SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS – The borough mayor and council of Spring Lake Heights endorsed the borough’s fourth round of the Mount Laurel doctrine affordable housing plan this week, setting a realistic development potential (RDP) of zero units, according to the borough’s affordable housing plan document, prepared by CME Associates Jennifer Beahm and borough planner Christine Bell.
Borough officials propose to address the zero RDP of new construction through the creation of affordable units through redevelopment of existing structures, bonus credits through proposed developments and the use of a mandatory set-aside ordinance.
The borough “continues to exhibit a lack of vacant developable land, with redevelopment over time presenting itself as the principal vehicle for accomplishing projects with affordable housing. The prepared VLA (vacant land adjustment) illustrated a lack of vacant land and a realistic development potential (RDP) of 0 affordable units,” according to the housing plan document.
The borough previously took a vacant land adjustment to address its third-round obligation and was found to have an RDP of 17 units. This obligation was addressed through a settlement agreement with several developers, the use of a mixed-use zone with a mandatory set-aside along Route 71 and the creation of a mandatory 20% affordable set-aside ordinance.
Satisfaction of
borough’s unmet need
The borough’s unmet need is 44 units based on the remaining fourth round prospective need (2025 to 2035) obligation. The borough implemented the following mechanisms, including mixed-use ordinances, mandatory 20% affordable set-aside ordinance and a development fee ordinance for developments that increase density as part of the third round plan to address its unmet need. The town will continue enforcing these ordinances, according to the affordable housing plan document.
The borough adopted ordinance 2024-12 establishing the Mixed Use 1 (MU-1) and Mixed Use 2 (MU-2) zones to allow for a combination of mixed uses along Route 71 including commercial, retail and residential uses.
The borough also adopted a townwide mandatory set-aside ordinance (MSO), requiring a 20% affordable housing set-aside for residential developments and 15% for rental developments comprising five or more dwelling units. The MSO requires that to the extent possible, in all inclusionary developments, low- and moderate-income units must be integrated with market units. The ordinance ensures that the MSO “does not give any developer the right to any such rezoning, variance, redevelopment designation or other relief, or establish any obligation on the part of the town or its boards to grant such rezoning, variance, redevelopment designation or other relief,” according to the plan.
The borough also adopted a development fee ordinance for all new non-residential development and new non-inclusionary residential development. The ordinance also requires residential development fees be collected for all residential expansions that increase density, according to the planning document.
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