- IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION FROM THE MAYOR ON TWO APPLICATIONS BEING SUBMITTED TO UNION TOWNSHIP'S PLANNING BOARD/BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT (PLEASE READ)

Union Township's Planning Board Chairman, Alan Ford, the Planning Board Vice Chairman, Brian Kirkpatrick, and I have been advised that an application for a use variance for the development of Block 13, Lot 6, 53 Frontage Road, will be submitted this morning to the Joint Land Use Board. The applicant (SGS Perryville) is seeking a variance associated with the construction of a warehouse, similar to the one previously filed several years ago on the same block and lot. As a point of reference, the applicant requires a variance as a warehouse is NOT a permitted use on the property, based on current zoning allowances. Because this is a use variance application, it will be heard and reviewed by the Township's Board of Adjustment, which is comprised of the members of the Township's Planning Board but EXCLUDING Township Committee members on the Planning Board (Kara Cherney and myself). By law, the Board of Adjustment is autonomous and makes its own decisions without the inclusion of the officials who appoint them. For this reason, Kara and I are recused from all discussions and decision making on a variance. What's more, we (and other Township Committee members) are refrained from commenting, interacting or engaging in this process, whether we would like to or not. Simply, it is the law. Separately, an application will be filed by the same applicant for Block 13, Lot 7, 53 Frontage Road, for the development of residential affordable housing. As many of you know, the State of New Jersey has mandated that municipalities across the state participate in a portion of an overarching responsibility to provide affordable housing. In 2018, Union Township's then-Township Committee settled with the state to agree to provide 305 affordable housing units as its commitment through the "third round" of obligations. Specific sites in the Township were given "zone overlays" in order to meet this obligation, and one of these sites is Block 13, Lot 7. Because of the lot's zone overlay, SGS Perryville will put forward a "use by right" inclusionary affordable housing application, which does not require a variance. As such, the application will be reviewed by the Township Planning Board, and not the Board of Adjustment. For both applications, the next "step" in the process is to make determinations on the "completeness" of the applications. This does not mean approval of the applications but whether they are officially reviewable by the corresponding Boards. These determinations will be discussed in public at upcoming Planning Board/Board of Adjustment meetings, and I will be sending out information on dates and times as soon as they become available to me. Residents are, of course, encouraged to attend. I would like to make several points here. First, in accordance with the law, all I am permitted to do at this time is advise our community that applications will be filed and there are dates and times that will be advertised for public hearings for comments and questions with respect to the applications. This communication, in fact, was reviewed by our legal counsel. In addition, we also are obligated to refrain from rendering our personal opinions publicly on the subject, as it could jeopardize the Township's legal standing and basis for its eventual position. Nonetheless, I will continue to update the website and provide information on public meetings regarding both applications, particularly since I believe that our resident base should receive transparent communication at all times and be given every opportunity to have their inputs in the process. Second, Union Township Planning Board/Board of Adjustment members are all residents. In addition, each person on these Boards brings specific skill sets and expertise to the table. Having worked with them now for three years, I fully trust that these Boardmembers, our neighbors, are highly competent public servants and will do their parts both to follow the law and to stand in the best interests of our community. Third, and finally, I'm encouraging all residents to participate in the process. Property owners, residential and commercial, are entitled to a fair and lawful process for a hearing regarding what they wish to do on their properties. Similarly, the public is entitled to have access to information regarding these hearings. They will be presented in a format that allows for this, and I would encourage all interested parties and residents to contribute. As mentioned above, please stay tuned for further updates from me and from my Planning Board colleagues.