September 8, 2011
NEWS
Development to have units for ARC clients (Walter, The Hub) Tinton Falls, Monmouth County
“A developer is seeking approval for an age-restricted apartment building that would include units for tenants who are clients of the ARC of Monmouth.”
Planning Board Subs Agree to Hear Controversial Zoning Board Application (Kyriakakis, Manchester Patch) Manchester, Ocean County
“Two of the three members of Manchester’s planning board asked to fill the vacancies left on the zoning board after four members recused themselves from the Manchester Rehab Realty application have accepted the assignment.”
OPINION
State wants to flood Cranford with high-density housing (Mulshine, The Star-Ledger) Cranford, Union County
“At least the fridge survived.”
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Hunterdon among counties offered $3.248 million for Highlands land preservation (Staff, Hunterdon County Democrat) Hunterdon, Morris, Warren, Passaic Counties
“The New Jersey Highlands Development Credit Bank (HDC Bank) has made offers to preserve another 130 acres of land in Morris, Warren, Passaic and Hunterdon counties, providing up to $3,248,000 to landowners in the Highlands Preservation Area.”
Zoning Board rejects plan for drug, alcohol rehab facility (Staff, The Hammonton News) Hammonton, Atlantic County
“The Zoning Board voted 4-3 to reject a use variance that would have allowed an impatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility to open on the White Horse Pike.”
Public on Master Plan: Protect Neighborhoods, Promote Business, Keep It Simple (Bergen, Ocean City Patch) Ocean City, Cape May County
“Ocean City’s Planning Board invited the public on Wednesday night to share their thoughts on the future of the island — and about 20 people answered the call.”
Bike and walking studies gear up in Monmouth, Ocean (Higgs, The Asbury Park Press) Monmouth, Ocean Counties
“As Red Bank goes, so goes Monmouth County, at least when it comes to using the same interactive online and in-person format the borough used to gather information for the borough’s Bike and Pedestrian report.”
Middle Township Committee Gives Nod to New Master Plan (McGuire, Cape May County Herald) Middle, Cape May County
“They grew a proverbial line in the sand, as well as the streets, the woods, and wetlands, too. But at the end of the day, Middle Township Committee unanimously passed Ordinance No. 1392-11, Chapter 250 Zoning, which officially adopted the township’s new master plan.”
Officials Call On Residents To Help Fight Proposed Development (Antonelli, Cranford Patch) Cranford, Union County
“It’s going to take more than a legal appeal by the Cranford Township Committee to prevent 360 residential units from being built on Birchwood Avenue. The entire township must come together in opposition, officials said during a special meeting Tuesday night.”
Monday, August 1, 2011
NEWS
Can’t agree on development (Smith, Hudson Reporter) Hoboken, Hudson County
“New Jersey Transit and city officials have failed again to come to an agreement on plans for development near the downtown transit terminal. Now, the city has instructed a planner to draw up designs for the 52-acre site on the south end of Hoboken, which should be unveiled in the fall, according to Mayor Dawn Zimmer.”
Court Approves Construction of 360 Residential Units on Birchwood Avenue (Antonelli, Cranford Patch) Cranford, Union County
“Cranford officials plan to appeal a decision made Friday by a Superior Court judge that will allow a developer to construct 360 residential units at the quiet corner of 215 Birchwood Ave., a street that’s prone to flooding.”
Plainfield seeks rejuvenation strategies (Staff, mycentraljersey.com) Plainfield, Union County
“Representatives from Plainfield joined leaders from 11 other New Jersey cities at a two-day seminar in Trenton last week to explore best practices for tackling vacant property challenges and restoring neighborhoods.”
OPINION
How state zoning rules foster sprawl, hike costs (Evans, for northjersey.com) Statewide
“On a regular basis we hear how sprawl development continues to eat up the last remaining open space across New Jersey, and residents continue to express confusion about how this keeps happening.”
Thursday, December 16, 2010 (Morning)
New Jersey May Get $128 Million Refund From U.S. for Canceled Rail Tunnel (McNichol, Bloomberg) Statewide
“New Jersey will get a refund of almost half that $271 million it owes the federal government for canceling a proposed commuter-rail tunnel once the money is repaid, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.”
N.J. Senate panel approves tax breaks for historic building rehabilitations, limos, movie studios (Friedman, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“Developers and homeowners who rehabilitate historic buildings would be eligible for major tax breaks under a bill approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee today.”
Residents Make Last Ditch Effort to Stop Development (Thorne, Cranford Patch) Cranford, Union County
“The plan to build 163 housing units along South Avenue is now one step closer to becoming reality.”
