These Changes Will Help Cinnaminson Move Affordable Housing Plan

CINNAMINSON, NJ — Cinnaminson is making modifications to its zoning standards as it moves toward meeting its affordable housing obligation. Township Committee approved a proposed ordinance on introduction Monday night that would make two minor modifications to its Inclusionary Residential District Zoning.

Inclusionary Zoning, also known as Inclusionary Housing, that portions of new construction should be set aside for low- and moderate-income residents. Under this proposal, the minimal size of three-bedroom units in this district would be changed from 1,125 square feet to 1,000 square feet.

This will render the zoning consistent with the overlay zones that were recently adopted as part of the Township’s Affordable Housing Third Round Compliance.

The proposal would also make a change to requirements for buffer areas, which separates public land from private residential land. Under the proposal, they would be 20 feet wide in the Inclusionary Residential District, and are to be in addition to the required yard setbacks.

Buffer areas shall be designed, planted, graded and landscaped to provide an aesthetically pleasing separation of uses. As such, residents are allowed to use fencing or wall screening in landscaped areas, evergreen trees or shrubbery in a landscaped area, or a landscaped berm no higher than 6-feet tall and with side slopes of 4:1.

In 1975, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling called the Mount Laurel decision, which required a certain amount of affordable housing as part of the state constitution. How much affordable housing each town was required to build was enforced by a state board called the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).

COAH was dissolved under the administration of Gov. Chris Christie, who despised the agency and refused to appoint positions to it. Today, a Cherry Hill-based advocacy group called Fair Share Housing Center works with towns to determine how many affordable units they should build.

Obligations are met in rounds. In the first round, Cinnaminson 331 units. In the second round, the township saw 315 new units. The township is in its third round of obligations, in which it will need to build 30 units, according to a copy of the township’s affordable housing plan provided by Township Administrator Eric Schubiger.

Much of that need will be met through the use of Inclusionary Housing. This includes a Light Rail Line Overlay, the Haines to Pep Boys Overlay Zone, and a Township-wide set-aside ordinance.
The Light Rail Line Overlay Zone is east of Bannard Street from Pear Avenue to South Belleview Avenue.

According to the plan:

“The proposed transit village area zoning, which includes 43 acres not counting rights of way, consists of a series of outdated and/or underutilized industrial uses sandwiched between single-family residential neighborhoods. These industrial uses are generally low employment generators and are of an older vintage (except the mini-storage). Local officials recognize the potential for repurposing this area as an inclusionary mixed use neighborhood.

“The lands around Snowden and Pleasant north of the tracks are part of the Cinnaminson Harbor development and are not developable. However, the area below Bannard Street to the south of the railroad has the potential to function as a transit village. With only a handful of owners involved, the assemblage of outdated industrial uses should yield a productive landscape for mixed use development with opportunities for significant affordable housing.

“At 20 units/acre, this area could yield over 800 housing units, including potentially 150 or more affordable units (at a 20% set aside) If rental units are proposed with a 15% set aside, over 100 affordable units could be produced, not including any associated rental bonuses.

“As noted above, the transit village is situated on industrially zoned lands in a residential area. This offers high land use compatibility for a mixed use transit village, which provides a major transportation and accessibility advantage to the future residents.”

The Haines to Pep Boys Overlay Zone encompasses 22 acres of land on Haines Farm and Garden Supply, ESML and a retail strip anchored by Pep Boys.

At 15 units per acre, officials estimate this area could yield over 300 housing units, including as many as 60 for sale affordable units at a 20 percent set aside. If rental units are proposed with a 15 percent set aside, over 40 affordable rental units could be produced in addition to associated rental bonus credits.

The overall plan was approved last year, but the court requested the changes that were proposed Monday night, according to Township Affordable Housing Counsel Linda Galella.

Township Committee approved the proposal on introduction with a 5-0 vote. The public hearing and final vote is scheduled for Nov. 16.

See related: Veterans Get First Shot At Cinnaminson Affordable Housing Units