Snuff mill housing plan hearing resumes next week

HELMETTA — After a six-month delay, the borough Planning Board will continue hearing Kaplan at Helmetta’s application for the former Helme Snuff Mill property next week.

The plan, which calls for 200 non-agerestricted one- and two-bedroom residences, will be heard at 7 p.m. June 13 at St. George’s Church hall, 56 Main St.

The venue is larger than the Helmetta municipal courtroom, which residents packed for the prior two hearings, in December and January.

The Planning Board approved the housing project last July, ending a lawsuit from Kaplan, which sought to have the age restrictions removed from the plan that was previously approved. The board then chose to rehear the plan after Spotswood filed its lawsuit, charging that Helmetta failed to conduct public fairness hearings, did not satisfy requirements for the removal of age restrictions, and made procedural errors in approving the legal settlement with Kaplan.

The board began rehearing the application in December, with initial discussion centering on the recreation facilities to be created at the site. The Spotswood lawsuit claims the property does not meet the statutory recreation requirements for conversion. Jason Kaplan, president of the development company, said that the proposed 3,000- square-foot clubhouse, reduced by 2,000 square feet from the original age-restricted proposal, is consistent with that of similar developments in the area. There would also be a swimming pool on the site, he said. Though not in the plans, Kaplan said his company would be able to build a 2,000- square-foot playground area if the Planning Board decides it is needed.

In January, the board heard a night of testimony and tense words over the impact the new residences would have on the Spotswood school district. A demographer hired by Spotswood said his analysis shows 66 students will come into the school system, which the two towns share, as a result of the Kaplan development. Sixty-six students would cost $917,034 to educate, Spotswood school officials said. And because Kaplan would pay Helmetta an annual Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) of at least $275,000 a year, Spotswood officials said it would be up to the existing taxpayers of Spotswood and Helmetta to pay for these students’ education.

But Planning Board Attorney James F. Clarkin III said the demographic analysis and the accompanying testimony had little relevancy to the zoning and planning issues of the case. Further, Helmetta Borough Planner Terence Vogt said his analysis shows that about 30 children would be expected to enter the school district through the Kaplan development.

The issue is rooted in the consolidation of the two school districts, which the state forced in 2009. Previously, Helmetta had its own Board of Education and school budget, and paid tuition to Spotswood to send its students there. Now, residents pay school taxes into the regional school district, with the school tax rate for each town determined by its equalized valuation.

Spotswood council President Curt Stollen said the current arrangement is subject to change.

“I can assure you as I speak that legislation is being written and will be proposed to address the shortcomings of our forced merger, and the attempt of elected officials of one community to pass on their expenses to another,” he said. “We are working hard in Spotswood with our state legislators to minimize the damage on our side.”