RIVER VALE, N.J.—A Joint Planning Board vote on a resolution to approve a controversial 249-unit townhome development on Edgewood Country Club—including 24 affordable units—was postponed to June 27 to give borough professionals and the applicant attorney a chance to review the resolution prior to a final vote.
The meeting is 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 406 Rivervale Road.
Board members had requested May 29 that attorney Marc Leibman on prepare the resolution for the June 19 meeting, and the resolution was listed first on the June 19 agenda.
Chair Scott Lippert said the resolution was only made available to board members that day and more time was needed to review it prior to a vote.
Approximately 20 residents and Woodmont’s executive vice president and general counsel Stephen Santola attended the meeting and it appeared little advance notice of a postponement was provided.
At the May 29 hearing, the board heard final public comments on the contentious proposal—which is part of the township’s affordable housing settlement plan—and also heard an attorney representing over 100 homeowners at a nearby townhome development withdraw all objections to the proposal.
It heard from the final expert presented by Woodmont Properties, planner Christine Nazzaro Cofone, who told members why the development should qualify for a variety of minor variances, citing its special consideration as an affordable housing development.
Previously, the attorney, Jameson Van Eck, and more than a dozen townhome residents, had criticized the development over its seven hearings.
Residents questioned potential impacts from increased traffic exiting onto Piermont Avenue, driveway placements opposite each other on Piermont Avenue, storm water runoff controls, landscape buffers along Piermont Avenue to block passersby views of the affordable units and trash receptacles, and the overall size and scope of the ‘Fairways at Edgewood’ proposal.
Over the course of hearings, residents were not allowed to provide personal comments—which is standard for planning and zoning board sessions—but on May 29, six residents offered opinions opposing the development.
Some questioned how it might change the character of River Vale, increased traffic impacts, and how a state law to construct affordable housing was forcing development on River Vale.
One resident suggested the board hire an independent engineer to assess downstream impacts of storm runoff on Holiday Farm residents.
Previously, Borough Engineer Chrstopher Statile said he had reviewed the applicant’s storm water detention and release plan and found it complied with all state-required stormwater rules, including reducing post-development peak runoff rates below pre-development rates.
Leibman previously said the resolution would include all the conditions and variances discussed during previous hearings. Leibman said he would set up the resolution so members could vote on individual variances being requested by the developer.
Leibman said he could not specify conditions or variance to be voted on when contacted by Pascack Press but said that “happens occasionally when the applications are complex.”
“I can tell you that there are a lot of conditions which must be complied with and which will be closely monitored by the Board and Township professionals, if the application is approved,” emailed Leibman.
“Also, if approved, the applicant will have to enter into a Developer’s Agreement with River Vale. This is a contract that sets forth the obligations of the developer and requires the developer to post bonds (in amounts and forms set by State law) to guarantee performance,” he added.