 Posted: Fri, Nov 9 2007, 5:31 pm EST Post subject: Township Committee eyes affordable housing zone |
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| Township Committee eyes affordable housing zone
By Maria Prato-Gaines Posted: Friday, November 9, 2007 11:43 AM EST CRANBURY — The Township Committee introduced an ordinance at a special meeting Nov. 1 to change the zoning of a site being eyed for affordable housing units. If passed, the ordinance will change the current zoning on the housing site, 2665 Route 130, from a Highway/Commercial zone to a high-density Residential/Mount Laurel zone, township Administrator Christine Smeltzer said. A public hearing on the ordinance will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 26 at Town Hall. The zoning must be changed for the township to apply for municipal land acquisition funds, which will reimburse Cranbury for the cost of purchasing the land. In June 2007, the committee purchased the property for about $1 million. Township officials said the 4-acre site is expected to house 29 to 48 units. The units are part of a larger plan for affordable housing that also includes 20 units on Old Cranbury Road and a regional contribution agreement with Perth Amboy in which Cranbury would pay Perth Amboy $2.8 million to build 80 units. The township’s affordable housing requirements were calculated assuming one affordable housing unit for every eight market-value units constructed or every 25 jobs created between 2004 and 2014. The state Council on Affordable Housing approved the estimate in 2006. However, a Jan. 25 state appellate court ruling invalidated some of COAH’s affordable housing regulations. New regulations are being devised and it is still unclear how the rules will effect Cranbury’s current affordable housing obligations. Township Planner Richard Preiss said the Planning Board reviewed the ordinance at its Nov. 1 meeting and is recommending it be adopted. ”They didn’t raise any additional questions (at the meeting),” he said. Mr. Preiss said “the ordinance provides regulations, which will control placement of the buildings, parking areas and buffers.” ... http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2007/11/09/cranbury_press/news/doc47348a11a9ab3787421030.prt |
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