HOWELL – The Howell Township Council will hold public hearings on Sept. 10 on a trio of ordinances that would, if adopted, create new zones where market rate housing and housing for individuals with low and moderate incomes is planned.
The council members may adopt the ordinances after members of the public have had a chance to speak about the proposals.
The ordinances were introduced on Aug. 13 by Deputy Mayor Evelyn O’Donnell, Councilman John Bonevich, Councilwoman Pamela Richmond and Councilman Thomas Russo.
Mayor Theresa Berger was absent from the meeting.
Affordable housing is defined as housing that is sold or rented at below market rates to individuals and families whose income meets certain guidelines. New Jersey municipalities are under court order to provide opportunities for the development of affordable housing within their borders.
Ordinance O-19-43 would create a Moderate and Low Income Housing Zone 12 (ML-12) by rezoning the FP Howell LLC property on Fort Plains Road to permit the construction of 227 for sale market rate units and 92 multifamily for sale affordable housing units, for a total of 319 residential units.
Of the 227 market rate units, 155 will be townhouses of up to four bedrooms each and 72 will be single-family homes of up to four bedrooms on the second floor, with an optional fifth bedroom on the first floor.
The 92 for sale affordable housing units will be two-bedroom and three-bedroom condominium flat style units, according to the ordinance. Howell will receive 92 affordable housing credits for the FP Howell development.
Richmond, Russo, O’Donnell and Bonevich voted “yes” on a motion to introduce the ordinance.
Ordinance O-19-44 would create a Moderate and Low-Income Housing Zone 13 (ML-13) by rezoning the Zaback property, a 20-acre parcel on Route 9, to permit 252 market rate housing units and 112 family rental affordable housing units. Howell will receive a total of of 148 affordable housing credits (including 36 bonus credits) from this project.
Richmond, Russo and O’Donnell voted “yes” on a motion to introduce the ordinance. Bonevich voted “no.”
Ordinance O-19-45 would create a Moderate and Low-Income Housing Zone 14 (ML-14) by rezoning a site owned by Tyrpak Road Group LLC. The 237-acre parcel would be bisected by Casino Drive.
The ML-14 zone will permit 325 market rate housing units and 142 family rental affordable housing units. Howell will receive a total of 192 affordable housing credits (including 50 bonus credits) from this project.
Richmond, Russo and O’Donnell voted “yes” on a motion to introduce the ordinance. Bonevich voted “no.”
Bonevich explained his “no” votes on the introduction of the ordinances to create the ML-13 and ML-14 zones.
“From the very beginning of our affordable housing negotiations and prior to becoming a Township Council member, I was very vocal and advocated against the cluster of all the affordable housing developments in our township.
“The total units of the Zaback, Howell Family Apartments (72 affordable housing apartments off Fort Plains and West Farms roads) and Tyrpak Road Group projects will add 800 homes in almost 1 square mile, not to mention they will bring an additional 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles to that area of the township.
“Furthermore, I would rather see our Route 9 corridor filled with retail shops and restaurants to increase our ratable base and potentially lessen the tax burden on our taxpayers. I disagree with adding housing to Route 9 unless the housing is part of a mixed use concept for millennials like most other towns are doing,” Bonevich said.
A fourth ordinance to be considered for adoption on Sept. 10 would create affordable housing regulations and make changes in the municipal code to allow Howell to comply with the municipality’s affordable housing settlement agreements.
