Tag Archives: Chatham Borough

Protect Chatham’s Central Park!

Master Plan, , ,

We all love our Memorial Park, the green stretch behind our library, with its playground, pool, benches, lawn, and ball field, lined with big trees.

But now our Park is threatened by a Borough Council plan to sacrifice the green, vacant lot right next door – which the Borough bought for recreation – to build four apartments and a parking lot. 

Here’s how that Borough-owned lot next to the ball field looks now:

Here’s what the Borough Council aims to build there asap:

Screenshot

Will that project pay property taxes to the Borough? No. It’s tax exempt.

That plan will also allow construction of 223 new apartments on the east end of Main Street, backing up traffic and  jeopardizing the water supply in a wellhead protection zone that also includes Summit and Millburn.

What’s worse, despite having had at least fifteen months to come up with alternatives, our Mayor & Council never considered any. They left it to the last n minute and dropped it on the Planning Board, hallf of which knows this is wrong, but may be steamrolled vor lack of a handy alternative.

Now the proponents of this nightmare simply insist that that Plan was the only way to meet a June 30 deadline set by state law. 

That’s pure nonsense. NJ law does not require the Borough to make any such sacrifices.

And yet, that’s exactly what the Planning Board will do on June 18th unless you act now:

  • Drop everything right now and tell your elected officials NOT to sacrifices scarce Borough-owned recreation space but to meet the June 30 deadline while preserving the chance to vet a menu of alternatives at public meetings, before the Borough is locked into final choices: 

cdempsey@chathamborough.org            jmathiasen@chathamborough.org

kkoronkiewicz@chathamborough.org    itreloar@chathamborough.org

jstrickland@chathamborough.org   bhargrove@chathamborough.org

khay@chathamborough.org   mayorcouncil@chathamborough.org

  • Bring family, friends & neighbors to the Planning Board meeting, Wednesday, June 18th, 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Ave. Bring everyone, regardless of residence or age. (Use the north entrance. Take the elevator to the upper level.)
  • Write the Planning Board via Facebook or c/o Clerk, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue:

Thomas Belding         Sophia Calcaterra-Hull         Susan Favate                William Heap  

Susie Robertson          Matthew Wagner                   Jonathan Wilcox          Gregory Xikes

For background, sources, hot links, and news, please visit ChathamChoice.org

Would you pave paradise and put up a parking lot?

Master Plan, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

(Let’s hope our Planning Board won’t!)

NJ law requires every town to provide for affordable housing. Chatham Borough does that.

NJ law does NOT require the Borough to pave over the green, wooded, Borough-owned, .3-acre, vacant lot at 58 North Passaic, right next to our Memorial Park, for a parking lot and four apartments, nor to impose an overlay zone allowing 220 more apartments on the east end of Main Street without having considered any alternatives.

Screenshot

But that’s what the Planning Board is going to do on June 18th unless you act now:  

  • Tell your elected representatives mayorcouncil@chathamborough.org and Planning Board that we want to meet the June 30th deadline while preserving the chance to vet a broad menu of alternative, at  public meetings, before the Borough is locked into final choices. Write:

Thomas Belding    Sophia Calcaterra-Hull   Susan Favate       William Heap  Susie Robertson    Matthew Wagner      Jonathan Wilcox       Gregory Xikes

Facebook or c/o Clerk, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue, Chatham, NJ, 07928 

  • Attend the Environmental Commission meeting to ask them to call for an chance to consider alternatives that would preserve the vacant, Borough-owned land: Wednesday, June 11th, 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Ave. (Take the elevator to upper level, Room 301.) 
  • Ask the Shade Tree Commission to call for alternatives that would preserve precious, mature, Borough-owned trees: shadetree@chathamborough.org
  • Ask the Recreation Advisory Committee to call for preserving the vacant lot for recreation as originally intended when the Borough bought it in the 1980s: Suzanne Jenks c/o Clerk, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Ave., Chatham, NJ.

For background, sources, and news please visit ChathamChoice.org

Myth vs. Reality

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Hearing conflicting claims about affordable housing? Like to separate the facts from spin & fiction?

Free ice cream at Scoops, a slice at Bucky’s, or coffee at Fleur de Sel for the first person who can find a factual error in the following post.

MYTH: Chatham Borough has a history of shirking its affordable housing obligations! 

REALITY: Not so. The Borough has met its affordable housing quotas so far.

MYTH: Before June 30, Chatham must agree to build affordable housing on the green, woodsy, vacant, Borough-owned lot at 58 N. Passaic, right next to Memorial Park, or else the Borough will risk lawsuits that would destroy the town! 

