By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
CRANBURY More than 50 people gathered in the Cranbury School cafeteria Oct. 13, ready to hear what Township Committee candidates had to say about the issues that affect them.
Among the issues discussed by Republican candidates Dan Mulligan and Jay Taylor and Democratic candidates Dave Cook and Glenn Johnson were questions about affordable housing obligations, the Route 130 D affordable housing site and the regulation baseball field.
Cranbury’s third-round affordable housing obligation is set at 269 units, a number many local experts expect will have a price tag of about $13 million.
Both Mr. Cook and Mr. Johnson said they would like to work with legislators to bring the warehouse-to-job ratios down and bring back Regional Contribution Agreements, rules that allow municipalities to shift some of their affordable housing obligations to another municipality.
”I don’t see anything happening for us until after the election, but we have to keep involved,” Mr. Cook said. “It’s got to be a nonpartisan issue.”
Both Mr. Mulligan and Mr. Taylor said the township should find a way to get the community’s story out, a story about residents who are paying more than their fair share. They also said the township should partner with other towns to pass legislation and put pressure on the state.
”We as the residents of the town need to hold our Assembly people responsible,” Mr. Taylor said. “We need to continue pursuing lawsuits and whatever legal actions are available to us.”
One resident asked whether the candidates agreed with the unit density of the Route 130D site, an affordable-housing parcel located between Route 130 and Silvers Lane. All four suggested the site be limited to a maximum of 29 units, as has been the pattern for other affordable housing sites, and Ryan Road not be open to public access.
”Step one is we need to try and stop all COAH development,” Mr. Mulligan said. “I don’t think we need to go out and build a bunch of COAH units right now.”
”We are trying to drag our feet on the build-out of that,” Mr. Cook said. “Time is a part of this equation.”
All the candidates touched on the quality of life for residents surrounding that development as well.
”In Cranbury Estates, I really need to keep those residences and neighborhood intact,” Mr. Taylor said, adding that although adding more units might be financially feasible, township leaders should look at the human element as well. “I think as a Township Committee, we need to make considerations for people.”
”I’ve also seen the site, and I think that the people that live there make a compelling case,” Mr. Johnson said.
As for the township’s regulation baseball field, formerly known as the Babe Ruth field and located on the Wright South property, residents asked how candidates felt about the additional costs associated with its construction and the extended timelines due to some engineering oversights.
Mr. Johnson said he approved of the township’s efforts to ensure there are more regular inspections.
”It’s been a mess but we’re going to end up with a playable field,” he said.
Mr. Cook said although the project had been botched, the township needed to see the construction through and make sure it was finished to specifications.
”Did we need it in the first place that’s debatable,” he said. “One big part of the decision was that the school has use for it as well.”
Mr. Mulligan said he believes the township overspent on the professional services it received considering the outcome of the project thus far.
”We can learn from it, and we can move forward with it,” he said.
Mr. Taylor said he, too, believes the project should be completed, but the township needs to consider expenditures when it comes to additional construction on the field.
”Just get the field up and running,” he said. “We don’t need fancy scoreboards and dugouts.”
