Mayor Marino reaffirms Washington Township’s commitment to preserving open space, addresses concerns over Kings Highway development
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (Morris County) — Michael A. Marino, Mayor of Washington Township, recently shared a letter with residents highlighting the community’s ongoing efforts to preserve its natural resources while addressing concerns about potential overdevelopment, specifically related to the Kings Highway property.
Marino began by celebrating the Township’s success in preserving its rural character, stating, “The preservation of Washington Township’s farms, woodlands, open spaces, and rural character is a success story.” He went on to explain that Washington Township leads Morris County in preservation, with nearly 5,000 acres of farmland preserved—the most of any municipality in the county. In addition, over 800 acres of open space and more than 400 acres of state, county, and municipal parkland have been safeguarded.
The Mayor stressed that these accomplishments were the result of careful, fact-based decision-making by the Township Committee, past and present. “The preservation of Washington Township’s natural beauty and environmental resources is not a result of luck, but the product of reasonable and fact-based decision-making by the current and past Township Committees,” Marino wrote. He further emphasized that preserving the Township’s beauty and serenity was a shared goal: “Each of us on the Township Committee, like all of you, have chosen to live in this community for the beauty, character, and serenity of this place we call home.”
Marino made it clear that preventing overdevelopment was crucial to maintaining the Township’s natural resources. “None of us want to see the protected natural resources in the Township destroyed or compromised by overdevelopment,” he said. He also reiterated that it is the responsibility of both the Township Committee and residents to be good stewards of the land and water, benefiting not only Washington Township but the entire Highlands Region.
Addressing concerns surrounding new development plans, Marino included a Q&A document about the Kings Highway Redevelopment Ordinance to help residents better understand the current situation. “To help everyone better understand what is currently happening as it pertains to the Kings Highway Redevelopment Ordinance, I am attaching a Q&A for your review,” Marino wrote.
In closing, the Mayor expressed his ongoing commitment to ensuring the Township’s future remains aligned with the values of conservation and intelligent planning, stating, “The Township Committee will continue to fight hard and plan intelligently for the future well-being of this community and many other places throughout the State that rely on our Township for clean water.” He wished residents a great spring and looked forward to seeing them out and about in the community.
Information from the mayor and township committee of the Township of Washington regarding the Kings Highway redevelopment plan ordinance:
1. WHAT IS THE KINGS HIGHWAY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN ORDINANCE?
The Kings Highway site is a privately owned property with owners who would like to build on their property. In 2013 the property owner presented the Township with a proposal to develop 220 units, perhaps rental units, on the premises. Over the past few years, the property owner proposed reducing the density from over 220 units to 125 units consisting of 100 market rate townhomes and 25 affordable housing units.
The Ordinance is a Redevelopment Plan which addresses a site that is 42 acres in size and was formerly an industrial facility that consisted of over 3.2 acres (140,000 square feet) of industrial space with extensive parking, paving and driveway improvements, including an 8,000 square foot office building, located in the residential area of Kings Highway within the Township. The property has received approval from the Highlands Council to construct on approximately 10-acres of the premises under Highlands Exemption #4, which permits development of up to 125% of the impervious coverage existing on the site as of June 2004. The remaining 32 acres are restricted from future development.
2. IS THE TOWNSHIP WAIVING THE REQUIRED IMPACT STUDIES?
Absolutely not. The development will have to conform to all applicable federal, NJDEP and Highlands Region environmental standards, including wetlands, wetlands transition areas and flood hazard areas. Restrictions as to wetlands, buffers, and endangered species investigations are not being waived by way of this Ordinance. The developer will have to comply with any and all of these standards.
3. WHY WAS THE “WAIVER” LANGUAGE INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE?
The language was put into the ordinance by our planning professionals for a number of reasons. First, to avoid any ambiguity that the cost of the impact studies would be borne by the developer and not by the taxpayers. Second, as it pertains to local studies for a development, certain studies may, in accordance with state law, be waived by the Land Use Board at its discretion.
However, the Township Committee does understand that having “waiver” language in the Ordinance does not provide certainty to our residents. As a result, all reference to the waiver of impact studies will be removed from the Ordinance and the impact studies will be addressed by the Land Use Board.
4. WHY HAS THIS ORDINANCE COME FORWARD NOW AND WHO MADE THE REQUEST?
The Kings Highway site is a privately owned property with owners who would like to build on their property. Being a former industrial site, some development would eventually occur on the premises. In 2013 the property owner presented the Township with a proposal to develop 220 units, perhaps rental units, on the premises. Over the past few years, the property owner proposed reducing the density from over 220 units to 125 units consisting of 100 market rate townhomes and 25 affordable housing units. When we refer to “affordable”, it means a family of three’s income to qualify for these units can be no more than $93,180.
5. WHY HAS THE ORDINANCE BEEN REINTRODUCED AFTER IT WAS DEFEATED IN DECEMBER, 2024?
Currently, the Township has control over its local zoning as a result of its compliance with prior affordable housing rounds. If the Redevelopment Plan Ordinance for this property is adopted, the property will be developed at a minimal density and, at the same time, assist in meeting the Township’s affordable housing obligation imposed by state law in the fourth round.
If the Township does not meet the state imposed affordable housing obligations, a court can override the Township’s authority to control local land use development, and order this site – and other properties throughout the Township – to be developed at much higher densities than currently exist in the Township without any regard for local zoning.
6. WHAT “DEALS” WERE GIVEN TO THE KINGS HIGHWAY PROPERTY OWNER WITH RESPECT TO THIS DEVELOPMENT?
There are no deals. Washington Township has made no promises nor provided any financial or tax incentives to the property owner or property developer.
The only promise that would be made is that the property would not be developed any further than the density of 3.2 dwelling units per acre. If you look throughout Morris County, new affordable housing developments have been approved by the courts for densities as high as 18 units an acre, or over 650 units. Accordingly, the property owner would agree not to pursue any additional development on the site.
7. WHY ARE THERE ALL THESE CONCERNS REGARDING SCHOOL POPULATION?
The Township Committee always considers the impact of development on the community. However, it is illegal for the Township to zone property to preclude children in the schools. The Township cannot zone with respect to school children. In fact, state regulations require that municipalities zone for affordable family housing units, including both affordable rental and ownership family units. The Township has witnessed the pace of development drop off dramatically since the enactment of the Highlands Act in 2004, but not all developable land has been consumed by development since that time. This property remains one of the developable sites in the Township and was originally proposed in a higher density form. Therefore, addressing 100+ residents to join a population of over 18,000 residents is never taken lightly but should not be the reason to reject a plan for development or rezoning.