REALITY: Not so.  Like virtually all other NJ municipalities, Chatham Borough has until the end of June to revise the Housing Element of its Master Plan to meet a new quota, but the Borough is NOT required to build anything on that particular green, woodsy, vacant, Borough-owned lot right next to Memorial Park, and the Borough cannot be held liable for declining to let a developer build there.

MYTH: The Planning Board must have had a good reason for choosing to develop that green, woodsy, vacant, Borough-owned lot right next to Memorial Park!

REALITY: No, the Planning Board did NOT select that lot for development. Only a few political bosses even heard about it before May 7, when a non-resident expert told the Planning Board about a proposal to change Borough policy by changing the Housing Element of the Master Plan, an amendment they won’t see until at least June 6, but will be steamrolled into adopting on June 18. Start approx. 46:00 here: https://chathamborough.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=368

MYTH: The Borough Council must have had a good reason for choosing to develop that green, vacant, Borough-owned lot right next to Memorial Park! 

REALITY: The Council did NOT vote to select that lot for development. Half the Council never heard about it until a few days before the Planning Board first heard about it on May 7. The Council never even mentioned it in public until the May 12 Council meeting, when residents started asking questions. The Mayor said they couldn’t talk about it, but the reason, if any, was not clear. If the Council can’t discuss a change in Borough policy, who can?

MYTH: There must be some explanation. Nobody would sacrifice a green, wooded, vacant, Borough-owned lot right next to Memorial Park without having determined that it was the best – or only feasible – option. 

REALITY: So far nobody’s shown any evidence that anybody considered any alternatives before targeting that green, woodsy, vacant, Borough-owned lot right next to Memorial Park. The expert who presented the idea to the Planning Board said essentially, we owned that lot, and the developer wanted it, so we made a deal. Start approx. 1:09:00 here: https://chathamborough.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=368

MYTH: The Environmental & Shade Tree Commissions must have approved targeting for development this green, woodsy, vacant, Borough-owned location right next to Memorial Park!

REALITY: No, neither Commission was even consulted. The Environmental Commission members who aren’t also political bosses didn’t hear about it until residents broke the news to them at the May 14 meeting. The only person on the Shade Tree Commission who knew about it was Council member Karen Korenkiewicz, who kept mum about it until a resident shocked the Shade Tree Commission with the news at its May 22 meeting.

MYTH: This wasn’t a secret, back-room deal, so there must be some record as to who chose that green, woodsy, vacant, Borough-owned lot and why!

REALITY: On May 7th the expert told the Planning Board the proposal was the work of a certain “advisory committee.” But the committee she credited with developing the proposal has NO public meetings, NO agendas, NO minutes, and takes NO public input. It isn’t even on the list of advisory committees on the Borough website as of yesterday.

MYTH:  They’re going to do what they’re going to do. You can’t make any difference! 

REALITY: Yes you can make a difference. You did it with the rolling reassessment, the peddler curfew, Post Office plaza, and the Middle School Arts Center. You can do it again. Our local leaders tend to consider their actions far more carefully when faced with strong public interest in an issue.

So whatever your views:

  • Talk to friends on the Council, Planning & Zoning Boards, and the Environmental & Shade Tree Commissions.
  • Write mayorcouncil@chathamborough.org and shadetree@chathamborough.org. 
  • Attend or Zoom the Council meeting on Tuesday, 5/27/25 and Planning Board meeting on 6/4/25, both at 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue, upper level.
  • Encourage everyone you know to do the same.

Who did this?

Master Plan, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Who is responsible for the Master Plan amendment our Planning Board won’t see until June 6, but is under pressure to adopt on June 18, setting Borough housing policy for the next ten years?

Why did our Borough Council let someone concoct such a plan 100% behind closed doors, without any public input?

Why does that plan include developing a vacant, green, woodsy, Borough-owned lot right next to Memorial Park?

58 N. Passaic Avenue

Was it ok for our Borough Council to skip presenting that plan in public, skip voting on it, skip running it by the Shade Tree Commission or Environmental Commission, and instead simply pay a hired planner to present a summary to our Planning Board?

Did the Council have an obligation to explain, release, or disclose the actual plan BEFORE turning it over to the Planning Board?

Did having the planner tell the Planning Board about the plan really muzzle the Borough Council as claimed?

Is the Planning Board required to approve the plan, which it won’t even see until at least June 6?

If the Planning Board is required to rubber stamp the never-before-seen plan, which the Council has never voted on or even discussed in public, then who is responsible for the policy decisions that will guide local decision making for the next ten years?

Why does the Council President say answering questions like that would expose her to “legal risk”?

