Following Prolonged Discussion, Township Committee Approves Extended Riverfront Plan

The Cranford Township Committee voted to approve at their meeting Tuesday night. The amendment will allow the construction of 21 units at the Riverfront Redevelopment Project, raising the total from 106 to 127. 18 market rate units will be constructed on an additional fourth floor at the development, while three will be used for affordable housing. For this, developer Garden Homes will give Cranford $756,000 in sewer and impact fees.

Commissioner Edward O'Malley, Deputy Mayor Kevin Campbell, and Mayor Dan Aschenbach voted in favor of the resolution, while Commissioner Mark Dugan voted against it. Commissioner David Robinson, though in support of the ordinance, abstained from voting, stating the he would like more time to evaluate the amended plan. 

The resolution was r, who found the amendment to be consistent with the township Master Plan. Mayor Aschenbach stated that the impact fees will be reserved in an infrastructure fund that will be utilized meet some of the impacts of the original 106 units that were approved in 2008. The funds will be put towards lowering the tax rate and necessary township improvements, such as traffic signal and crosswalk upgrades that could cost about $250,000. Aschenbach believed it was, "fiscally irresponsible" to not accept impact fees when the initial 106 were drafted. 

"You can't do a project like this without any extended impact, and that's the concept of an impact fee," he said.

Campbell stated that this marks the first time in Cranford history that the township has accepted money from a developer, and found it prudent to begin collecting impact fees. 

The vote came after a lengthy public hearing, where citizens vocalized their concerns that accepting the impact fees would set a dangerous precedent for the township. Many also believed it was unfair to allot money for improvements on county property, stating that Union County should foot the bill. Residents were most concerned the development would exacerbate Cranford's problematic parking situation, as well as draw more students to already-crowded classrooms.

"Vote no," resident Brooke Sweeney said succinctly. "You'll bring more schoolchildren in, and we don't need it."

Former mayor Bob Puhak and Planning Board member Rita LaBrutto were especially outspoken against the plan, with LaBrutto stating that accepting the impact fees would, "sell out the town."

"We really need to stop the charade," she said. "All municipalities are having problems; deal with it. Anyone can balance a budget by taking money from a developer. It's the wrong direction for the town."

Puhak stated that while he understood the Township Committee's need to move forward, he thought the current plan would draw developers to Cranford for all the wrong reasons. 

"It sets a dangerous precedent against the town's interests...and it goes against the commitment and promise to build transition building heights to the High Street residents adjacent to project," he said. "If the town is willing to sell such assets, it sets a dangerous precedent for developers to line up to buy off other community assets." 

However, other citizens were of the opinion that the additional units would be a great assistance to the townspeople. Township Committee democratic candidate Tom Hannen Jr. thought the amendment would protect taxpayers from funding infrastructure improvements that would otherwise enhance the developer's profits. 

"We're starting to lose some of the focus of what is going to happen this coming year," he said. "There's going to be 106 units whether the Township Committee acts tonight or not. The people that I've talked to don't want to subsidize this developer in that area. They don't want their tax payments to go to enhance the profit of the developer. They would rather the have the developer pay for the improvements that are gonna be necessary whether there's 106 or 121 units."

Resident Bill Montani agreed that the project would generate much-needed retail foot traffic and tax revenue. More importantly, he believed the project would not negatively impact the township as it moves into the future.

"This is really about the future of Cranford," Montani said. "Will the Riverfront Project represent a substantial detriment to the town public good ten years from now? I don't see that it will."