave, was concerned about the effect rentals would have on property values. Ruckenstein assured her that there would be on-site staff to supervise the upkeep of the properties. Josh Gardner echoed her concerns and added one of his own about his family’s safety. “What can you do to reassure us about the value of our properties and safety of our families?”
Dawn Robbins chimed in, “It’s not safe.”
Then McCarroll, looking directly at the three committee members, said, “Your job’s to protect us.”
Lockwood wrapped up the session saying, “This is a valiant project.” He also emphasized that he wanted all the residents to be “comfortable with the project.” To ensure this he said, “more information needs to be gathered and then we’ll take the next step.”
The next step will include another open work session before the regular meeting in November.