Ask her: Jmathiasen@chathamborough.org

Ok with you if the Planning Board votes to develop that green, vacant, Borough-owned lot right next to the park without having justified or explained that choice?

Share your views:

mayorcouncil@chathamborough.org

shadetree@chathamborough.org

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/sections/government/articles/chatham-residents-question-green-space-borough-land-being-used-on-north-passaic-for-affordable-housing-without-public-input

Do you approve?

Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

UPDATE: There’s ONE more Council meeting before the political bosses steamroll our Planning Board into approving the sacrifice of the vacant, green, Borough-owned lot at 58 N. Passaic! ONE last chance to talk the Council off this ledge! That chance is TUESDAY, May 27, 2025, 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Main Street, upper level. (It’s set to start at 6:30 pm, but probably will be open to the public at approx. 7:30 pm.)

Great turnout at the May 12th Borough Council meeting. People showed up to hear and talk about the proposal to sacrifice this precious, Borough-owned, open, green lot at 58 North Passaic (just north of Memorial Field) to build an apartment project.

Check out the story in TapintoChatham:

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/articles/chatham-residents-question-green-space-borough-land-being-used-on-north-passaic-for-affordable-housing-without-public-input?fbclid=IwY2xjawKWOZpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFoUFV1elBBREdZV200TklTAR7H1OwNaoalfFnXUku5LqfT1SPIVqHTT-ePzAfum9shh3TIm_F5lyhHNwG8Hw_aem_aHeuQxmGzpt2GWOu7d2sBA

But who came up with this whole scheme? Who chose these particular sites? What else did they consider?

Why would they choose to develop this green, vacant, Borough-owned lot, right next to Memorial Field?

Why not put that apartment project at a better location, preferably on a lot that’s already developed?

Why didn’t we have a chance to weigh in on the decision? Why can’t we see the actual proposal until June 6? Why didn’t we even hear about it until May 4, more than a year after the new law kicked in?

Unless you can talk some sense into our leaders WELL BEFORE JUNE 18, they will do away with that little green space on North Passaic forever.

Last good chance to make a difference is the Council meeting on May 27th, 7:30 pm, at Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue.

If you can’t attend that meeting in person, then do it on Zoom. https://www.chathamborough.org

And ASAP send emails to:

Cdempsey@chathamborough.org

Jmathiasen@chathamborough.org

Kkoronkiewicz@chathamborough.org

Itreloar@chathamborough.org

Jstrickland@chathamborough.org

Bhargrove@chathamborough.org

Khay@chathamborough.org

Who is your master?

Master Plan, Redevelopment, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ever notice that each NJ town has its own unique character?

One reason is that each town is protected by a local Master Plan, created by residents to guide local officials in big decisions.

When asked to adopt a new regulation or grant a special exemption from zoning laws, our leaders must consider if what’s proposed is consistent with the Master Plan. If not, they must vote it down.

Changing the Master Plan can be done only by the local Planning Board, which is made up only of residents and must follow a transparent process. They review the Master Plan, discuss and air proposed changes at public meetings, take questions and comments from residents, and make decisions in public.

Unfortunately, that isn’t what’s happening now in Chatham Borough.https://chathamchoice.org/2025/05/the-secret-plan/

Essentially, our Planning Board is getting railroaded. https://chathamborough.org/boards/planning

At the Wednesday, May 7 meeting – the Board’s first since January – members learned about a major change in the Master Plan’s Fair Share & Housing Element, which was crafted behind closed doors by a special 8-member advisory committee that includes four non-residents and does not answer to the public. https://www.chathamborough.org/boards/advisory/235-affordable-housing

At that May 7 meeting, Planning Board members were told that they need to approve that major change in the Master Plan at the Planning Board meeting, on June 18. (You can see that at approx. 1:07:00 in this video: https://chathamborough.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=368)

The only hearing scheduled to give residents chance to ask questions or tell the Planning Board what they think of the changes is at the same June 18 meeting where the Planning Board must vote to approve those changes.

That puts our Planning Board in a tight spot. Or rather, it’s a tight spot for the rank and file members, who who aren’t also Mayor, or married to the boss of the dominant party, or members of the elite committee that drafted the changes behind closed doors.

But what options do the rank and file Planning Board members really have?

Should they stand up for the right of residents to participate in the process, and risk not being reappointed to the Board by the Mayor?

Or should they go along to get along, and hope for other opportunities to protect Chatham Borough?

That’s the easy way out, but if they take it, they will have lost control of one of the most important parts of our Master Plan.

It’s time for the Planning Board to do right by residents and stand up for itself. Refuse to be bullied into approving a Housing Element they had no role in crafting. Demand a chance to do their job, and weigh alternatives.

