As more and more homes in Woodbridge’s most flood-prone region are purchased and demolished by the state, a plan for the future of the area has emerged.
“It takes us to the next level as we’re nearing the completion of the Blue Acres process,” said John Hagerty, a spokesman for the township.
Administered by the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Blue Acres program helps people move out of areas afflicted by storms and flooding by purchasing their properties at prestorm values.
In the Woodbridge River floodplain area, also known as the Watson Crampton neighborhood, 195 properties were deemed eligible for buyouts and 121 had applied as of May 29. Of the applicants, 72 have accepted offers and closed on deals with the state, according to Heyer, Gruel & Associates, the firm with which the township contracted for the plan.
With about half the demolitions complete and others underway, the changing face of the neighborhood begs the question of its future. The plan, recently completed under the state’s Post Sandy Planning Assistance Grant Program, provides a blueprint for the largely vacated area.
“We’ve hired Rutgers University to help us figure out what to do in the residential zone where properties were demolished, and we also have a plan for the conservancy area, which is going to be left largely in its natural state,” Mayor John McCormac said.
The plan involves the conservation of wetlands in the neighborhood, along with the creation of trails and the expansion of an existing park.
As of now, however, the preserved open space will be dotted with the homes of a handful of holdouts who have not taken advantage of the Blue Acres program. According to McCormac, as it stands, fewer than 10 homes will remain after the Blue Acres demolitions are complete.
“We won’t see the end of the demolitions for the Blue Acres program probably until the end of this year, the beginning of next year,” Hagerty said, adding that township officials are in the process of reaching out to each of the property owners who haven’t taken buyouts, in hopes of getting them on board with the program. Many are renters, and the landlords just don’t have the same concern as the tenants. Several are in foreclosure, and it’s always difficult to figure out who the decision maker is at the bank or the mortgage company,” Mc- Cormac said. “We actually came across one that is for sale but the buyer backed out. I don’t know who in their right mind would buy a house in the conservancy area on purpose.”
Among Heyer, Gruel & Associates’ recommendations in the plan were requirements for homeowners who remain in the neighborhood. One would require the property owners to obtain a certificate of continued occupancy (CCO) if the property is sold, has a change in tenancy or the owner applies for a variance.
In cases where a CCO is required, owners would also be required to raise their home to comply with standards from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — standards the township is in the process of appealing.
In addition, the plan suggests that home- owners required to get a CCO should also have to provide a certification stating that the home’s electrical and mechanical systems, and the structure itself, are free of water damage and mold, and that permits were obtained for any work done there.
“The ‘holdout’ properties may become isolated, nonconforming lots, which will require variance action to rebuild or modify,” the report states, adding that those who rejected the state’s buyout offer would receive no future federal or state assistance if a storm were to strike.
McCormac said the recommendations in the plan are not set in stone, and that officials must first decide whether to pass an ordinance to put them into effect. He added that officials are seeking to meet with the DEP to review the plan.
Still, the mayor stressed that the holdouts may want to reconsider their stance.
“Anybody who is eligible still has a chance,” he said, adding, “People should evaluate what their future is going to look like.”
The plan lays out what the neighborhood’s future will look like, with nature trails recommended along the Woodbridge River and Heards Brook, as well as through meadows and wooded areas that would be restored to their natural state to mitigate the effects of flooding.
Portions of roads in the neighborhood would be vacated or converted to 10-foot wide driveways to provide access to remaining homes and trails.
Access to trails would also extend from East Green Street Park, which the plan recommends expanding and updating to include new equipment and a youth soccer field.
A “hard edge” dividing the open space conservation area from the remainder of the neighborhood, which is largely unaffected by flooding, would be marked by a buffer consisting of native trees and wildflowers.
Along with amending the township’s master plan, changing zoning and passing ordinances to allow for recommended changes, the plan prescribes that officials seek grants for the creation of trails and upgrades to the park.
The plan can be accessed at www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us.