COURT HOUSE — Taxpayers here are not happy with state regulations that call for Middle Township to provide 900 affordable housing units over the next nine years.
The township and county do not have the available jobs for individuals that would move into the affordable housing, the taxpayers have said. They also said that plenty of affordable housing already exists throughout the township.
This taxpayer outcry has come on the heels of two large affordable housing projects that came before the township zoning board recently.
Topsail Companies, a Missouri-based real estate development company, wants to construct a 168-unit workforce housing apartment project off Route 9 in Rio Grande. Similarly, Conifer Realty, a company represented by local attorney Fred Schmidt, wants to build a similar complex off Railroad Avenue in Court House near the township Public Works facility.
Both projects needed use variances from the zoning board and were originally seeking federal tax credit funding that would have required payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements from the township.
In general, taxpayers do not like PILOT deals because taxes for the complexes would be essentially subsidized by existing taxpayers.
On Dec. 30 last year, Township Committee and the planning board sent a Fair Share Plan to the state that included, among other projects, some 100 percent affordable housing projects. The plan showed ways the township intended to meet its affordable housing requirements.
On Monday, Middle Taxpayer Association (MTA) President Eileen Fausey read from a resolution calling on Township Committee to “immediately amend its current Fair Share Plan and to challenge present requirements of the NJ Department of Community Affairs Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and to not act on any pending applications for affordable housing until such time as all pending matters concerning such are resolved.”
In Fausey’s statement, she mentioned proposed legislation by Sen. Jeff Van Drew and Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matt Milam (all D-1st) that may reduce present requirements of COAH.
“There has been a public outcry against the type of affordable housing outlined in the Fair Share Plan by Middle Township taxpayers,” Fausey added.
“Due to the environmental issues, economic issues, labor issues, and infrastructure of Middle Township, that the Township would be unable to sustain the services needed without putting a huge tax burden on the Middle Township taxpayers.”
Republican Committee candidate Dan Lockwood called on committee to create a housing board to proactively seek out ways to provide affordable housing to those in the community who need it rather that following the state’s unreasonable COAH requirements.
When MTA Vice President Betty McGurk told Township Solicitor Jim Pickering that she spoke with COAH representatives and they were unaware of the township’s unique situation regarding jobs and affordable housing, Pickering said “they flat out lied to you.”
Pickering and Committeeman Steve Barry said they had both pled the township’s case to several COAH officials.
Barry agreed that the COAH requirements don’t fit for Middle Township. He said COAH doesn’t care that there aren’t enough jobs in Cape May County or that school districts will be negatively impacted by these projects.
Barry said the state wants to build 100,000 affordable units in the state by 2018.
“And its nuts that just under 1 percent are planned for Middle Township,” he added. “Absolutely nuts.”
Pickering agreed with Barry calling the whole COAH process an “absurdity,” “bizarre” and a “parallel universe.”
But both officials contend that they did the right thing by submitting a Fair Share Plan to COAH. They said by doing so they have protected the township from the expense of builders remedy lawsuits, which could not only cost taxpayers huge sums in legal fees, but also could take the power of planning out of the township’s hands.
Barry said Committee members don’t agree with the COAH regulations, but they are obligated by the state to follow them. He said, however, that Middle Township has joined a coalition of towns in the League of Municipalities that are challenging the COAH rules.
Barry also said the township would be holding informational meetings on COAH on May 6 and June 4 at 7 p.m. tentatively at the Rio Grande Fire Hall. He said to check the township Web site for confirmation.
Anyone with questions about COAH can email them to township COAH representative Jill Zarharchuck at mtgrants@middletownship.com.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
Dennisville – As a parent of a Tech student it would be great if the school would update their staff directory. So many old staff still listed and no new teachers listed. What gives?
