Council Votes 'No' to Special Redevelopment Planner

Council President Randi Duffie put a motion on the table to appoint a special planner to focus solely on the Brookchester property and any other large planning applications.

The motion came about during Monday's Mayor and Council work session while discussing Joseph Brunetti's tentative proposal to rehabilitate 750 units in his Brookchester Apartment complex and, in doing so, take on New Milford's entire COAH obligation. (COAH's indeterminate state has municipalities scratching their heads about where their obligations currently stand.)   

Duffie suggested that a project this large should be analyzed by an "independent special redevelopment planner" and recommended Kauker and Kauker, a planning firm that had previously represented the borough, and not use the borough's current planner, Paul Grygiel of the firm Phillips Preiss and Grygiel.

According to Duffie, Kauker and Kauker is the best choice because they have knowledge of New Milford's master plan and zoning.

Stating that New Milford is at a "crossroads" Duffie said, "...to ensure the longterm economic health of the borough, an endeavor of this size calls for an independent special redevelopment planner."

Duffie recommended that the independent planner do a fiscal impact analysis. The purpose of a fiscal impact analysis is to estimate the impact of a development or a land use change on the government and the services it provides. The analysis enables local governments to estimate the difference between the costs of providing services to a new development and the revenues—taxes and user fees—that will be generated by the development. 

Subrizi raised the issue that the services of both the borough planner, Grygiel, and any appointed special planner, would overlap. "And then we're paying for two planners," she said. Instead, Subrizi supported Grygiel as the the borough's sole planner.

Duffie's motion was defeated by the Mayor's tie-breaking vote. Duffie, Grant and Putrino voted 'yes' while Robalino, Colucci and Ashley voted 'no.'

Follow New Milford Patch on Facebook and Twitter. Click here to sign-up for our daily newsletter and get local news like this delivered to your in-box.