The board approved the application during the March 3 meeting. Mission First has agreed to purchase the property, renovate it and create 48 affordable housing units for seniors.
by Amy Batista, Special Writer
BORDENTOWN CITY — The Planning Board approved an amended preliminary and final site plan for a minor subdivision of Ocean Spray property to be used for affordable housing for seniors.
The board approved the application during the March 3 meeting. Mission First has agreed to purchase the property, renovate it and create 48 affordable housing units for seniors.
”The city will be conveying title to Mission First for the portions of the property for expansion of the existing structure once the city has finalized the land swap with Ocean Spray,” said Planning Board Chairman Nicholas Casey.
Ronald Morgan, solicitor on behalf of the city, took a few minutes to provide some background and update the board on the application.
”Ocean Spray has currently agreed to convey Spring Street Park to the city,” said Mr. Morgan. “In an effort to facilitate the redevelopment of the old Eagle Shirt factory and also to create affordable housing to satisfy our affordable housing obligation we declared the area in need of redevelopment.”
The portion site included in the approved application is a 1.42-acre property at the intersection of Ann Street and Spring Street. The use of the existing building is a vacant manufacturing facility, according to the application.
A variance was required because such housing – 43 senior and 5 special needs units – are not allowed in residential zoning, said Patrick McAndrew, attorney for the applicant.
Mr. McAndrew noted that since last year they have “tweaked” the building because those variances have changed.
Originally 63 parking spaces were approved for the application, though the applicant subsequently proposed a total 76 parking spaces, 33 of which are in a paved lot and 43 of which are in a gravel lot including two that will be paved since they are handicapped accessible spaces.
Board member Crayle Green questioned the amount of parking spots that were going to be allotted to each resident, noting that it came out to less than two parking spaces available per resident.
”The demand is much less than for a family,” replied Lena Balorda-Barone, a professional engineer and a senior associate with Maser Consulting, adding that a traffic consultant justified the number at a previous meeting.
Ray Liotta, a licensed planner, who testified on behalf of Maser Consulting, addressed the positives and negative criteria of the variances.
”We are also promoting the reconstruction or renovation of a historic building so we’re supporting a whole handful of things that are in your Master Plan and your ordinance as well,” said Mr. Liotta. “In terms of the negative criteria, we talked about the fact that the lot is split-zoned. The front half of the lot is a residential zone and the rear half is in a non-residential and commercial zone.”
Mr. Liotta noted that it creates “goofy side yard depth issues.”
”What this revision did by adding this additional area has lessened almost all of the bulk variances that was previously hampered,” Mr. Liotta said. “For the most part the variances are decreased in terms of their intensity. We have all very positive effects on this property by the change.”
The issue of storm water management was also addressed.
One of the conditions of approval was a local contribution of 5 percent of the project, which can be municipal, county or a combination of both, Mr. Morgan said, who instead proposed that the City dedicate the baseball field parking lot and fee to Mission First so they will own both parking lots. This would “increase the value of the local contribution.”
”Take back in exchange a cross easement for access and for parking that’s what this accomplishes,” Mr. Morgan said, adding this would remove the “lot line that separates the two parking lots.”
Mission First will own the title to the parking lots but the public will still have use of the facility.
”In fact there will be a 30-year payment in lieu of taxes in lieu of standard taxation,” Mr. Morgan said.
Representatives of the applicant said they hope to begin construction at the end of May or beginning of June with an expected build time of between 10 and 12 months.
Mayor Joseph Malone was excused from the discussion.