Letter To The Editor: Summit City Administrator Michael Rogers

SUMMIT, NJ — The following letter to the editor was submitted by Summit City Administrator Michael Rogers.

Conveying community concerns through positive and active relationships with our elected officials is a continuing goal for Summit city administration. We sincerely appreciate the long-term relationships that we build with our elected officials, including Millie Cooper and Al Dill. We thank them for their service and for allowing us to call on them time and time again.

There are several points that are inaccurate and need to be further clarified in a recent Summit Patch Letter to the Editor by Millie Cooper and Al Dill dated May 24, 2022.

First, the redevelopment agreement that is being considered for vote by council in an upcoming meeting is for Subdistrict 3 only. It includes the current firehouse property, 7 Cedar Street, and the Chestnut Street parking lot. Plans for subdistricts 1 and 2 that include the post office and YMCA/library parking lots are still being negotiated and have changed considerably since the preliminary designs were discussed in early 2021. We look forward to sharing the new plans when they are ready as they include more parking and a reduced footprint for commercial space.

Second, redevelopers are revising the subdistrict 3 building design and working to finalize changes to the building based on public feedback provided at council meetings, in email correspondence and during discussions with city officials over the past several months. I believe the new iteration will address some concerns about the scale and design of the building, include a reduction in the number of units being built and an increased number of parking spaces. As soon as it is possible to do so, the city will share this information publicly.

I encourage you to look to the city website for the most up to date and accurate information on the Broad Street West project, and to sign up for notifications from the city on this project and other matters.

Kindest Regards,

Michael Rogers, City Administrator

City of Summit, NJ