Solar Field Proposed for South Brunswick Landfill Site

South Brunswick, NJ - As Patch reported last week, a plot of land on New Road across the street from Woodlot Park was named a redevelopment zone in a unanimous vote by the South Brunswick Township Council last Tuesday. The property, which is currently an empty field, sits immediately next to what was once used as a landfill.

However, that may not get in the way of redevelopment plans, and that landfill may even be converted into a solar energy field, Patch has learned.

"The owner of the property has proposed to build 120 rental units on the site, with a 20% affordable housing set-aside," said South Brunswick Township spokesman Ron Schmalz. "The project anticipates constructing flats on the ground floor with a two-level townhouse over each flat. Each flat and townhome would have a private, street level entrance. The buildings would not exceed three stories and would house a mix of two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from 700 to 1,350 square feet. The units will not be age-restricted."

"The focus will be on renting to the local working families that often struggle to find affordable housing," he added.

As part of the project, the developer, Robert Stanton, is also proposing to work with the owner of the landfill site next door, Republic Services. One plan is to build a solar field on the former landfill site, with the idea that electricity generated by the solar field would be used to power the proposed 120 units.

"No final decisions have been made as to this or any other properties proposed for development," Schmalz said.

A recent ruling by the NJ Superior Court forces South Brunswick to convert various sites throughout the Township into affordable housing. The court is expected to make some decisions on individual properties sometime this fall, Schmalz said. And any proposed redevelopment plans would have to be approved by the South Brunswick Planning Board.