Gloucester Twp. Council Moves On Tax Abatement, Parking Proposals

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Gloucester Township Council is considering a tax abatement for improvements to an office building owned by Chews Landing LLC.

Council unanimously approved a proposed ordinance on introduction Monday night to grant the tax abatement for a building in an office complex at 1365 Chews Landing-Clementon Road when it met Monday night.

The building is the last of eight projects that was started about 10 years ago, according to Gloucester Township Council President Orlando Mercado.

The five-year abatement would be on the improvements only, and not the land. Chews Landing would pay nothing the first year, followed by 30 percent of their taxes the second year; 50 percent the third; 70 percent the fourth; and 90 percent the fifth year. After the fifth year, they would pay the full amount in taxes on both the improvements and the land.

Council also approved a proposed ordinance on introduction to amend the parking and traffic regulations at Blackwood Falls Apartments, 227 Washington Avenue in the Blackwood section of the township; and Blackwood Terrace Apartments, 71 Lakeland Road in the Blackwood section of the township.

The proposal calls for Gloucester Township police to have authority over general parking, handicapped parking and speed limits on the privately owned properties. Police would also have the ability to authorize vehicles that are in violation of regulations to be towed away.

“In the past, a lot of complexes have asked police departments to enforce these regulations on private properties,” Mercado said.

The public hearing and final votes on the two proposed ordinances is scheduled for the Nov. 23 meeting.