BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — A year after local officials began reviewing proposals for the redevelopment of a 32-acre township-owned site on Route 18, the town remains without an agreement to sell the property.
And with some of the proceeds from the pending sale once pegged for the 2004 municipal budget, the topic has become a contentious issue during Township Council meetings, where residents and political opponents frequently express frustration over the lack of information regarding the continuing negotiations with the town’s chosen developer, Toll Brothers.
Speaking Tuesday, a day after another discussion at town hall on the redevelopment of the area known as the Golden Triangle, Council President David Stahl said he is frustrated by the “extremely slow” progress of the Toll Brothers negotiations. The matter is complex, he noted, but the negotiations are still not where they should be.
Stahl said key aspects of the proposal have yet to be finalized, but that he and other officials are working to address the budget deficit, which has also become a repeated topic during the public sessions of council meetings.
Stahl said he has informed the township’s special attorney for the redevelopment that he would like more answers about the negotiations within the next several days.
The council, Stahl said, has not received answers that would fully provide it with the information needed to make a decision on the matter. He expects that the redevelopment issue and related budget issues will again be discussed at the April 4 council meeting.
Because the Toll Brothers deal did not take place last year, the township borrowed county funds earmarked for the township’s purchase of the Heavenly Farms site to close the $4 million budget gap of 2004.
At Monday’s council meeting, political rivals and other meeting attendees continued to question the council about the situation.
Robert Tagliente, a Republican who ran for council in 2002, said he has always been opposed to the project — which would have Toll Brothers building a mixed-use development on the current site of Sam’s Club and other businesses — but now that he sees Toll Brothers is suing Monroe Township, he is particularly wary.
He said the firm built age-restricted housing in Monroe, but then sold some of the units to people under 55 years of age. He said Toll Brothers took advantage of a loophole, going against the township’s ordinance by following a federal guideline.
“That, to me, is not the kind of person I would want to deal with,” he said.
Toll Brothers would be expected to build age-restricted housing as part of the Golden Triangle development, which could also include office buildings and commuter parking.
Tagliente questioned whether there is even a market for the senior housing.
Township Attorney Michael Baker said the borough would draw up a contract as clear as possible in an effort to avoid any repeat of the situation in Monroe.
Tagliente warned that the township would need a new school if 200 new homes are sold to families with children.
“Please act on behalf of the township on this,” Tagliente said.
Another resident, Hyam Merson, expressed anger about the lack of information from the council and administration regarding the budget gap, and criticized the governing body for not yet delivering on a deal for the Golden Triangle.
“If you can’t do your job, please step aside,” he said.
Merson said he has been assigned the role of reporting on the council to the township’s Senior Center.
“We have over 10,000 members, and we are very active,” Merson said. “Let them make the decisions at the next election.”
Another resident, Robert Lennon, asked for an update on the redevelopment situation.
Baker said a meeting last week with redevelopment attorney Frank Regan was very short and that a longer discussion would be held later that night.