do anything. >> Bri, I know you miss I know you missed the spot, Brian. So, I figured I'd step away on this one. >> Oh, boy. >> I'm just checking the streaming. >> And we have Joe on also. >> We have Joe on, right, Joe? You're here. >> I'm here. >> Yay.
>> All right. >> One minute. We'll kick it off then. Know if Greg's coming. >> No, he's not coming. He let me know last week. We look like we're good. >> Are we in Zack? >> No, we're in um public. We're streaming
right now. >> Okay. >> Okie do. >> Okie do. >> Okay. >> Ready? >> Y. >> Good morning. I hereby announce that pursuant to section five of the open public meetings act that adequate notice
of this meeting has been provided in the notice which was sent to the as which was posted on the Homedale township website posted on the Bolton board in township hall and filed in the township clerk's office on February 25th 2026. Mayor and Pravado >> here.
>> Mr. Foster >> here. >> Mr. Bontempo is not here this morning. Mr. Romano >> here. >> Mr. Vanderham >> here. Deputy mayor, you have a quorum. >> Thank you, Wendy. Could we all please stand for the pledge of allegiance? Pledge
>> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> We remain standing for a moment of silence for our troops who serve us
tirelessly at home and abroad. Okay. The first order of business would be the approval of minutes for the December 9th executive and public sessions, the December 22nd public session, and the December 29th public session. >> Can I get a motion?
>> Motion. >> Second. >> Mr. Foster? >> Yes. >> Mr. Romano? >> Yes. But I'm going to abstain. I missed one of those meetings. Which one >> do you know which one? >> I think it was the last one in December.
>> Gary was appointed. >> Yeah. So, can Gary do that one? Is that okay? So, okay. So, >> we duly noted. Thank you, committee. >> Okay. Mr. Vanderham >> only. Yes. For the 29th >> and on the other >> abstain on the other two.
>> Okay. Mayor and Prevadudo. >> Yes. >> Okay. The minutes have been successfully passed. Thank you. taking two meetings. What we got in the minutes? >> Yeah, exactly. Exactly. >> Thank you, Wendy. >> Okay. >> Uh looking for public comment on agenda items only.
>> Come on up, Pat. >> Patrick Tuskita, 56 Line Road. I'm in full support of the affordable housing plan. I think with the Azor being senior only and then an all family uh a family all affordable housing plan on Route 35
is an excellent way of meeting our requirements uh for the affordable housing uh New Jersey affordable housing. Uh and uh the uh that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Pat. Any other comments? Come
on up, please. a lot lower. Okay. My name's Gail Rubin and I live on Can you hear me? >> That's better. >> Okay. I live on Miller Avenue which is across from Costco. >> Gail, is this on the agenda? If it's
not, I'm just going to ask you to um come back up >> about your um housing. >> Okay. which is gonna um I want to know where the entrance will be, the exit, why you want 80 units when you were going to use vonnage,
which was much bigger and this is a very small property and what kind of variance you would be breaking on this very small property that's near a lot of Honell housing and Route 35 is extremely busy.
extremely my corner. I I don't even think I'll my neighborhood of 50 houses. I don't even think I'll be able to get out of there without an accident back and forth because there's uh right now there's going to be
seven entrance and exits at the end of my street which is Hasllett. Uh and then across from Costco, Chicken Full, I don't know. It's very impacted. Route 35. So, I don't think I can get out of there
with seven entrances, exits from car washes, holiday, uh the new seven brew, uh the turnaround, Costco people on week. I I I think and the highway is right now too busy, especially rush
hour. So, I don't know how you could even fit 80 units there without a huge amount of traffic problems. It have to be policed constantly with traffic.
Um, and who knows what kind of crime goes there. Um, is this for older people, younger people? And then how is this going to impact my taxes and my house value? Where are you going to put
all the school kids without building more onto the school and busing and it's an unaffordable town basically now. And I thought you were going to go to the courts in New Jersey or even a federal
court to try to stop housing, affordable housing. That's what I heard when people were running, but I don't hear it anymore. and that, you know, I could see a lot of people not wanting it. Of course, it's a democratic state,
so but people that have houses can't really afford to stay here. You can't afford it. And if you could afford it, you wouldn't want to be here. So, I don't know. Those are my comments. I think it's a bad idea to put 80
housings in one spot. And then what's wrong with across from the high school? There's a big huge lot there. There's hot lots in the middle of town. I haven't heard once of where you're going to put housing in the middle of town.
So, I'd like to know where if this is the fourth affordable housing, where are the other three going to be? And how many places? And is this just a combat against another town? I'll tell you something else. Costco has
a back lot and Hasllet plans on putting 190 housing units in the back lot of Costco. I guess you know that. So 190 + 80 is 270
housing units and the only exit for the Costco back lot is onto Route 35. They're not put Hlett is not putting an exit behind that unit. They're only putting it onto what's there.
