After three years of discussions, residents anticipating and desiring a senior citizen housing possibility at the St. Agnes School property, and the public asking questions on progress of negotiations or actions the governing body intends to take, borough council has scheduled an executive session at tonight’s meeting apparently to continue discussion on acquisition of the property. However, the agenda for tonight’s meeting, slated to begin at 7 p.m.. does not indicate whether any action will be taken following the executive session.
Three years of talk, executive sessions, public questions and many requests from the public for action, it’s down to the end of the year and, if action is taken, a rush and conglomeration of activities and meetings that would have to be completed by Jan. 1 when a new council takes office.
Last month, the governing body uncovered a 34 page Mother Teresa Property Redevelopment Plan by Resolution 170-2022. The plan not only does not make any reference to senior housing use of the school as the public anticipated . Instead, it offers changes to the property that would allow for construction of anywhere from 9 to 13 residential houses and the demolition of the school building.
Such a plan, by law, must be submitted to the Planning Board for its review and comparison to the borough’s Master Plan, another 182-page document the borough adopted three years ago. The meeting is set for Dec. 1. Once the planners review and compare the documents, they must then forward their review to the governing body. Council’s next and last meeting for this administration is set for Dec. 15.
All of which means that while there has been talk, executive sessions, questions and few answers, the future of that piece of property, and the consistency review, be it for residential housing, senior residence or something else, is expected to be studied by the planning board, reviewed, and back to council for final action within 17 days.
Had not the attorney for St. Agnes and the Diocese of Trenton successfully called for adjournment of the meeting scheduled for last Monday, simply because he had never heard of the new plan before the night of that council meeting, it still would have only given a few more days for the planners to review the documents.
Does all this make any sense? Is this prudent action? Is it what the residents want or don’t they get to have a say?
In the meantime, Ordinance. 13, the proposed code that approves the new 34-page redevelopment plan, is scheduled for a public hearing Dec. 15, Council’s last scheduled meeting for this administration. That ordinance was introduced last month and approved unanimously on first reading by the council. Mayor Loretta Gluckstein does not and cannot participate in anything to do with the school due to a possible conflict because of her employment.
So the bottom line is…..why is there a rush now? If thoughtful and cooperative consideration and input could not take place over three years, is it wise to rush through a new ordinance, a new plan, one that was not even shared with the property owner until a couple of weeks ago,….. and then only because he attended the meeting via ZOOM…., at the 11th hour before a new administration takes office Jan. 1? Should a plan that could not be done in three years….a new redevelopment plan, a comparison of it with the Master plan, meetings of at least two different commissions for discussions and action, and time for public comment all take place all with a couple of holidays and holiday preparations thrown in, be rushed through now?
In other business at the meeting this evening, Council will approve Councilman Brian Boms as a fireman, introduce an ordinance to increase membership on the Shade Tree Commission and approve four other resolutions, one to approve submission to apply for a $320,000 grant for the Road Construction program that had a Nov. 16 deadline for applying.
