Town center process is still in its infancy

Andover Township — The township’s rumor mill is working hard, and the mayor and township committee had to dispel rumors about the proposed town center at their meeting Monday, June 11. Noting there is no approved plan and in fact the process is just beginning, Mayor Tom Walsh said: “All concepts at this point regarding what the town needs for the town center are being addressed. There is absolutely nothing set in stone.” Two sites are the subject of early discussions: Rolling Hills Golf Course on Newton -Sparta Road and Jump Airport adjacent to Route 206. The center would consist of a mix of various housing and commercial units. The exact mix is largely determined by state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) regulations that determine the number of low and moderate income units the township is required to have available. On the state of New Jersey’s Web site, COAH is defined as “the constitutional obligation for each of the 566 municipalities in the state to establish a realistic opportunity for the provision of fair share low and moderate income housing obligations, generally through land use and zoning powers.” Although the COAH demands have changed since February, with the implementation of Route 3, the township officially needs 58 units more than it has. “The planning board has not been presented with anything. The new COAH regulations play a part and we are waiting for the Mayor and Town Committee to present a formal plan,” said Stan Christodlous, chairman of the Land Use Board. By July 1, Walsh is asking all interested developers to fine tune their proposals. “We are working on making sure that we go forward with the proper plan that is right for the township; we want everyone to put his best foot forward,” Walsh said. Simultaneously, the township must address any state regulations that might impact a town center. “The town center is presently being dual-tracked from a planning point of view; there is the Trenton process and the initiative by the mayor to have all interested parties have a solid plan for development for review, “ said Township Attorney Fred Semrau. “This is a long process,” he added.