recommends boro devise master plan for site
Boro takes a step toward
snuff mill redevelopment
Planning Board
recommends boro devise master plan for site
By sandi carpello
Staff Writer
HELMETTA — After a four-month investigation, the Planning Board issued a recommendation to the Borough Council last week that a redevelopment plan be drafted for a 32-acre area that includes the former Helme snuff mill.
Nearly 100 borough residents packed the municipal building at the July 31 meeting to hear the results of a study conducted by engineers from Remington, Vernick and Walberg, the borough’s Toms River-based engineering firm.
The property, located at Main and Maple streets and embodying the 14-acre snuff factory and surrounding parcels, meets four of the state’s seven criteria needed to establish a redevelopment plan, said the firm’s senior planner, Stuart B. Wiser. The borough only had to meet one of the seven criteria in order to designate the area as a redevelopment zone.
The engineer’s study determined that the property exhibits unsafe and unhealthy living conditions, as well as building deterioration. The area was found to have safety deficiencies such as deteriorated roofing and lighting violations, and was not in compliance with the current requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
In addition, the study explored the distinct loss of tax revenue in the borough since the snuff mill closed its doors in 1993. According to Wiser, the property’s lack of utilization over the past decade has caused revenue to drop by 75 percent. Presently, the area is assessed at 98 cents per square foot. However, if the property is developed, that figure would increase to $20 per square foot, he said.
Matrix Development Corp., of Cranbury, which has proposed redeveloping the site into residential apartment units, has indicated in an impact study that the facility can be expected to generate about $426,000 annually in payments to the borough in lieu of taxes, while costing the borough about $265,830 more in municipal and school expenses.
The Planning Board will provide a formal recommendation to the council in the form of a resolution. If the council chooses to approve the resolution, the board will in turn outline what officials referred to as a master plan, indicating what they would like to see take place on the site, he said.
"The redevelopment process is a multi-step process," Wiser said.
Several borough residents expressed concern as to whether homes would be incorporated into the redevelopment plan.
Bob Santora, of Lake Avenue, said many residents were worried that their houses would be condemned. Board members, however, assured the property owners that no homes would be included.
Matrix has proposed building 294 luxury apartment units in the former snuff mill. Of the 294 units, 231 would be two-bedroom apartments and 63 would be one-bedroom units. The rental units would be built in two of the three six-story buildings on the redevelopment site. The third building would encompass small retail shops and light industrial.
Matrix’s $22 million proposal has generated anxiety among some residents. In light of the recent 32-percent property tax increase, homeowners fear that building an apartment complex will bring more schoolchildren — the number of which cannot be known — and ultimately cause taxes to soar even higher.
Rising tuition, special education and related costs have increased the school tax rate to $4.33 per $100 of assessed value.
Residents distributed a flier last week stating, "If Matrix comes in and builds their proposed 300 two-bedroom apartments in our historic snuff mill and surrounding property, we will be affected again. Don’t let our taxes skyrocket."
In February, Matrix Vice President Steve Patron said the proposed site would not contain any day-care centers or other services that would attract families with school-age children. His firm’s projections indicated that the borough can expect to see a total of 470 new residents at the snuff mill site, only 17 of which would be public school students.
To avoid having an increase in borough schoolchildren, several residents said they would prefer to see the property used for senior citizen housing. However, Matrix representatives said the proposed site would not be suitable for a senior housing development. Attorney Charles B. Liebling said the area is not ADA-compliant and is located too close to a busy thoroughfare.
Mayor Frank Hague said the idea of having Matrix redevelop the site is still tentative, and that borough officials remain open to any other development proposals that come to their attention.
Matrix, however, is the only company to present a proposal to the borough.
Other questions were raised as to why the borough chose its own contracted engineering firm to conduct the redevelopment study. Former Republican Party Chairman Andrew Tidd said that having Remington, Vernick, and Walberg conduct the study was a conflict of interest. He said the firm stands to gain financially if the project proceeds and their services continue to be used.
"The process is tainted," he said "Shouldn’t they use another company?"
Hague said that the council considered other firms to conduct the study, but that the engineers from the borough’s contracted firm had the best credentials. He said, however, that he could not recall the names of the other companies that he considered.
Wiser noted that he has spent 14 years working on redevelopment projects. The council saw his qualifications and felt he could bring expertise to this project, he said.
The council is expected to meet on Aug. 28 to discuss the resolution.