Red Bank Borough Council members have adopted an ordinance that creates the Red Bank Redevelopment Agency.
The agency’s seven commissioners, once they have been appointed by the mayor with the advice of the council, will supervise the logistics involved with what a consultant described as “smart construction” in town.
On Feb. 27, council President Erik Yngstrom, Councilman Hazim Yassin, Councilwoman Kate Triggiano, Councilwoman Kathy Horgan and Councilman Ed Zipprich voted “yes” on a motion to adopt the ordinance.
Councilman Michael Ballard voted “no” on the motion without comment.
According to the ordinance, the Red Bank Redevelopment Agency will be responsible for clearance, replanning, development and redevelopment initiatives in the borough.
Officials previously said the agency’s commissioners would oversee projects to ensure redevelopment initiatives come to fruition. They said some redevelopment plans may never advance past the discussion stage.
Prior to the council’s vote to adopt the ordinance, Kenneth DeRoberts, chief executive officer of Government Strategy Group, answered questions about the new agency.
Government Strategy Group is a management consulting firm dedicated to supporting the needs of government entities throughout New Jersey, according to its website.
DeRoberts said redevelopment plans must be approved by the mayor and council before they can move forward. He said the redevelopment agency will not be able to approve or deny development applications.
“In reality, what we are embarking on is smart development,” DeRoberts said. “We have heard that overdevelopment is a bad thing. (This agency) would be used to approach a cohesive plan. Red Bank is a hot community that people want to do a lot of great things in. (Officials) need to be proactive rather than reactive.
DeRoberts said the redevelopment agency could incur debt, but said “the reality is that it is difficult to (incur debt).” He said the agency’s commissioners will be “austere and limited,” noting that the entity will have a tight budget and not “build its own bureaucracy.”
“One of the main projects (the agency) will be working on is the municipal facilities,” DeRoberts said, noting that borough facilities are in “poor condition” and need to be renovated.
DeRoberts said the redevelopment agency will also “partner with other initiatives” to improve the downtown district. He said when pending development projects are complete, there may no longer be a need for a redevelopment agency and that it could be dissolved.
Following DeRoberts’ remarks, Yassin asked what would happen if the redevelopment agency does not work out.
Mayor Pasquale Menna said the agency could be discontinued, if necessary.
DeRoberts mentioned the council’s recent adoption of an ordinance that details a redevelopment plan that proposes the construction of apartments at 176 Riverside Ave.
He said final negotiations need to be determined for the plan, which would be carried out to satisfy a portion of Red Bank’s obligation to provide opportunities for the development of affordable housing.
“We have several redevelopment projects that have been approved and the surveillance of those projects, making sure they are compliant with everything in the developer’s agreement” is necessary, DeRoberts said.
“Sometimes, municipalities are great at having developers’ agreements, but then have the surveillance (of projects) fall short,” he said.
Ballard said Red Bank is “woefully deficient in affordable housing” and he asked DeRoberts how a redevelopment agency could accommodate low to moderate income housing.
DeRoberts said there are designated opportunity zones for the construction of affordable housing.
In an interview after the meeting, DeRoberts said Business Administrator Ziad Shehady will serve as the executive director of the redevelopment agency. He said that position “is not intended to be a major time requirement.”
DeRoberts said initially, the executive director will serve without payment. He said the position could become a paid position in the future.
The first set of commissioners appointed to the redevelopment agency will serve terms of between one and five years. Subsequent appointments will be for five years, according to the ordinance.
DeRoberts said two council members will fill two of the seven commissioners’ positions.
