Residents brainstormed for an hour and listed about 40 items Beazer could be asked to provide in exchange for approval to develop area land.
By John Tredrea
Sewers and public water for several Hopewell Township neighborhoods topped a Tuesday night wish list of residents negotiating with Beazer Homes on the future of 170 nearby acres Beazer wants to develop.
Other items getting strong support from neighbors, about 30 of whom attended the meeting at township hall Tuesday night, were traffic improvements to existing roads and new amenities for pedestrians and cyclists, such as sidewalks and trails.
The meeting was the third in a series between Paul Schneier, president of Beazer’s New Jersey and Pennsylvania division, and township residents and officials.
On hand were Mayor Arlene Kemp and Township Committeewoman Vanessa Sandom, who was mayor last year. The purpose of the meetings is for the neighbors and Beazer to try to reach consensus on what should be built on the land before the Beazer formally applies for permission to build from government agencies.
Mr. Schneier says Beazer is willing to help solve existing township problems in exchange for the go-ahead to develop the land. How many problems Beazer can solve will depend on how much development will be allowed, he says. More development means more profit for Beazer, which means the company will have more capital to solve existing problems. This interplay is the basis of the negotiations, which will continue at another meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at township hall.
Mr. Schneier said Beazer already owns 22 acres off Denow Road, between Route 31 and Brandon Farms. Beazer also is the contract purchaser of 75 acres west of Route 31. "This land would be accessed by Denow Road if it were extended across Route 31 to its western side," he said. In addition, Beazer is the contract purchaser of another 80 acres, located behind ShopRite, on the western side of Route 31 at the Pennington Circle.
Mr. Schneier said that, as is typical of such deals, Beazer would buy the two tracts of land for which it is contract purchaser after development plans for the land have been approved by all the government agencies whose approval is acquired by law. Among those agencies are the township Planning Board.
"We have flexibility, as long as our business needs are met," Mr. Schneier said. "We can create open space and provide affordable housing, for instance."
Mr. Schneier said a key incentive for Beazer to try to reach consensus with the neighbors is that the process could eliminate the possibility of lawsuits after a Beazer project was approved and, additionally, hasten the approval process by reducing or eliminating public opposition. The incentive for neighbors to negotiate is that they can have some control over how land near where they live will be used and, in addition, may be able to get Beazer to pay some or all of the cost of improvements to existing neighborhoods.
At Tuesday’s session, residents brainstormed for an hour and listed about 40 items Beazer could be asked to provide in exchange for approval to develop the land.
Among the items listed were setting aside land for public use, helping to build a senior center or community center, creation of open space, providing safe pedestrian passage across Route 31 below the Pennington Circle, making sure ShopRite stays at the Pennington Circle, providing a public swimming pool and having Beazer bring in, or help bring in, public water and sewers for Diverty Road, Reed Road, Route 546 between Reed Road and the Pennington Circle, and Route 31 between I-95 and the circle.
After the list was completed, it was posted in large sheets on the wall of the municipal auditorium. Each resident was given six colored adhesive dots two red, two green and two blue to affix to the sheets next to the items he or she wanted most.
This was how the wish list was prioritized. The red dots were for the two items each resident wanted most. The green dots, for what they wanted second-most. The blue dots, for third-most. The results will be tabulated at the meeting on Jan. 13.
But it was clear that bringing in public water and sewers got the most support by far at that meeting. There were 23 red dots next to that item. Coming in second, with 10 red dots, was the overlapping item of "offsetting sewer costs." Improving traffic conditions on existing roads got six red dots, as did trails for bikes and pedestrians. A senior center got five red dots.
When the meeting adjourned, Mr. Schneier remained hopeful the negotiations could succeed. "A not-unreasonable number of homes could accommodate a lot of what people here tonight said they’re looking for," he said.