Experts Ignore Residents' Questions Regarding Controversial AvalonBay Application

Experts chose to ignore several questions posed by Wayne residents at a standing room-only Board of Adjustment meeting Monday regarding the controversial AvalonBay housing application.

It was standing room only at the meeting where Go Away AvalonBay stickers were handed out and people laughed and clapped when certain testimony was given.

AvalonBay is applying to construct a 422-unit apartment complex on Totowa Road. The 336 units would be built in a four-story building and 86 townhouses would be spread out in 13 buildings. The application calls for 134 one-bedroom units, 228 two-bedroom units and 60 three-bedroom units and about 930 parking spaces. The units will range in price from $1,600-a-month rent to $3,500.

Several questions posed to Ronald Ladell, a vice president of AvalonBay, and Art Bernard, who previously was the deputy and executive director of the state Council on Affordable Housing, went unanswered, including those pertaining to fire safety. Some residents also wanted to know what was being done regarding fire safety in light of the devastating fire that destroyed the AvalonBay complex in Edgewater.

“Then why are we here?” one resident asked after posing a question.

Ladell said that AvalonBay will “voluntarily enhance the fire-safety standards to go beyond the required code requirements for all buildings that are this type of product.”

One resident told officials that the Borough of Woodridge had to hire there additional police officers to address issues stemming from AvalonBay’s location there only not to get an answer.

Many people addressed the possible impact the application could have the fire department, school district, transportation, infrastructure, and local taxes.

Robert Ross wanted to know the potential impact the complex could have on the local kindergarten classes. Bernard said he had not considered that factor.

The lawyer representing AvalonBay objected to many questions posed, stating that they did not have an impact on the variance application the board is considering approving.

The township would be able to count 20 percent of the units, about 86 of them, towards its state-mandated affordable-housing quota.

Residents will have a chance to ask more questions at the Sept. 21 meeting in the council chambers. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast online and on cable channel 77.