JACKSON – State Superior Court Judge Mark Troncone, sitting in Toms River, has granted final site plan approval for a residential development known as Jackson Parke. The development is proposed for Perrineville Road in the Cassville section of Jackson.
Specifically, Troncone’s approval is for the north section of Jackson Parke, which was proposed by EL at Jackson LLC. The plan calls for the construction of 551 residences on a 226-acre tract. The development is expected to include 120 affordable housing units.
Troncone’s order is the latest chapter on an application that was initially denied by the Jackson Planning Board in November 2019. Following that decision, the applicant filed legal action against the board and the township.
During the litigation, Troncone directed the board to reconsider its denial of the Jackson Parke application, which was part of Jackson’s affordable housing settlement.
On April 20, board members granted the Jackson Parke north section preliminary site plan approval.
The applicant returned to court and Troncone’s order granting final site plan approval to the north section was the result of that appearance before the judge.
Now, some residents have retained attorney Ron Gasiorowski to take legal action to contest Troncone’s ruling regarding the north section.
Elenor Hannum is the president of Citizens United to Protect Our Neighborhoods Jackson and Manchester (CUPON.JMOC).
According to the group, its mission is “to ensure the local elected governing body and their land use boards safeguard the health and safety of all our citizens and first responders; to protect the character of our neighborhoods; to ensure the laws as set forth by local, county, state and federal governments are followed; and to oppose land use variances and approvals that adversely affect our very diverse community.”
Hannum said the Jackson Parke project “completely violates” the Fair Share Housing statute in regard to the environment.
“(The law) says it must not violate the environmental or historical sensitivity of the area or the land. This particular (Jackson Parke) project completely violates that and what I do not understand is how the township or a councilman could have written that particular piece of property into our fair share (affordable) housing (agreement).
“And how could the planner actually have agreed with all these environmental sensitivities? Because (the property) is is in the Barnegat Bay watershed, the entire parcel of 300-plus acres is all threatened and endangered species, and wetlands,” Hannum said.
She noted that only 220 of the proposed 1,100 homes in the two sections of Jackson Parke would be designated as affordable housing.
Affordable housing is defined as housing that is sold or rented at below market rates to individuals and families whose income meets certain guidelines.
Hannum said Troncone never considered the residents’ concerns regarding fill soil being brought to the development site because the Fair Share Housing Center’s attorney claimed no residents brought up the issue.
The Fair Share Housing Center, Cherry Hill, advocates for the development of affordable housing throughout New Jersey. It was a party to litigation involving Jackson’s obligation to provide opportunities for the development of affordable housing in the community.
“We have two full nights of testimony on this (fill soil issue) … so you have a Fair Share Housing Center attorney trying to push through this project and a judge completely not looking at any of the minutes, any of the testimony, any of the environmental issues we have brought up. (Troncone) looked at nothing, he listened to the Fair Share Housing Center’s attorney and gave him carte blanche,” Hannum said.
She said the voices of the people have not been heard, adding, “I am really trying to wrap my head around how this is going down like this.”
She said a key issue regarding Jackson Parke is how the fill soil would be brought to the site.
“The (developer) is looking to bring in the dirt up Reed Road and Perrineville Road. Those are township roads with only one layer of pavement because Jackson doesn’t really have that much money.
“Reed Road was a dirt road and they finally paved it with one layer. The (developer) is going to bring over 77,000 tandems up those roads? … Because they do not want to cut into their road, their connector road, and ruin that road and then have to pay to repave it.
“So now they are screwing the residents who are going to have to foot the bill to fix (Reed and Perrineville) roads by the time they are done,” Hannum said.
The applicant described a proposed connector road that would link the north and south sections of Jackson Parke that was a condition of the board’s preliminary site plan approval.
The Planning Board expects to begin hearing testimony regarding the Jackson Parke south section on Aug. 17. The applicant is proposing 549 single-family and multi-family residences (including 100 affordable housing units) on a 129-acre tract off West Veterans Highway.