Friday, December 3, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
Gov. Christie selects law firm to challenge $271M ARC tunnel tab (Staff, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“Gov. Chris Christie agreed today to retain an influential legal and lobbying firm to challenge the $271 million bill New Jersey received from the federal government for work done on the canceled multibillion-dollar Hudson River train tunnel.”
Residents take issue with planned cell tower along Parkway in Cranford (Murray, Cranford Chronicle) Cranford, Union County)
“A public hearing on a proposed cell phone tower in the median between the Garden State Parkway and North Avenue drew complaints from residents who called the tower ‘a done deal’ and a ‘monstrosity’ on Thursday, Dec. 2.”
OPINION
Too quiet in the Highlands (Staff Editorial, The Daily Record) Highlands
“The governor recently nominated seven people to fill multiple vacancies on the state’s Highlands Council. Two of them are from Morris County, Tim Dougherty, the mayor of Morristown, and Jim Rilee, a councilman in Roxbury.”
Thursday, October 28, 2010 (Afternoon)
NEWS
NJ governor shifting focus to state road projects (Staff, Associated Press) Trenton, Mercer County
“A day after Gov. Chris Christie killed the nation’s largest public works project, an underwater rail tunnel linking New York City to its populous New Jersey suburbs, he said Thursday that it’s time to focus on badly needed improvements to the state’s roads and bridges.”
Historic District proposed for Cranford’s ‘Little Venice’ (Kelly, Independent Press) Cranford, Union County
“To help preserve a significant period in Cranford’s history — when the town was the ‘Venice of New Jersey’ — the Historic Preservation Advisory Board is proposing the creation of the North Cranford Historic District.”
OPINION
Christie kills the tunnel to Macy’s basement (Mulshine, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“A lot of liberals will be whining about Chris Christie’s decision Wednesday to kill the ARC project.”
Thursday, September 16, 2010 (Morning)
DCH proposal shakes up Montclair business owners (Prochilo, The Montclair Times) Montclair, Essex County
“The Montclair Planning Board is contemplating whether to declare Valley Road’s DCH site and some surrounding lots an area in need of redevelopment - a move that would grant the municipal government condemnation powers. The specter of having their land and businesses seized using eminent domain has alarmed and enraged some of the landowners involved.”
Borough wants to be a Transit Village (Griffiths, The Gazette) Hawthrone, Passaic County
“The Borough of Hawthrone is seeking to become Passaic County’s first transit village.”
Independence Township agrees to work within Highlands Act guidelines (Novak, The Express-Times) Independence, Warren County
“Township officials’ self-described civil disobedience against New Jersey’s 2004 Highlands Act is over.”
ShopRite developer postpones third Wyckoff Planning Board hearing (Weinberger, Suburban News) Wyckoff, Bergen County
“A Planning Board hearing tonight on a proposed ShopRite off of Greenwood Avenue has been postponed until October, according to the attorney for the developer.”
OPINION
Cranford Special Improvement District (SID) at risk (Krause, for the Suburban News) Cranford, Union County
“After considerable study to protect and develop Cranford’s charm and character, in 1985 under Mayor Edward Force’s leadership, the Township Committee created an SID and established a Downtown Management Corporation (DMC).”
Friday, September 10, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
Vineland sued over Landis project (Funderburk, The Daily Journal) Vineland, Cumberland County
“The owners of the Crown Fried Chicken property on East and Landis Avenues have sued the city and state, claiming the city improperly designed their property as being in need of redevelopment.”
OPINION
Cranford development needs scrutiny (Campbell, for the Cranford Chronicle) Cranford, Union County
“As many of your readers are probably now aware, the Township Committee is currently considering an agreement to settle a lawsuit brought by the owners of 555 South Avenue. The owners of this property, Leigh Acquisition, LLC, have sued Cranford pursuant to the Mt. Laurel decisions (COAH), contending that Cranford has failed to meet its (NJ) constitutionally mandated affordable housing requirements, and thus Leigh Acquisition should be able to use the ‘builder’s remedy’ on their property. This ‘remedy’ allows a builder to build a lot more residential units on their land than would be allowed by the zoning ordinance, provided some of the units would be dedicated to low and moderate housing.”
COURT OPINION
Elegant Properties, LLC v. Township of Hazlet (Appellate Division) Hazlet, Monmouth County
Law Division granted a builder’s remedy to plaintiff to permit a 48 dwelling condo complex with a 25% set-aside. Township appealed. Appellate Division remands so the trial judge “can make appropriate findings of fact and conclusions of law in connection with all aspects of the matter.”
