Manchester Mayor Vetoes Heritage Minerals Redevelopment Plan

Manchester, NJ -- A week after the Manchester Township Council approved an ordinance laying out a redevelopment plan for the Heritage Minerals site, Manchester Mayor Kenneth T. Palmer has vetoed it.

The ordinance gave an initial approval for Hovsons Inc., which owns the tract, to seek approvals from the state for a proposed town center redevelopment that would have included as many as 6,543 homes. Though Palmer was on record as saying he did not support 6,500 new units of housing in Manchester, he was in favor of approving the ordinance in the interests of seeing what the possibilities and alternatives were to a lawsuit settlement that would allow Hovsons to buld 2,400 homes.

"As you know, Manchester Township has been exploring development alternatives on the Heritage Mineral Tract," Palmer said in a news release. "Recently, the Township Council passed Ordinance 16-022, approving a Redevelopment Plan that conceptualized a 'Town Center' project. I supported the Council’s decision to approve the concept because I believe the manner in which the Heritage Minerals Tract is developed is the single most important issue affecting Manchester Township’s economic future."

"However, as I have repeatedly and publicly stated, neither I nor the Town Council were in favor of 6,543 units. That much development would never be in Manchester’s best interests. We agreed to the redevelopment plan in order to start the process of vetting out a possible plan that was right for Manchester," Palmer said.

He said township officials sought input from the Department of Environmental Protection, and the DEP indicated development beyond the 2004 settlement agreement’s 1,000 acre “footprint” would be extremely difficult given the various environmental issues, permit requirements, and effects on threatened and endangered species.

"Hearing the DEP’s concerns and those of our residents, I, along with the Town Council, have decided to withdraw the plan. As such, earlier this morning I vetoed Ordinance 16-022," Palmer said.

He said township officials will continue to reconsider the 2004 settlement agreement because "while such a development would financially help the township in the short term, adding that many senior homes could realistically further tilt the state school funding formula against Manchester to becoming a ‘No-Aid’ district," Palmer said.

"While we only receive 14 percent of our school budget from the State, it does amount to approximately $8 million," Palmer said. "Therefore, I, along with the Council, will continue to explore concepts with Hovsons that will not affect the 2004 settlement 'footprint' but does work in Manchester Township’s best interests."

Hearings on the proposal have been packed with opponents in recent weeks.