So, it makes it like you don't know where to move to. No, I I mean, should I drive with a helmet? It sounds like ridiculous. And there's county roads, there's state
roads, but you know, you need something to overlook both of them because county doesn't care about state roads and state roads don't care about county roads and it's a big mess. It's going to be a And then I want to know when would this development start and when does it have
to end and exits and entrances, but I think it's a really I could see maybe 10 units there, maybe 20 the most, but not 80. Okay. So, if you want 80, it's just going to be unbearable.
And plus, it's going to be unbearable now even with Costco building behind their 190 affordable units. I think the two towns need to talk to each other basically instead of fighting each other. Okay. Thank you, Gail. I can
assure you that nobody sitting up here, nobody on the phone wants to have to deal with the affordable housing mandate. We have been fighting it uh not only in the New Jersey courts but also in the federal court as well. The particular development you are speaking about was actually approved in the third round for 170 units. So, uh, we're more
than cutting it in half. We are trying to be cognizant of traffic issues, overcrowding issues. The actual school enrollment is down significantly. So, we don't expect that to be an impact. We don't need we don't expect the schools to be needing to add on anything else. Uh, Chris or Michael, do you have where the ingress and egress is going to be to
the property that you might be able to share? I know it really hasn't even started moving forward, Gail. So, I don't think we really have all that information yet. We will continue to put it out. But Chris, you have any comments? >> No. No, mayor. There there is no We haven't That plan hasn't been come up with yet. They're um again, we are
cutting it from 170 to 280. Um the the the plan actually has to be uh reviewed by our engineers. They're going to be working on it right actually to start a work on it right now so that we know where we can actually build on that property. There's limitations. So, um
once we have those, we'll know where we're going to come out. >> Thank you, Chris. And and Gail, just to add one more comment. Obviously, this is being forced on us, which is why we're having this special meeting. Um, so we're trying to do all we can to combat it as much as possible. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, Route 35 has way too much.
So, where are other places you could put it? >> Like I said, >> aren't crowded. The middle of town doesn't seem that crowded to me. >> Understood. >> Although you guys may live near there and don't want it, you know, that's all I can figure out. >> Thank you, Gail. Mr. G, did you have a comment?
>> I do. >> Can you hear me? >> Hi, at Ken Gh Street. Um, so earlier this week, the TC had a meeting on Tuesday. Um, and now all of a sudden, we have a special meeting at 10:00 on Friday. Um, and I I get everything about
affordable housing. Um, no one wants to see it, but um, that is a duty process. uh law that was passed by the legislators, signed by the governor. Uh and I get why people want to fight it. Um you know, I 100% and I I applaud you
for some of the actions you guys uh took. Um but in particular, I am really concerned about the process for uh how we're trying to implement some of this stuff. So, you know, under the state law, the deadlines are known uh months
in advance, right? It's not like all of a sudden we woke up this week and said, "Oh, shoot." Right? We got to do this. We got to have a public hearing and that means two weeks and all that stuff. So, look, I'm glad you guys try to fight this. Um but you know you went through
the state process and then uh as part of the coalition you guys went to the federal um level you went to a judge who denied it. You went to appeal and then you went you know none of that should mean that the some of these ordinance being introduced should be at the last I
won't even say last minute last second because one of the ordinance 2026 27 was only posted I believe at 6:19 a.m. this morning. So, you know, I realize this is the introduction and there will be a public hearing
uh whenever that is I forgot the exact date, but you know, it's the whole process and how this is being moved. Uh literally, it's not a good look for you guys. You guys knew this in advance. And so, I I I'm not trying to be overly critical, but this is, you know, this is
something you guys you know, you have to deal with. you know, the deadlines and and I know that there were certain things the Supreme Court didn't deny your appeal for this until whenever it was sometime this week, but you know, this could have been done a lot better, especially when you already had a TC
meeting earlier this week. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments, Kim. Michael, did you want to add something? >> Yeah, I just I I just want to respond to that, Mr. G. Um, I guess two things. one, it would wouldn't have been in the taxpayers's interest for the township to have gone through some of the leg work it
