Montvale
It’s rare to go a week without a press release, email update, or other word of an additional town joining the now 31-town lawsuit filed by Montvale and Mayor Mike Ghassali (and a growing list of towns) to pause and overturn the state’s fourth round affordable housing law.
The towns challenging the fourth round affordable housing law have formed Local Leaders For Responsible Planning, and are all plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Each town contributes $20,000 to the joint legal fund, which has hired King Moench & Collins LLP as special counsel in the affordable lawsuit.
When initially filed in Mercer County Superior Court on Sept. 9, Ghassali’s lawsuit had nine towns on board. A hearing was held Dec. 20 with attorneys for the state Attorney General’s Office, Fair Share Housing Center, and Montvale there to argue the merits of pausing the current affordable law’s deadlines while the lawsuit moves forward.
On Oct. 18, towns received their affordable obligation for years 2025 through 2035, which were universally panned as high. Many towns plan to challenge affordable obligations using attorneys, planners and consultants to prepare analyses that will reduce their overall obligation. If a “pause” in affordable obligations is granted, it was not clear if it would affect just lawsuit plaintiffs or every town in New Jersey.
Another hot topic roiling residents, and regional public officials, is local traffic congestion, which Ghassali attributes in part to nearly 370 affordable housing units built over the first three affordable rounds. Moreover, Ghassali launched an online petition — signed by over 1,500 people — to open Garden State Parkway Exit 171 North exit to right-hand turns.
The exit is left-hand turns only, due to a legal agreement forged 40 years ago. So far, Ghassali’s efforts have been turned aside by Woodcliff Lake’s Borough Council, the state’s Turnpike Authority, and Bergen County.
Ghassali blames the lack of right turns at Exit 171 for increasing traffic in Montvale at Exit 172, where many visitors exit to visit the Shoppes at DePiero Farm, including Wegmans.
Woodcliff Lake officials, meanwhile, say that allowing right turns on Glen Road would be a traffic disaster. The traffic issue is sure to be a sore point among public officials region-wide. Some believe Montvale has caused its own traffic problems with dozens of new businesses and high-density overdevelopment, a view that Ghassali disagrees with.
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