Rezoning of United Water Property on Agenda for Wednesday's Mayor & Council Meeting

With the Planning Board gearing up for its 10-year review of the town's master plan, talk of rezoning is on the agenda for Wednesday's Mayor and Council meeting.  

According to the agenda, the Mayor and Council will be discussing the rezoning of the United Water property in both their work session that begins at 7 p.m. in the second floor conference room of Borough Hall, and also during the Public Meeting that begins at 7:45 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Additionally, Zoning Board attorney Scott Sproviero is scheduled to attend a closed session meeting with the Mayor and Council regarding potential litigation of the United Water property. Because it is a closed session matter, what that potential litigation entails has not been disclosed to the public.  

Talk of rezoning the property is not new. In May 2012, the Mayor and Council authorized the Borough Planner, Paul Grygiel, to draft a rezoning study of the United Water property which he presented in June.

In calling for the rezoning study, Mayor Ann Subrizi specifically asked the planner to address the location of New Milford's affordable housing requirement under COAH (Council On Affordable Housing) that the 2004 Master Plan rested solely on the United Water property.

Placing affordable housing on that property is the crux of the developer's argument before the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Dr. David Kinsey, Hekemian's expert planner, has cited that the affordable housing component in the proposed residential development constitutes an "inherently beneficial use" and therefore, a "D" variance should be granted.

Through the study, Subrizi wanted also wanted to determine if the Mayor and Council could rezone the property and come to a "less intensive use" that would better suit the character of the town. 

In September SOD organized a protest march from the United Water property to Borough Hall calling for the Mayor and Council not to rezone the property. Over 100 residents, many with children, some with bullhorns, packed the sidewalk in front of Borough Hall on River Road holding signs asking the Mayor and Council to join them in their fight to keep the United Water property as open space and agree to hold off on rezoning it until the application has run its course through the Zoning Board.

No vote was ever taken by the Mayor and Council on whether or not to move forward with the rezoning study examining the option of less intensive use of the United Water property.

Also on the agenda is the presentation by representatives of Joseph Brunetti for renovating and adding approximately 400 three or four-story units to the Brookchester Garden Apartment Complex, and potentially taking on the Borough's third round COAH requirement of 14 affordable housing units.

Wednesday's Mayor and Council meeting begins with a work session in the second floor conference room at Borough Hall at 7 p.m. followed by the Public Session at 7:45 in the first floor Council Chambers. The public is invited to attend the open session of the work session.

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