Our Mayor & Borough Council are plunging ahead with a Redevelopment Plan for another massive, 500-unit River Road apartment project that:
- is NOT REQUIRED by affordable housing law; and
- will NOT COUNT toward meeting the Borough’s RDP affordable housing quota!
Why would they do THAT? They offer two justifications, both flimsy.
- First, they’ll tell you a Redevelopment Plan is the only way to “control” what gets built on RIver Road: Absent a Plan, they claim, the property owners can do whatever they want. That’s nonsense.
All Chatham property is subject to countless federal, state, and local laws and regulations. A Plan would actually make matters worse by providing for at least 500 rental apartments to satisfy setaside rquirements.
- Second, they’ll tell you that with a Redevelopment Plan they can make the developer throw in some public goodies – such as a free riverside park. More nonsense.
Nothing is free. Whether or not the Mayor & Council manage to negotiate for any decent public benefits whatsoever, the rest of us will pay dearly in the form of a stealth tax increase triggered by the corporate welfare PILOT tax exemption the developer will demand and get, just as happened at the Ivy project.
The good news is that there’s still time to change all that.
Tell the Mayor & Council to put this project on ice until they’ve done their homework and considered their options.
Or better yet, shelve this massive Redevelopment project. Concentrate on urgent matters, like finding a way to meet the Borough’s affordable housing obligations without overwhelming our roads and schools, depleting our water supply, polluting our environment, or cheating taxpayers.
Context: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/letters-to-the-editor/articles/blind-faith
Stealth tax: https://chathamchoice.org/2024/10/a-slick-infomercial-for-corporate-welfare/
What about our water supply? https://chathamchoice.org/2024/11/water-water-everywhere/
My belief is that the truth lies in the middle. While there are a lot of regulations, “builders remedy” for affordable housing allows for many to be set aside. It’s absolutely correct that no developer can “do what they want.” I think the Ivy is horrid. I have no idea whether the administration saved us from something worse, or sold us out. I think they helped us but I understand the reaction. They should be more communicative
Thank you for this thoughtful comment. True, this isn’t a simple issue. But the question isn’t “whether the administration… sold us out.” The question is whether the Mayor & Council should now weigh alternatives and do their due diligence before making any major decisions about the long term future of our town. The obvious answer is YES!