Long Valley’s Historic Areas May Be Classified ‘In Need Of Rehab'

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Three historic districts in Washington Township are being looked at as possibilities to make them areas “in need of rehabilitation.”

The process to do so for the Middle Valley, German Valley and Schooley’s Mountain Historic Districts, Washington Township Mayor Matt Murello explained in his recent “Mayor’s Update” and the recent resolution up for approval, were first steps for potential tax abatements “for improvements to buildings in the historic districts that are done in accordance with historic preservation standards.”

According to the resolution, these three historic districts are included in a study area which the Planning Board would then next review, giving back its recommendations and modifications to the resolution, before these areas are classified in need of rehabilitation.

Under New Jersey’s Redevelopment Law and per the resolution, historic areas could be deemed in need of rehabilitation if a portion of structures are considered “deteriorated or substandard,” if over half of the homes in the section are minimally 50 years old, if there are underutilized properties in the area, if there is a prevalence of property owners who are behind in their tax payments, if environmental contamination is preventing improvements to the properties or water and sewer infrastructure is minimally 50 years old.

The resolution stated that Washington Township Tax Assessor Jacqueline Cardini performed a study of the three historic districts and found that over half of the homes in all three were more than 50 years old, with a rehabilitation program “expected to prevent further deterioration and to promote the overall development of the township in accordance with the requirements of Section 14 of the Redevelopment Law.”

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