385 Unit Development on Marlboro-Aberdeen Border Back on Map

A proposed 385-unit housing development in Marlboro on the border of Aberdeen has recently resurfaced in front of Marlboro's planning board.

The Northpointe development, which includes 85 units marked for affordable housing, has been a long-running saga in Marlboro. It first appeared before the township in the 1980s.

The site is off of Nolan Road near the Marlboro Memorial Middle School and the "W" section of Strathmore in Aberdeen Township.

At Marlboro's Jan. 18 planning board meeting, several pieces of the plan were questioned by board members. Board members raised concerns that pieces of the development would require variances.

According to a January News Transcript article, those concerns included "the space between buildings, the setback of the parking lots, the lack of the necessary amount of exterior exposures in some designs and building height and length."

At Marlboro's Feb. 15 planning board meeting, the board discussed a 2010 investigation that revealed the presence of DDT, DDE, dieldren and lead arsenate on the property, which are common on a site that was previously an orchard, according to a report by the News Transcript.

The article also states that Gary DiMartinis, the site remediation professional who testified on behalf of the applicant, explained that the contaminants are mostly contained within the top foot of soil and would be remediated before construction.

More than a decade ago, Marlboro entered into an agreement with Ohad Associates, the developer of the complex. It is no secret that Marlboro Township has fought the Council on Affordable Housing's regulations, . But existing contracts, such as that in connection with the Entron site, are required to be honored.

COAH was dissolved last year and its regulations are now handled by the State Department of Community Affairs.

An application for the Northpointe development was first presented to the planning board in 1990, but was never developed. In 2004, another application was denied.

Ohad representatives said a settlement agreement in 2007 means the developer can have a 15 percent deviation, and will not have to apply for variances. However, board members said that settlement does not apply to aesthetic planning.

Northpointe is on the agenda for Marlboro's March 7 planning board meeting at 8 p.m.