HILLSDALE, N.J.—Following almost three hours of public comment, including an angry outburst between a councilman and mayor, the Borough Council Dec. 8 easily approved the Patterson Street Redevelopment Plan, 5–1, with the mayor noting the plan “reflects badly on this council.”
Mayor John Ruocco told Pascack Press Dec. 9 that he was not sure whether he would sign the ordinance, veto it, or let it become law after 10 days without his signature. If he vetoes it, then the council would vote on whether to override his veto.
The plan rezones 14 acres around Patterson Street industrial zone, imposes design standards, setbacks, and architectural requirements on new types of possible residential, congregate living and mixed-use developments.
Existing industrial and commercial uses can continue as non-conforming land uses but cannot expand, said officials.
Councilman Frank Pizzella, a longtime redevelopment advocate, lashed out at Ruocco following the mayor’s harsh criticism of the plan that was put together by a planning consultant and long-sought by Pizzella, council members and Ruocco.
At one point, 55 residents appeared to be online viewing the Zoom meeting.
Most callers Dec. 8 opposed the plan, citing the density bonuses option, its potential for overdevelopment and the lack of local impact studies on traffic, schools and property taxes.
Ruocco also charged that the plan would lead to overdevelopment and lacked impact studies, which he had done previously, and that incensed Pizzella.
Pizzella charged that Ruocco’s negative remarks about the plan were “irresponsible” and that the mayor was making members who favored the plan “look like idiots.”
He chastised Ruocco, noting “Either you don’t get it or you refuse to get it,” and Ruocco at one point asked the borough clerk to silence Pizzella so he could respond.
Ruocco said that Pizzella’s charges of him not requiring impact studies for affordable housing units—similar to Ruocco’s demands for studies of plan density impacts—was not similar because Ruocco was not involved in those negotiations and he later told Pascack Press that those negotiations only involved 24 housing units.
“Stop trying to present this vision of doom and gloom,” Pizzella told Ruocco after the mayor read a statement highly critical of the redevelopment plan.
At one point, Pizzella told Ruocco he was “full of it” and Ruocco later called Pizzella’s comments offensive.
When Ruocco mentioned no other town was offering a developer up to 60 dwelling units per acre, Pizzella noted that he did not care what nearby towns were doing, “I don’t really give a rat’s ass about what the towns around us have done,” and then suggested developments in Emerson, Montvale and River Vale as high-density examples.
The tense exchange between Pizzella and Ruocco preceded the 5–1 council vote approving the plan.
Since its release online Oct. 6, the plan has been dissected by Planning Board members, who opposed its density bonuses for increased housing units but mostly found it consistent with the borough’s Master Plan, which was the board’s major review role.
The council is not legally obligated to follow Planning Board recommendations, although they did revise the plan to accommodate some suggestions.
Despite the board’s objection, the option for future housing density bonuses that may be negotiated with developers was left in the plan, which caused Council President Zoltán Horváth to oppose the plan and drew a lengthy rebuke from the mayor, who only votes in case of a tie.
Horváth said the plan was “effectively ceding Hillsdale to a developer” and that until the plan can be revised to leave out the bonus density option, he could not vote for it despite his strong belief in redevelopment.
He said he was an “ardent advocate” of relocating Waste Management but could not support the plan.
Much public controversy and plan opposition was generated by its future option for density bonuses, or increases in housing units based on a developer providing a community benefit such as a community center, park, or open space.
Plan advocates stressed such bonuses—which are not a foregone conclusion in any negotiation —offer council members and borough professionals added flexibility in negotiations with developers.
Also, Pizzella said that the borough’s affordable housing settlement already sets a limit of up to 28 dwelling units per acre for the redevelopment zone, which he equated to at least a three-story-high building.
He said having an “option” to add density, which cannot exceed five stories, may provide an incentive to a developer while also gaining a community benefit such as a community center.
Ruocco repeatedly noted a community center should best be obtained by a borough bond issue, which would allow borough professionals to monitor construction.
Opponents, including Ruocco, alleged that the bonuses would lead to oversize buildings that would forever change the character of small-town Hillsdale.
Moreover, they said the bonus option would put officials at a disadvantage in future affordable negotiations by allowing an option of up to 60 dwelling units per acre (DUA) in the redevelopment zone. They charged that the 60 DUA allowance would become the new baseline to be met with Fair Share Housing Center.
Also, no impact studies on traffic, taxes or schools was done, charged Ruocco.
Bauman said that whether 60 DUA would be considered a Fair Share baseline was unknown but stressed Fair Share officials agreed not to require additional housing units for density bonuses that may be granted over 28 dwelling units per acre.
Whether a density bonus is granted is ultimately determined by a council vote. Moreover, how transparent the process is depends on steps the council takes to inform and include the public, said special redevelopment counsel Joseph Bauman.
After multiple callers charged Hillsdale was likely to wind up with a five-story, 500-plus unit multifamily building soon if the plan’s density bonus option remained, Bauman said that scenario was not likely to occur.
He said the redevelopment plan will begin to play out over the next several years and that any developer’s proposal will take “months and months of analysis and negotiations,” including public meetings, possible forums held for public transparency and input, a Planning Board hearing, and then a public hearing before the council finally votes on the redevelopment proposal.
He said the goal was to create ratables and draw residents who can help support downtown businesses, and attract other businesses to downtown.
“This is not something that happens overnight, it’s going to happen iteratively and slowly, possibly over a decade or more. You’re at the beginning of a journey that’s at least 10 years long,” Bauman said.
He said fears that overdevelopment will soon occur due to the plan’s approval were “just not close to reality.” He suggested residents check out the plan, posted on Hillsdale’s website, and view the illustrations and architectural design styles proposed for new developments.
“Our goal was to get residents who would frequent downtown businesses,” he said.