MANALAPAN — The Township Committee has approved a resolution which will end litigation that was filed in state Superior Court by Centex Homes.
The matter concerned the Manalapan Estates residential development on Englishtown Old Bridge Road (Route 527).
At its meeting on Dec. 8, the committee voted 5-0 to execute a settlement agreement with the developer.
According to Township Attorney Roger McLaughlin, Centex Homes will post the required maintenance guarantee with the township and Manalapan will release the builder’s previously posted performance guarantees in connection with Manalapan Estates.
In addition, Centex Homes will grant an open space conservation easement to Manalapan and the parcel provided by the builder will be preserved as open space, McLaughlin told the members of the governing body and the public.
The committee passed a resolution which states that it finds the proposed settlement is in the best interests of the township and its residents.
In other action, the committee members passed a resolution which states the township’s opposition to Senate bill S-818 and Assembly bill A-2095 revising requirements for emergency medical services delivery.
According to the resolution, the poten- tial enactment of the bills into law “will impose unnecessary and burdensome regulatory and financial burdens upon volunteer first aid squads already understaffed and under-funded.”
The resolution states that the bills replace the Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund with the Emergency Medical Services Training Fund and permit the use of the fund by individuals and agencies other than for volunteer ambulance, first aid and rescue squad personnel.
The committee states that the bills will “result in a decline in the number of available volunteer ambulances in the EMS services and increase the financial burden on municipalities and volunteer first aid squads,” among other concerns.
Copies of the resolution that was passed by the committee were forwarded to state officials so that they may consider Manalapan’s position on the matter before voting on the proposed legislation.
In another matter concerning state legislation, the committee passed a resolution asking members of the Legislature to revise Assembly bill A-3447 to enable a sending municipality to secure the right to count the affordable housing units it funded in a regional contribution agreement (RCA) with another municipality against the number of qualifying affordable housing units in the municipality.
New Jersey’s affordable housing regulations are in a state of flux at the moment as legislators debate a bill that could abolish the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).
In addition, a court recently issued a decision which stated that COAH’s third round affordable housing regulations were flawed. The court ordered COAH administrators to rework the council’s third round affordable housing rules.
Manalapan’s resolution states that the municipality transferred $8.15 million to fund the provision of 322 affordable housing units in other municipalities through RCAs and that it wants credit for the creation of affordable housing within its region in accordance with regulations that were in existence at the time the RCAs were entered into.
According to the resolution, A-3447, “as presently written, would deprive the township of the right to count any of these 322 affordable units against satisfaction” of existing standards.
Copies of the resolution that was passed by the committee were forwarded to the governor and to Manalapan’s state Senate and Assembly representatives.