went through this week until the appellet process was exhausted because the township wouldn't have wanted to spend the money to do that if it wasn't necessary because the courts granted an injunction. And then the second thing I will just say is that uh the township has learned special counsel and a
township planner who specializes in affordable housing. Um, all of the state's professionals that are working on this have been the the deadlines set by the legislature have been entirely unrealistic. And so the professionals that have been working on this um literally haven't slept over the past
year and a half. And so the folks who um are experienced and are providing us good counsel um have done the best that they can to assist us while they have many other towns to assist with. So that's the reason why uh there may have been um delay in getting this posted as
early as we're accustomed to doing. It's not some sort of a a conspiracy on the part of anyone up here and I certainly want to say that this has it's not a reflection on the township committee. So I I I have to push back on that. The professionals are the ones responsible for turning out these documents and
that's the that context explains uh why the timing may be what it is. Um, every town is scrambling right now to meet this March 15th deadline. And kind of go speaking to the law and the unfairness, uh, there was a December 31st deadline for the affordable housing dispute
resolution program to, uh, approve plans that then allow for these ordinances. They didn't meet their own deadline. And so, in many instances, the program didn't render decisions until January. So, uh, the state judiciary is not meeting their deadlines, but somehow all the local governing bodies are not even
getting extensions of this deadline. So there's just a this whole process is is just inherently unfair. Um I I I I don't you know I take the comment and appreciate the public's desire to have have had these documents perhaps a little before this meeting. Uh we will
have a public hearing on March 10th and if there are any further questions I would encourage the public to bring those and we'll make sure that those are answered. Uh but as the mayor as as the deputy mayor said earlier um you know the township committee has done everything in its power to uh try and
address the unfairness of what it's facing to the extent the courts have not provided relief to uh prevent the committee from having to take these actions. It does so essentially under duress and the and the deputy mayor actually testified to this exact issue in federal court. Uh, so this committee,
uh, I would push back on any notion that it hasn't done everything it can to do the right thing here. >> Thank you for the explanation, Michael. Thank you for your work on this. Thank you for the entire team work on this. Sir, you came in a little bit late. We're taking public comments on agenda items only. Would you like to make a comment? >> Thank you very much. Wendy, moving
along. >> Okay. Next would be um resolution. We're going to move on from the public comments. You'll have a you'll have a chance at the end to speak again. Next would be resolution 2020665, which is a resolution amending the
temporary capital budget. >> Can I get a motion? >> Motion. >> Second, >> Mr. Foster. >> Yes. >> Mr. Romano? >> Yes. >> Mr. Vanderham? >> Yes. >> Mayor and Prevadudo?
>> Yes. >> Okay. Resolution 20265 has been successfully passed. Next is introduction of or bond ordinance 202605 which is an ordinance providing for improvements to various township roads by and in the township of Homedale in
the county of Mammoth state of New Jersey appropriating $300,000 therefore including $250,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation in connection with the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program and
authorizing the issuance of $50,000 in bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. This motion is to adopt on first reading, publish on the Homeell Township website, and set the public hearing for March 10th, 2026. >> Thank you, Wendy. Can I get a motion?
>> Motion. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mr. Foster, >> yes. >> Mr. Romano, >> yes. >> Mr. Vanderham, >> yes. >> Mayor and Prevadudo, >> yes. >> Okay. Ordinance 20265 will be set for
public hearing. Next is Ordinance 2026, which is an ordinance of the Township of Home Delve repealing chapter 30 land development article 5 zoning section 30-306 AHMU affordable housing mixeduse zone
district and replacing it with ah route 35 affordable housing zone district. This motion is to adopt on first reading, publish on the Homeell Township website, and set the public hearing for March 10th, 2026. >> Can I get a motion?
>> Motion. >> Motion. >> Someone, >> Mr. Foster? >> Yes. >> Mr. Romano? >> Yes. >> Mr. Vanderham? >> Yes. >> Mayor and Prevadudo? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Ordinance 2026 will be set for public hearing. Next is ordinance 202607 which is affordable housing ordinance and development fee ordinance implementing the fourth round housing plan element and fair share plan. This motion is to adopt on first reading
publish on the Homeell Township website and set the public hearing for March 10th 2026. >> Can I get a motion? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mr. Foster. >> Yes. >> Mr. Romano. >> Yes. >> Mr. Vanderham.
