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 Posted: Fri, Aug 15 2008, 5:00 pm EDT Post subject: Residents asked to sign anti-COAH3 petition |
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Can we ask the Cranbury resident that was passing around the PNC petition last time and recruit them to do the same thing in Cranbury that Wall is doing. It would be good to collect everones intent in Cranbury officially via a petition.
Hope everyone also sent in a letter or email today.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080815/NEWS01/808150428/1004
| Quote: | WALL — Mayor John Devlin is spearheading an effort to get residents to sign a petition opposing the state's mandate to build nearly 700 affordable housing units in the township that could cost taxpayers as much as $20 million in new taxes if the township were forced to build them.
"This mandate by the state will have a devastating effect on our taxes, infrastructure, school system and quality of life," Devlin said at Wednesday's Township Committee meeting.
Township officials are trying to figure out how to meet its affordable housing requirements now that state lawmakers have taken away the option of selling off those requirements to other municipalities.
Last month, Gov. Corzine signed legislation to eliminate Regional Contribution Agreements among municipalities, effectively outlawing municipalities from paying other municipalities to build their affordable housing requirements.
Devlin says "it is now time for bold action" to oppose this "despicable" legislation.
"We are going to take our cause house-by-house and street-by-street, and not stop until the state of New Jersey hears our collective voice. We will not be heard just in Wall Township, but in the corridors of power in Trenton," Devlin vowed.
In order to make up the more than $20 million needed if the township were to build all 667 units, developers would need to propose building thousands of market-rate housing units mixed along with the affordable housing units, according to township administrator Joseph Verruni. But building thousands of market-rate units over and above the 667 affordable units would place a huge strain on the township's infrastructure and school system, he added.
The mayor and committee members will be visiting various township neighborhoods, as early as Monday, asking residents to sign the petition "to voice their outrage to the state and demand they stop burdening the taxpayers of Wall with their unfair and unworkable affordable housing mandates," Devlin said.
Township officials plan to deliver the signed petitions to the Statehouse in Trenton.
Meanwhile, township officials are discussing ways to satisfy the state Council on Affordable Housing requirements to build 667 affordable housing units in Wall by 2018.
Of the 667 affordable housing units that need to be built, a minimum of 25 percent (167 units) will need to be rental units, while no more than 25 percent (167 units) can be built for senior citizens only. The remaining 50 percent of the units can be more rentals or some other type of affordable housing as long as it is not restricted or limited to senior citizens.
Township officials must have a plan in place by Dec. 31.
In the meantime, the township is joining in a lawsuit with other municipalities and a separate lawsuit with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities to oppose the new COAH mandates.
For more information, call the mayor's office at (732) 449-8444. |
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