Your opportunity to ask or weigh in about any of that at a public meeting – before it’s too late to make any difference – will be at the Council meeting this Monday, May 12, 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue, upper level.

Please keep in mind that you need not say a word. You can make a difference simply by attending that meeting.

In response to the uproar over this situation, today the Mayor posted the PowerPoint presentation shown at the May 7 Planning Board meeting and put the Housing Element issue on the Council’s agenda for Monday night. https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/chathamborough/ebc8857c-bc91-11ef-ab4b-005056a89546-21f92362-28af-4727-9270-fd5a12163dfa-1746813852.pdf

The secret plan

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Have you heard about the Borough’s proposed affordable housing plan for 2025-2035? The Planning Board heard about it last night.

They’re going to vote on it on June 18, and after that it will be the heart of our Master Plan for the next ten years.

Of course, Borough residents and other taxpayers will have to pay for it in taxes, traffic, and quality of life, but you aren’t allowed to actually SEE the plan until June 6, nearly a month away.

And after that, you won’t have a chance to ask questions or comment until the June 18 meeting where the Planning Board votes to adopt the new plan.

Your only real chance to ask questions or comment before then is at the Council meeting this Monday May 12th, 7:30 pm, Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue.

eCourts Civil Case JacketDownload

You’ve been warned

Main Street, Redevelopment, River Road, , , , , , , ,

You first heard about the Ivy on River Road and the new building on Main Street too late to make your opinion count?

Love it or hate it, the time to weigh in is BEFORE they break ground.

Consider the NEXT two big decisions facing Chatham Borough:

First, how will the Borough satisfy its affordable housing quota (RDP) for the next ten years?

That’s something the Planning Board must decide before the end of June. So far they haven’t let us in on their thinking.

What are the options? What do they have in mind? How many new apartments can we expect? Where might they be built? What will they cost us in higher taxes, more traffic & environmental issues, and lower quality of life?

https://www.chathamborough.org/resident/calendar/mayor-council-meeting-23-1745879400

Second, what about the Council’s upcoming Redevelopment Plan for River Road, a 500-unit project, TWICE the size of the Ivy, and almost certainly property tax-free?

https://chathamchoice.org/2025/02/things-fall-apart/

Why would the Mayor & Council pursue such a thing, knowing the project is NOT needed to satisfy the Borough’s RDP affordable housing quota and would NOT count toward the quota?

Of course the project would enrich the lucky redevelopers, but would it benefit Borough residents in any way? If so, how exactly?

If you care about the future of your hometown, you will start asking those questions before it’s too late, or at least observe a meeting to show you care.

Go to the Council meeting at 7:30 pm this Monday, April 28 at Borough Hall, 54 Fairmount Avenue, upper level. You need not speak or even stay to the end.

https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/chathamborough/ebc52815-bc91-11ef-ab4b-005056a89546-87c420e4-d6a2-4396-b701-70ff66871099-1745605307.pdf

Can’t be there in person even for 15 minutes? It’s easy to Zoom in and watch: https://www.chathamborough.org/resident/calendar/mayor-council-meeting-23-1745879400

Email the Mayor & Council:

Cdempsey@chathamborough.org

Jmathiasen@chathamborough.org

Kkoronkiewicz@chathamborough.org

Itreloar@chathamborough.org

Jstrickland@chathamborough.org

Bhargrove@chathamborough.org

Khay@chathamborough.org

Get the facts, so you can decide for yourself.

Your right to know

Redevelopment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

This Monday evening, the Mayor & Borough Council will meet behind closed doors to discuss “Redevelopment-Contract Negotiations.”

(https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/chathamborough/ebbe4a2a-bc91-11ef-ab4b-005056a89546-21f92362-28af-4727-9270-fd5a12163dfa-1742576748.pdf)

But WHAT “Redevelopment Contract” are they talking about?

Are they looking to renegotiate the Borough’s longstanding deal with the Ivy? Or the 15-unit project they agreed to build at Post Office Plaza back in 2022?

Surely the Mayor & Council are not jumping the gun on the 500-rental apartment River Road Plan that we haven’t even SEEN yet, right?  https://chathamchoice.org/2025/02/things-fall-apart/

Ask them! If you can’t ask them at the meeting (linked above) then ask them in an e-mail addressed to:

Cdempsey@chathamborough.org

Jmathiasen@chathamborough.org

Kkoronkiewicz@chathamborough.org

Itreloar@chathamborough.org

Jstrickland@chathamborough.org

Bhargrove@chathamborough.org

Khay@chathamborough.org

Get the facts, so you can decide for yourself.

