homes will be allowed
on Institute Street tract
Subdivision of eight
homes will be allowed
on Institute Street tract
By clare marie celano
Staff Writer
The Freehold Borough zoning board has unanimously granted the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity the use variance it needed in order to build a residential development on Insti-tute Street.
The approval will now allow borough resident Ricky White and his family, as well as five other families, a shot at achieving what White referred to as the Amer-ican dream.
The Sept. 24 zoning board meeting brought more than 100 people to Borough Hall. The right side of the room was occupied by Habitat officials, trustees and supporters, easily identified by their signature T-shirts. Those on the left side of the room were residents, many who came to voice their concern that the lifestyle in their quiet neighborhood was in jeopardy.
White came forth to give his total support of the project without question and without reservation. In a brief span of time, White spoke with visible emotion when he asked the board to look favorably on the application proposed by Habitat for Humanity.
In recent months some residents of Institute Street spoke in opposition to the Habitat proposal and an initial vote by the board appeared to have denied the plan.
"I don’t want to come and ruin your neighborhood," White said gently, addressing members of the audience. "There is love here in the town of Freehold. I love this town, and I’m prepared to bring love to Institute Street as well."
Widely known in the borough for his community-minded spirit and actions, including heading up a neighborhood crime-watch program, White said he was hoping for Habitat to give him and his family "an opportunity to have a better place to live."
White said he and his wife, Dawn, and their 20-month-old foster son, Emmanuel, now live on Factory Street in a one-bedroom dwelling. He said the couple want to take Emmanuel’s 5-year-old sister home with them, but in order to do so they must have a home large enough to accommodate the children. If selected to purchase a house built by Habitat for Humanity, White said the couple would be allowed to do this.
"I am looking forward to being there (on Institute Street). I know it has not yet been decided, but I am trusting in faith that I will be one of the people chosen to buy a Habitat home," he said.
White said many people are in need of affordable housing and that having an agency like Habitat is a "beautiful thing."
"I love this town," White said. "I plan to die here. Habitat is doing this from their hearts. Please take this into consideration."
As originally proposed, Habitat for Humanity sought to build 10 homes on a 1.6-acre parcel of land. Attorney Kenneth L. Pape, representing Habitat, said the applicant was seeking a use variance in order to develop the property, which is currently zoned commercial manufacturing, as a residential use.
Habitat for Humanity rehabilitates existing properties and constructs new homes and sells them to working individuals who otherwise might not be able to afford to buy a home. Those who purchase the Habitat homes are required to help build them.
Some residents of Institute Street had voiced concern about the construction of a subdivision on their quiet street. They worried that the project would change the look of their block by creating "cookie cutter" homes on a street with older homes, increase traffic, take away an open field, and that the construction would interfere with the safety and health of their families and devalue their properties.
After an initial denial by the board, the plan was revised. Pape said the homes will be built with different facades, windows and roof lines in order to avoid a look of sameness. In addition, Pape said Habitat would allow several of the homes to be built and sold at market prices, again as a way of varying the look of the development.
Last week, Pape restated his case, giving a review of the application and noting the availability of funds from grants totaling $140,000. The attorney told the board these funds would allow the project to take shape quicker, hopefully in 12 to 15 months as opposed to the 24 months originally planned. He also said the New Jersey Shore Builders Association had promised to "blitz build" two homes on the project, helping Habitat to build the subdivision, "as promised, with alacrity."
"We now have the manpower and the resources to do this in the allotted time," Pape said. "We are no longer constrained by financial difficulties."
Zoning board Chairman Gene Mulroy then opened up the floor to public comment.
Torna-Brown Harris, a member of the zoning board who recused herself for this application, lives on Institute Street. She said she has never objected to the idea of Habitat homes being built on her block.
"Our concern was always the number of lots overall that were being planned. Ten lots is still 10 lots," she said. "I know they are trying to do a humane thing. I only ask the board to consider this right to do something humane and don’t do something inhumane to long-time residents already in place. I ask that the proposal be well thought out. My concern is that nothing of this magnitude has been attempted before."
Patty Kelsey, of Institute Street, said she was worried about the safety of neighborhood children and the impact the new subdivision would have on them.
"I don’t want my street to turn into Main Street," she said.
After a brief break requested by Pape, the attorney returned and said the applicant was prepared to build six Habitat homes and allow homes to be built on the two corner lots and sold at market value.
The reduction in the number of homes (from a total of 10 to eight) made a difference to board member Anne Mackolin, who had voted in June to deny the application.
"This is a tough issue," Mackolin said. "Both the applicant and the residents present a compelling case. The area will be impacted with certain quality of life issues, however, Habitat has worked hard on this application and the reduction in density is a significant factor to me."
Mulroy said he "wrestled with his own emotions over the application."
"I’m uneasy about the impact. But it is good that the applicant has come up with amendments to downsize the subdivision. This is an opportunity to do something meaningful. This is about bringing people together, about reaching out to your neighbor and taking hold," he said.