By JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent
EDISON — Some residents took an opportunity at a recent Township Council meeting to object to the township’s resolution to satisfy its affordable housing requirement, a process that officials said is frustrating for them as well.
That plan is currently under judicial review, but has township support.
Esther Nemitz took issue with the proposed 220 apartments slated for the Clara Barton section, explaining that during the two recent community meetings for the rehabilitation plans for the neighborhood, incorporating affordable housing into the plan was never discussed.
“It’s going to have a huge impact on our area,” she said, adding that once the housing plan was approved by the courts, the opportunities for residents to speak about the project would be limited. She said this development is a change from the warehouses previously slated for that site.
Council President Michael Lombardi, at the April 13 meeting, said that if the township does not pursue a settlement, the alternative is a trial and ultimately a judge could force the township to comply with any figure he or she deems appropriate.
Township Attorney Bill Northgrave told resident Walt Shneer, who expressed concerns about overcrowding in the schools, that making decisions around affordable housing has been challenging for all municipalities, not just Edison.
“This topic is very difficult for every governing body to deal with,” he said. “Affordable housing is the bane of a lot of municipalities, developers. Everybody’s struggling with this issue, but the reality is it has to be built.”
Northgrave acknowledged that the affordable housing would bring in schoolchildren, and it would likely have a tax impact, but it’s too soon to tell how many children and how much of an impact that would be. He said he does believe the impact would be lower than some imagine.
However, Shneer said he’s thinking of the residents who already live in the township. “And who suffers in the end? he said. “The people. They gotta pay more taxes.”
Northgrave cautioned against opposing affordable housing altogether, explaining that township officials — and the courts — don’t want to send a message that people who are limited by lower incomes aren’t welcome to live in the township.
Obama Street?
Also at the meeting, resident Walter Stochel recommended that a street in the next approved subdivision carry the name of the current president.
“This town has named streets after various presidents, from George Washington to Jimmy Carter,” he said. “I think the township should add Barack Obama’s name to the list of streets that we have.”
He said the move would recognize the positive things Obama has done for the country. “It’s the least we can do for a president that served his country well,” he said.
He said that the move also made sense for a Democratic council to take on. “He’s a Democratic president who’s accomplished a lot, and I think it’s time.”
“I’d definitely like to second that motion for President Obama Street,” added resident Chris Triano, pointing out that the president made a highly publicized stop in Edison in 2010. “He did come to Tastee Subs. That’s definitely something that speaks for it.”
