Moorestown Amends Affordable Housing Plan, Approves Proposals

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown Council amended its agreement with the Fair Share Housing Center, gave final approval to three proposed affordable housing ordinances, introduced another and will hold a special meeting about yet another next week.

Council approved amendments to its affordable housing settlement with the Fair Share Housing Center, which was initially reached just over a year ago, by a vote of 3-2 at its meeting Monday night. Mayor Lisa Petriello, Deputy Mayor Nicole Gillespie and Councilman Brian Donnelly voted in favor of the amendment, while Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano and Councilman Mike Locatell provided the dissenting votes.

The changes to the agreement includes naming The Miles Technology Site as a potential alternative to a proposed development on Route 38 that may be developed by Pennrose.

The township has identified the alternative site in accordance with Judge Ronald Bookbinder's ruling in April, after Pennrose filed a lawsuit to have a restrictive covenant invalidated so it can begin work on the project.

The Pennrose site was to have 75 affordable units to help the township satisfy its affordable housing obligation by 2025.

During public comment on the resolution, former mayor Manny Delgado said The Miles Technology Site is smaller than the Pennrose Site, making it more difficult to build the 75 units. He also said the township still has to acquire the site, and tear down and replace the building currently on the site. This would all cost Moorestown more money than going forward with the development at The Miles Technology Site.

Because the issue remains in litigation, the judge will make the final determination whether Pennrose can move forward with its proposal. If he rules it can’t, the township would then have to move forward with a development at The Miles Technology Site.

Delgado was on council alongside Petriello, Napolitano, Locatell and former mayor Stacey Jordan when the original agreement was reached.

Resident Fred Sutherland pointed out that the Maybury area is already set up for water and sewer, and estimates it can hold 45 units on 10.5 acres of land. He questioned why it was not identified as a possible alternative. Read more here: Moorestown Residents Concerned About Alternative To Pennrose Site

Former councilman Greg Newcomer supported the idea of using The Miles Technology Site, saying it has an impervious surface and there is already a three-story building on the land. Officials have said the affordable housing site would be a three-story property.

Additionally, the Catholic Diocese of Trenton has approached the township about rezoning 18 acres of land it owns on Centerton Road and selling it for development. It acquired the land in 2004 with the intentions of building a parish center there. It can't, so it would like to sell the land to a developer to use for affordable housing. Read more here: Council Introduces Senior Housing Proposal; Diocese Proposes Site

If a housing complex is built on the land, it would actually increase the township's obligation by 16.6 units. Should the complex be built, the developer will include that obligation in its development. If the site isn't developed as housing, the additional obligation disappears and wouldn't have to be honored elsewhere in the township.

The proposal calls for up to 83 homes, with 20 percent of the units set aside for affordable housing, according to township officials. Read more here: Moorestown Identifies Alternative Site To Pennrose Proposal

The overall number of units the township has to build by 2025 is different than the 337 units, Delgado pointed out during public comment. He said it increased by about 200 units, and members of council said they would like clarification from the township manager as to why that number increased from the original agreement.

Council unanimously gave final approval to two proposed ordinances dealing with affordable housing.

One establishes zoning on the Nagle Tract on the corner of Hartford and Centerton roads. There would be 150 total units, with 45 set aside for affordable housing. Read more here: Change Made In Affordable Housing Plans For Nagle Tract

Another establishes zoning on the MRD site on Route 38. There would be 175 total units, with 35 set aside for affordable housing. It covers a total of 12 acres, but one resident complained about excessive flooding in the area.

Township Solicitor Kevin Aberant said the property owner will go before the Planning Board before the project moves forward to answer all questions about stormwater drainage.

Another proposal establishes general parameters for various affordable housing program participation that track state law, affordable housing regulations and other portions of township code, at the recommendation of Moorestown's Affordable Housing Consultant. The public hearing on that proposal was continued until the June 24 council meeting.

Two proposals were up for introduction. The first allows for the creation of 15 accessory apartments consistent with the affordable housing settlement agreement.

Locatell expressed concern that the sizes designated for the accessory apartments were the size of three-bedroom apartments when they were supposed to be closer in size to a studio apartment. Napolitano said the council had discussed smaller sizes before the ordinance was written, but the bigger sizes ended up being written into the ordinance anyway.

Aberant said the proposal has to go to the Planning Board to be reviewed before second reading, and that the proposal needs to be introduced before the township’s next hearing with the judge. He said it can be introduced now, and amended before second reading, as long as it was advertised with the new changes before the second reading.

The proposal currently stipulates that only existing properties containing a single-family detached dwelling on a 15,000 square foot or larger lot shall be eligible, and only one affordable accessory apartment per lot shall be permitted. Accessory apartments can’t exceed 1,200 square feet in floor area.

Petriello, Gillespie and Napolitano voted in favor of the introduced legislation, Locatell abstained and Donnelly wasn’t present for this vote.

The final proposal would establish zoning of the Sbar Site off Lenola Road near Cinnaminson. The properties on the north and south sides of Sbar Boulevard would see 184 total units created, 36 of which would be set aside for affordable housing.

Locatell said there were no standards included in this plan, and that approving it would be like giving a blank check to a developer. He also pointed out that they previously talked about vacating Sbar Boulevard to create two entrances to this development, but that isn’t reflected in the proposal and the one entrance they have is too narrow. Napolitano said moving forward with this proposal would be “dangerous.”

This proposal was tabled, but still needs to be introduced before the township’s next hearing with the judge on June 24. A special meeting has been planned for Monday morning, June 17, 8 a.m., to rework and introduce the proposal.