Things fall apart

Redevelopment, River Road, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

Last November 11, our Borough Council commissioned a draft Redevelopment Plan for a massive, 500-unit apartment project on River Road, next to the huge, 245-unit Ivy complex.

https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2972429/RESOLUTION__24-333_AUTHORIZING_DMR_TO_PREPARE__A_DRAFT_REDEVELOPMENT_PLAN.pdf

Since then, it’s come to light that the new project would be risky for Chatham Borough in at least seven ways, as follows:

First, this new River Road project is NOT required by affordable housing law, and it would NOT help fulfill the Borough’s new Fourth Round affordable housing RDP quota for 2025-2035 either.

The new apartments would be in addition to the Borough’s 2025-2035 affordable housing quota, which the Council must figure out how to satisfy before the end of this June 2025.

Go to minute 1:31:00 here: https://chathamborough.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=197

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/letters-to-the-editor/articles/blind-faith

Second, the alleged risk associated with NOT adopting that 500-apartment Redevelopment Plan for River Road is imaginary.

Our Council President insists that, absent the new Plan, current zoning allows private property owners to develop up to 707 new apartments on River Road and the Borough would have NO say in the matter. That sounds scary, but where is the evidence?

https://patch.com/new-jersey/chatham/borough-supporting-another-massive-development-river-road-nodx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3WyQLIJjRrA656yOFZhCsqROaE5baV9gYZ9WzT4wwfflvk8LfY5WYe4j0_aem_POd3z1AP3xU68-EadQWMWw

In fact, about 40% of the Redevelopment Area (and more than 50% of the Gateway 1 district) is Borough-owned. Would-be developers can’t touch it without the Council’s consent.

DRAFT Gateway Analysis – Copy – Copy – Copy 1 – Copy – Copy – Copy 2Download

Also, the part of the Redevelopment area that’s privately-owned is mostly small lots, all subject to many federal, state, and local rules and regulations, including setbacks. https://ecode360.com/6793110#29899351

P. 14  https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1399493/2022-05-27-HEFSP_amendment.finaladopted.pdf

As such, the owners of that private property would NOT be able to build anywhere near 707 new apartments there without Borough approval.

Third, if the Borough Council tries to prevent private development by adopting a rental Redevelopment Plan, then we’ll end up with far more apartments on River Road. That’s because to satisfy the legal requirement to provide at least 75 affordable units, making up at least 15% of the project, a rental Plan would have to provide for at least 500 new apartments – more than twice the number at the Ivy.

P. 13 https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1399493/2022-05-27-HEFSP_amendment.finaladopted.pdf

Our Mayor & Council are well aware that the Redevelopment Plan would allow construction of 500 apartments – twice the number at the Ivy. They heard it directly from Borough Planner Fran Reiner last March. Go to minute 1:06:00 here: https://chathamborough.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=197

Fourth, some Council members don’t seem to realize that such a Plan would also almost inevitably involve granting the redeveloper corporate welfare, at the very least a total PILOT exemption from paying property taxes, same as the Ivy.

Fifth, some believe the Mayor & Council could negotiate for a smaller project by persuading a developer to provide MORE than 15% affordable rental units. A 20% affordable project, for instance, could be limited to 375 units. But what would the Council need to do to induce a redeveloper to accept that deal?

Would they give away the Borough land along the River? Allow the redeveloper to build several extra stories? Grant the redeveloper an even more lavish PILOT tax exemption? All three? How would such concessions impact financial security and quality of life in the Borough?

Sixth, even a 375-unit Redevelopment project would burden our precious water supply, and might force us to resort to less desirable sources.

https://chathamchoice.org/2024/11

Seventh, the Mayor & Council President claim that adopting a Plan would enable them to get the redeveloper to throw in a “free” riverside park and other so-called “amenities.” But the fact is that nothing is free.

 https://chathamchoice.org/2024/08/welcome-back/

To get those goodies, the Borough Council would have to accept an even worse a deal for residents and taxpayers. They’d probably need to give away most or all of the Borough land along the River, to allow the redeveloper to build even more extra stories, and to grant the redeveloper an even more lavish PILOT tax exemption.

Before spending any more time or money on another Redevelopment Plan for River Road, our Mayor & Council need to tell us how they would avoid getting stuck with a huge, 500-unit rental project that would clog up our roads, and would almost certainly demand an exemption from property taxes, forcing the rest of us to make up the difference.

https://chathamchoice.org/2024/12

Tell the Mayor & Council to set aside this ill-conceived scheme and concentrate on urgent business, including meeting our affordable housing quota without overburdening our wallets and infrastructure.