JACKSON – The Planning Board has given a favorable recommendation to a Township Council ordinance that would rezone an area of SolarAvenue and permit an affordable housing development to be built.
Solar Avenue meets with Cpl. Luigi Marciante Jr. Memorial Drive (formerly Christopher Columbus Boulevard) off County Line Road.
The council recently introduced an ordinance that, if adopted by the council, will rezone several parcels to create a Multifamily Affordable Housing 6 Zone.
When the council introduces an ordinance that deals with land use, the document is referred to the Planning Board for comment and recommendations. The Planning Board does not adopt the ordinance.
In this case, on Jan. 14 the board voted 7-0 tomake a favorable recommendation to the council on this proposed ordinance. The ordinance was returned to the council for a public hearing and vote on adoption.
Attorney John Russo, who represents Jackson on affordable housing issues, said this relates to the Solar Avenue affordable housing project. The project is in line with Jackson’s affordable housing obligation.
Planning Board Chairman Kenneth Bressi and board members Robert Hudak, Len Haring, George McKay, Todd Porter, WilliamCook and Eileen Tobasco voted yes on the favorable recommendation for the ordinance.
Township Councilwoman Emily Ingram, who sits on the board, recused herself and did not vote on the board’s recommendation because she also sits on the council and cannot vote twice on the same item. The intent of the affordable housing zone is to provide a suitable location for the construction of housing for low-income and moderate-income households that is consistent with Jackson’s Housing Element and Fair Share Plan.
The financial guidelines for what constitutes a lowincome ormoderate income family is established by the state Council on Affordable Housing.
Multifamily dwellings with a gross density not to exceed six dwellings units per acre will be permitted in the Solar Avenue zone.
Permitted accessory uses will include buildings, storage sheds and other structures. Also permitted in the zone will be fences and walls, off-street parking, pump houseswhich are directly used for themaintenance and operation of utilities and/or a swimming pool serving the multifamily development, as well as satellite dish antennas which are subject to the owner or homeowners association rules and community buildings.
The maximum building height in the zone will be 35 feet. There will be a 50-foot buffer along the front, rear and side boundary perimeters. Buffers will be developed in an aesthetic manner and natural wooded tracts will be an integral part of the plan.
The proposed ordinance also includes rules for garages, carports, building length, maintenance, snowplowing, snow removal, internal road repairs, waste disposal, landscaping, lighting and open space.
– Dave Benjamin