By: Cara Latham
WASHINGTON The Township Council voted unanimously July 12 to declare the area known as Gateway South Phase I on Route 130 as an area in need of redevelopment.
Some business owners in the affected area said they didn’t know about the declaration until this week, but still said they were worried about the future of their properties.
In May, the Planning Board approved the report that recommended the Gateway which comprises about 40 acres was in need of redevelopment, based on a study done by Township Planner Abbe Kooper, who presented photos to the board of parts of the 15 parcels along Robbinsville-Allentown Road and Route 130 near the border of Hamilton. She said the properties, which have several different owners, are in disrepair, severely deteriorated and a threat to public safety.
The council held off on voting on a formal declaration while it made sure its records were as complete as possible, in the wake of a recent state Supreme Court decision on municipal development. That decision, regarding a development issue in Paulsboro, stated that redevelopment records must be more thorough to fully explain why a particular parcel is in need of redevelopment, and that there must be substantial evidence of blight, not only the net opinion of one expert.
The court had concluded that Paulsboro did not have enough evidence to prove that a particular parcel of land wasn’t fully productive and reversed the designation of the borough’s redevelopment declaration for the parcel.
But after meeting with its lawyers, the township decided last month it wasn’t going back to the Planning Board at all.
The Township Council’s July 12 action now heads to the state Department of Community Affairs, where the DCA will have 30 days to respond.
"If they don’t do anything, it’s automatically accepted, which is the typical outcome," Township Administrator Mary Caffrey said Friday. The DCA could also seek changes to the declaration or reject it, but they would have to notify the township within 30 days, she said.
In the meantime, "we would start the process of securing the services of a planner, interviewing property owners and try to work with them in developing a plan," Ms. Caffrey said. "The planner would report back to the council with a plan, and there would be public hearing associated with that."
Dan Gallic a real estate development consultant with Warren HOV Consulting in Warren was hired during the meeting as the township’s Economic Development Coordinator, effective July 1 through Dec. 31, 2007. Mr. Gallic, who will be paid $35,655.92, was also introduce during the meeting. He told the council during a presentation that he expected that he, along with the township’s engineer and planner, will complete their research into the possible uses for the property as early as October.
Mr. Gallic, that a developer may not need to acquire every property in the redevelopment area in order to complete the plan.
"A partnership with the current property owners may be negotiated or a property owner may decide to improve the property according to the approved plan, and thus, avoid the necessity of selling their property," he said.
Pat Tammaro, who, along with his brothers Anthony and Lewis, owns about 32.5 acres along Route 130 and Route 526, said Monday he was told by Mr. Gallic before the meeting that the process is going to be well-planned, well thought-out and well-executed. He also said Mr. Gallic told him redevelopment would occur sooner with the township at the helm, as opposed to if it was being done privately.
While Mr. Tammaro said he has waited for about three years for his property to be redeveloped and that he is happy to see it finally move along, he wants to see a senior housing component for that plan. And he also worries what will happen to his property value under a township plan.
Mr. Tammaro said he has been working with his own developer to come up with plans for the property, which include commercial and senior housing a plan he said will bring $1 million in ratables to the township without adding more students tot he school district.
But the township has said it wants the property to be used for commercial uses only.
"My developer has put together a beautiful plan, but it’s something they don’t want," he said. "He (Mr. Gallic) tried to assure me that my value would be increased due to this overall plan, but then again, it remains to be seen."
The area’s business owners have voiced their concerns about the redevelopment of their properties, saying that they would be forced from their businesses, perhaps even through eminent domain. Township officials have said they would only use eminent domain as a last resort.
