Planners Will Mull Redevelopment's Fiscal Impact
Planning Board Chairman Ken Robertson has asked for a review of the fiscal impact of redevelopment projects at Thursday’s meeting, Planning Division Director Bill Nierstedt said Tuesday.
The Planning Board meeting is 8 p.m.Thursday (March 15, 2007) in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.
The question of fiscal impact means balancing tax revenues from new developments against the costs of providing increased city services.
Plainfield in mid-2005 had more than a dozen redevelopment proposals in the works when Robertson called a halt to talks on the projects, partly because there were too many and partly because by then it was evident that a new administration would be coming in, with ideas of its own.
At the time, this writer rather saucily read off a list of the proposals, which seemed like more than a platter-full.
As Robertson decreed, nothing happened until the administration of Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and her mentor, Assemblyman Jerry Green, took hold. But then there were more and more, up to the point where everything within one mile of a train station, real or defunct, might become a transit village.
Developers presenting condo projects along the Raritan Valley Line transit village corridor have insisted that few or no additional school children will result, instead pointing to empty-nesters and childless professional couples who might like to inhabit the condos.
The reality remains to be seen.
But the number of possible new condo-dwellers – several hundred or maybe more than 2,000 - will surely impact traffic and mean more demand for public safety services.
Robertson is prudent in asking for an upfront tally of possible costs. Developers have downplayed the school impact, citing studies that show their targeted buyers will produce only a few children. But some may recall that the Tepper’s project won approvals based on its population being independent seniors. Later, when financing proved elusive, the target population became low- to moderate-income families. City officials only learned late in the game that there was no provision for air conditioning in the 75 apartments, let alone a study of the revised plan’s fiscal impact.
--Bernice Paglia
The Planning Board meeting is 8 p.m.Thursday (March 15, 2007) in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.
The question of fiscal impact means balancing tax revenues from new developments against the costs of providing increased city services.
Plainfield in mid-2005 had more than a dozen redevelopment proposals in the works when Robertson called a halt to talks on the projects, partly because there were too many and partly because by then it was evident that a new administration would be coming in, with ideas of its own.
At the time, this writer rather saucily read off a list of the proposals, which seemed like more than a platter-full.
As Robertson decreed, nothing happened until the administration of Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and her mentor, Assemblyman Jerry Green, took hold. But then there were more and more, up to the point where everything within one mile of a train station, real or defunct, might become a transit village.
Developers presenting condo projects along the Raritan Valley Line transit village corridor have insisted that few or no additional school children will result, instead pointing to empty-nesters and childless professional couples who might like to inhabit the condos.
The reality remains to be seen.
But the number of possible new condo-dwellers – several hundred or maybe more than 2,000 - will surely impact traffic and mean more demand for public safety services.
Robertson is prudent in asking for an upfront tally of possible costs. Developers have downplayed the school impact, citing studies that show their targeted buyers will produce only a few children. But some may recall that the Tepper’s project won approvals based on its population being independent seniors. Later, when financing proved elusive, the target population became low- to moderate-income families. City officials only learned late in the game that there was no provision for air conditioning in the 75 apartments, let alone a study of the revised plan’s fiscal impact.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 10:43 AM
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