>> Yes. Mayor and Prevadutoo. >> Yes. >> Okay. Ordinance 2026 07 will be set for public hearing. Thank you. >> Thank you, Wendy. A lot of reading. Uh we're going to open it back up for public comment. Gail, would you like to comment? Um, I'd like to know where there's open
land where you could build other um, affordable housing because I don't think 80 in one spot is responsible. I don't know who came up with that number. Um, that area is probably a
marsh land. It's not even a good area. Um, it's it's in a very congested area. So, and then what happened to 2026? What happened to that property? And where was that? Do you know the one that um you're
not using anymore and you're using the one on Route 35 instead? Where was that? >> I don't believe we named any other properties. We have the Vonnage affordable and then this property. These are the two that uh are being utilized for the fourth round obligation. >> Now, I But there was one that got
cancelled and now you're using the one on 35. That's that's that property. You're you're talking about one in the same property. It was 170 units approved in the third round. As I mentioned, we've more than cut it in half. >> Okay. Well, that should really And then is that um
commercial property you're using? Is that a commercial property zone? >> I I believe it's open space. My go under under the third round zoning. So, let's let's be clear. So, we're talking about one particular property. It's the property behind the Kohl's shopping center. Um in the third round, which was
the preceding decade, um the last period of affordable housing mandate, >> uh the township reszoned that property, uh for what's called an inclusionary project, which would have had both market rate units and affordable housing units as well as a mixeduse component
with some commercial. That zoning was put in place to supers to um supersede the zoning that was there prior, which I believe was a commercialbased zoning because it's along Route 35. Um, in order to comply with the fourth round, which is the current round, the township
has moved its attention from doing an inclusionary project, which is the market rate plus the affordable to an allaf affordable project. Uh, and that requires the use of state tax credits and potentially use of the township's affordable housing trust fund, which is
money that's contributed by people who develop a town, not taxpayer money, but money from people who develop a town. Um, so that use of those funds would allow the township to reduce the density of the project from the 170 or so units
to 80, but it would be a it's going to be a 100% affordable project. So all the units are um restricted as affordable rather than just a percentage of them. Uh, which is allows the township to meet the state's mandate by having all 80 of
those count towards the the obligation. All right. So, how many do we need totally? About 120, 110. >> 106 is our obligation in the fourth round for new units. >> Okay. So, the rest are going to Vonnage the 38 or something.
>> Yeah. So, it's the >> Why is it so small there in that big huge area? It's huge that area. I worked at Vonnage. It's a huge property. or do you just want to have like, you know, more higher level people living there
and recreation centers? And I mean, it's to me that's where all of the housing should be, but you have water problems. So, if you have water problems, I don't know why you're building so much over there, but there are other spots in town, I'm sure.
>> So, so, >> and I can't imagine putting 80 units. Let me let me >> I I I don't know anywhere where there's 80 units around here in one spot. >> Are you Are you Are you done, Gail?
>> Well, I'll never be done while I'm living here, but I guess I'm done for now. >> Unders Understood. >> I'm really upset. I've lived here 40 years and I I've seen slowly, you know, Route 35 getting destroyed and now it's like a big
destruction. Huge. You you put yourself in my place living off of Route 35 and you and you see what would you do? You can either feel tortured every day you stay here or move.
What What's your choice? >> Thank you, Gil. Any other public comments? Come on up, Pat. Patrick Troska 56 Line Road. Um I think the plan for the Route 35
lot 7 acres vacant property right now it's by Marshalls and in shopping center would be an excellent place for an all affordable housing unit 80. It's a much better plan that was put forth for 170
mixed use. Uh it will completely uh will keep the uh Homedale uh pretty much the way it is and meet our hope our affordable housing uh requirements and provide if we could use the same builder as we did for Cornerstone up at home
home. It would be an excellent um an excellent use of the property which is just vacant there now. 80 units in 8 acres fits in pretty nicely in the way the buildings are made at Cornerstone. If we use that as a model, I think it
would be an excellent uh use and meet our obligations. Thank you. >> Thank you, Pat. Mr. G. >> Thank you, Kim. GHC Street, um there's no doubt that specific project for um handle affordable housing is a good option because I do remember it was 170
units and only 31 was in fact affordable um housing. So, you know, it's a great plan. It's similar to the one we did in um on middle row and um I think it was Laurel. Um so, it's a good plan, but um since uh and this I'm saying this with
due respect since the township attorney pushed back, I'm going to push back a little bit as well too. So, you know, we know the affordable housing is not um a popular um law. We know that. But again, all those deadlines were there. instead
uh we chose to fight that with a coalition and I get that. I get that completely. We fought at the state level. Then when the federal judge, he denied it and then we appealed it. That was denied. And then to go try to go before the Supreme Court, it's
ridiculous. I'm sorry, but we all due respect. And because of that, you claim that certain things are kind of tied because of that litigation. Sorry. I call baloney. So you guys knew the deadline. To say that the professional
that we chose can't handle this thing and haven't slept for a year and a half is also baloney. So with all due respect, I think that we could have handled this better. You don't need a second meeting on the same week after you had a meeting on Tuesday night. You
don't post uh agenda items at 6:15 on the morning that you're going to have a 10:00 meeting. I again I know the TC is working hard but you guys talk about transparency and so on. This process could handle much better. So again sorry about that. >> Yep. Thank you for your comments Mr. G.
Sir did you have any comments? Thank you. Can I get a motion to adjurnn please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Motion. >> All in favor? I >> thank Thank you. Have a good day.