As is the case in West Windsor, Plainsboro officials are also hammering away on their own fair share plan, which all municipalities are required to have submitted to the state by the end of the year.##M:[more]##
Plainsboro’s projected fair share obligation is 385 new affordable units over the next 10 years, says Les Varga, the township’s director of zoning and planning.
The court-imposed deadline for the fair share plans comes after COAH passed its new third-round regulations, under which the ratio of affordable to market units doubles from one affordable for every eight market units to one for every four, and the ratio of affordable units for new jobs increases from one affordable unit for every 25 jobs to one for every 16. The costs of Regional Contribution Agreements increases from $35,”000 per unit to $67,”000 to $80,”000 per unit. The ratio of affordable units to office space, retail, restaurants, hotel space, and parking garage space, also dramatically increased.
And as in West Windsor — which has a growth share obligation of 491 for the third round alone (see story page 12) — officials have complained there are other implications of the new legislation. Under the Roberts Bill, a 2.5 percent commercial development fee, which relieves commercial developers of their housing obligation, was established. There is also a cap on the number of bonus credits that can be used in the third round to 25 percent of the growth share.
In April Plainsboro officials tentatively signed on to join forces with the League of Municipalities in funding litigation against the proposed third-round rules, although officials were careful in telling the LOM that they wanted to do their own review of the rules and see any litigation strategy before finalizing the township’s participation.
Still, throughout the spring and summer, they were working on ways to comply with the new rules.
Varga says that despite the new rules, Plainsboro officials will most likely be able to find a way to satisfy the 385 units projected by the state Council on Affordable Housing.
“I think we’re okay with the number of credits, with the number of market to affordable units,” he said. “You’re able to use some affordable rentals, and we have credits from prior rounds. Plainsboro was very proactive in getting credits that are still out there that we can use for the plan.”
Township Administrator Robert Sheehan echoed the sentiment, but did not downplay the changes to the rules that have “complicated our ability to comply. The situation with COAH and how this has all evolved is not good. Obviously the whole matter is being driven by the court.” Still, Plainsboro should be able to find a way to comply. “Complying doesn’t mean that it’s good public policy,” he added.
Varga said Plainsboro should have an easier time meeting its obligation because “the township stayed pretty much out in front of this issue. Conceivably, municipalities are going to be hit with larger numbers for a variety of reasons, but here in Plainsboro, it was taken very seriously all along.”
The township is currently getting some familiar help when it comes to formulating its plan. Its consultant, Shirley M. Bishop, a licensed planner from Lawrenceville, is a former director with COAH, and is working on drafting the township’s fair share plan and its new housing element to its Master Plan.
Varga says officials are targeting a meeting date in the middle of November for the plan to come before the Planning Board, and a subsequent meeting before the Township Committee shortly after, in accordance with COAH regulations. However, this time period is still tentative, Varga says.
— Cara Latham
