BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF PASCACK PRESS
PARK RIDGE, N.J.—The owner of the former Sony Electronics corporate campus in Park Ridge and Montvale—where a controversial major residential development is proposed—will be before Park Ridge’s Zoning Board Dec. 18.
Hornrock Properties is seeking permission to build an access road to the portion of the site located in Montvale, which has already been approved for a 185-unit multi-family development.
Hornrock is wrangling with Park Ridge over its affordable housing plan. The 8 p.m. hearing comes as Hornrock and Park Ridge continue to legally contest possible future development of the adjacent 29.85-acres of the Sony campus in Park Ridge, part of a years-long battle between the borough and developer to settle the borough’s affordable housing obligations.
Although Park Ridge submitted its affordable housing settlement plan in March, it has yet to be approved. Hornrock Properties is one of four intervenors legally contesting the settlement. That concurrent issue may see movement when all sides meet for a case conference, also scheduled for Dec. 18, at 1:30 p.m., before Superior Court Judge Gregg Padovano.
Mayor Keith Mascagnia told Pascack Press he would try to attend both events that day.
Montvale settled its affordable housing plans earlier this year, agreeing to zone for 185 units on its seven acres of the Sony site, with 20 percent set aside for affordable housing.
Hornrock and Park Ridge have been at odds for years, with Hornrock initially proposing in 2015 a total of 714 housing units, with 555 in Park Ridge.
The new request
Hornrock is asking the Park Ridge Zoning Board of Adjustment for permission to construct an access road through adjacent property, an approximately 0.97-acre sliver in Park Ridge, to permit travel to its new Montvale development.
Hornrock proposes parking, drive aisles, sidewalks, utilities, grading, and other improvements to the Park Ridge lot to support its planned Montvale piece.
The proposed Montvale development consists of a four-story building over podium parking, 185 units (20 percent affordable), landscaping, parking and related site improvements.
Hornrock is requesting a use variance to permit the driveway use on Park Ridge property and a bulk variance to permit less than the number of parking spaces on Park Ridge lot to support the existing office building.
To satisfy the lower parking ratio, Hornrock proposes to restrict the use of existing 225,000 square-foot office building to 162,000 square foot to maintain adequate parking ratios. The Sony Corp. sold the building to Hornrock in 2015, while continuing to lease space ahead of an eventual move, one of three major employers—along with The Hertz Crop. and Mercedes-Benz—to recently leave corporate offices in the immediate vicinity, where the borders of Park Ridge, Montvale and Woodcliff Lake converge.
Hornrock might also request additional variances, waivers, exceptions, and/or relief that may be required, according to a notice of hearing published Dec. 6.
Twice over recent years, Hornrock challenged the borough’s immunity to so-called builder’s remedy suits and lost both cases. Municipalities have immunity from these lawsuits if they have an approved fair share housing plan, or if they’re litigating the plans by seeking declaratory judgements, like Park Ridge is doing.
Had they won, Hornrock would have been legally permitted to propose nonconforming multifamily development directly to a court, potentially superseding local zoning rules.
So far, Hornrock has not presented any site plans for multifamily developments in Montvale, which was allowed for as part of the borough’s affordable housing settlement, said Mayor Michael Ghassali Dec. 11.
Calls to Hornrock Properties’ attorney Peter Wolfson and Hornrock Director of Operations David Hornblass were not returned by press time.