The Livingston Township Council held hearings, at its Monday, September 27, meeting, for several ordinances to establish inclusionary development zones for affordable housing. In all, the Council passed four ordinances after final hearings, carried one, and denied another. Residents expressed their concerns with the projects during several of the hearings.The meeting was held virtually and may be viewed on the Livingston Township, NJ Facebook page.Ordinance HeldAn ordinance was carried – after lengthy public comment and deliberation – to amend chapter 170 of the code to establish a new inclusionary development zone, designated as the “R-5L Residence Overlay District” for lots 25 and 26 in tax block 6101. These lots are located on more than three acres of land along Passaic Avenue and Volker Lane. The purpose of this ordinance is to permit inclusionary multi-family residential development of not more than 72 units, including a 20 percent set-aside of affordable units in the district.Inclusionary zoning requires a given share of new construction to be affordable housing. This is an amended ordinance; one had previously been held at several meetings because the township was discussing it with the Fair Share Housing Center, a group focused on finding affordable housing in municipalities by enforcing the Mount Laurel Doctrine.Several residents in close proximity to the area, as well as attorneys representing residents, expressed their displeasure with the ordinance prior to the Council’s vote.Some residents accused the Council of not caring about their needs. Mayor Shawn Klein insisted that was not the case, but rather that the Council has its hands forced by a court ordered mandate. The township reached a settlement agreement with Fair Share Housing at the beginning of the year, agreeing to build affordable housing in certain parts of town rather than fight the matter in court, the result of which may have been even more required housing.Mayor Klein tried to move the R-5L motion to a vote, but nobody seconded it. The motion was instead carried, which also was not seconded. Klein then seconded his own motion to carry the hearing.Township manager Barry Lewis noted that the town will have a compliance hearing in October, where officials must show the court that Livingston is operating in compliance with the settlement agreement they reached with Fair Share Housing or face consequences. The developer of a potential project in this area is expected to force the issue at that hearing if the ordinance ...
