Planning Board responses to questions about
the Downtown Redevelopment Plan submitted to them by
members of WeLoveMillburn.
September 7, 2008 — Millburn, NJ
After our On August 12, 2008 meeting with members of the Millburn Planning Committee, we received the following written answers to our questions regarding the Downtown Redevelopment Plan. The written responses came from Planning Board representatives Michael Gorman, Chairman; Kenneth Leiby, Vice-Chairman; and Saul Spivack.
WeLoveMillburn submitted questions in advance to Michael Gorman in anticipation of this meeting. The answers to those questions are copied below:
Questions our organization has for The Planning Board regarding the Downtown Redevelopment Plan.
While these questions were generated by our non profit, grassroots, informational organization WeLoveMillburn, many of them were asked by other residents at various meetings including public meetings.
PROCESS QUESTIONS
What will the Town hope to achieve through the proposed redevelopment? Are there other communities with projects similar to ours in size and scope that we can learn from or use as models that have added value to their communities?
Over the past 20 years, discussions and plans for revitalizing our downtown have abounded. There have been Master Plans commissioned, parking and traffic surveys completed, and numerous focus groups have met and had their findings summarized and distributed. How has all this work affected our downtown?.the answer is not very much at all. There have been some minor changes which have not had a positive effect on the quality of our downtown?in fact; some feel that our problems have gotten only worse.
The proposed concept is not a design for the entire downtown; it is a concept for a relatively small parcel of land (covering about 13 acres of the Downtown area). The development would be a catalyst, a beginning core for the revitalization of downtown Millburn — it sparks the development of
the larger downtown by individual property owners, businesses and residents. It also provides the necessary infrastructure for the reinvigoration of Millburn: a treatment that transforms a vital but hidden asset, the (river), and makes it and aesthetic center of town life, provides a public town space/gathering spot, modern parking structures and badly-needed new town hall and DPW facilities.
The process of re-development will have a significant and lasting positive impact on our daily lives. To remind us all, re-development will accomplish what our business and property owners, Township officials and residents have been asking for:
VISION FOR DOWNTOWN:
- A vital and more livable town center that creates a high quality of life for Millburn residents and establishes Millburn Downtown as a place where people live, work, eat, shop and socialize
- Create a celebratory atmosphere
- Enhance the pedestrian experience which means Social activities, shopping, family recreation, entertainment and culture and services in a setting in a people-oriented setting
- Create a town center that emphasizes/capitalizes on the beauty of our natural setting (river, parks) and opens up their access, appreciation and use)
- Downtown must be a place where people live, work, eat, shop and interact
- Create a celebratory atmosphere
- Enhance the pedestrian experience
- Increase the number, size and diversity of retail shops
- Integrate our cultural facilities and events into downtown and nurture others
- Enhance Millburn?s desired character by creating architectural guidelines
- Residential development is an important need
- Redevelopment along Essex Street and at the DPW site are critical
- Build multiple parking decks
- Calm traffic on Millburn Avenue. Create a safe livable pedestrian and business-oriented Millburn Avenue environment
OPPORTUNITIES:
- Millburn is a very desirable community and people want to live here
- We have tremendous natural resources that could be enhanced
- The re-development area a manageable size
- There is the political will to move forward with redevelopment
- The vast majority of the land in the proposed redevelopment area is Township ?owned and not the highest and best use for a town center (E.g.; DPW)
- Opportunity to replace outmoded town hall and other facilities inadequate to our needs with new facilities at minimal cost to the Township
CHALLENGES: What if we do nothing?
- We become even more uncompetitive with surrounding communities many of which are improving downtowns and becoming more attractive; robust town centers mean high property values.
- Cultural institutions and other family-oriented institutions that we hope to attract to build on our Paper Mill cultural base will not see Millburn as a desirable prospect for their location
- Problems will become even more pronounced
- We will lose the opportunity that is before us
How can the town control or guide the resulting development once the rights are sold to a developer?
The first control is in the selection of the developer and the experience, financial stability and the detailed architectural drawings they propose. The second is that any proposed development will have to come before the Planning Board for site plan approval.
What specifics in the Master Plan will need to be amended to permit this proposed redevelopment plan to be implemented?
This redevelopment plan is substantially consistent with the municipal master plan because:
- it promotes opportunities for higher quality retail activity and
- maintains a pedestrian scale in the central business district,
- the Plan provides conveniently located public parking and
- the Plan adds new streets to the existing street grid to redistribute and help calm traffic.
The municipal Master Plan does recommend ’strict adherence to a two story height limit’ in the B4 district. However, the statute allows for, and it is common for a redevelopment plan to be at a variance with some aspects of the master plan. Such inconsistencies do not preclude the governing body from adopting the plan. Additionally, by looking at the heights of existing buildings in B4, it is apparent that there have been numerous instances where the two story limit has been violated.
Who on the Township Committee will be held accountable as to the progress, problems, and questions in relation to the DRP?
The Township Committee has two basic options to move forward with the DRP. One is to have the Township Committee become the entity responsible for implementing the plan. The second is to create a new redevelopment agency to implement the plan. The decision as to how to proceed is solely that of the Township
Committee.
FINANCE QUESTIONS
When will the specific details of the financial models be released to the public for
review?
When they are finalized. However, it is important to note that the financial analysis is meant only to give a scale and magnitude to the development and not meant to determine how much money the Township will make. As in any economic model, a myriad of assumptions have been made and it should be expected that the financials will change as the process progresses. In no way should this analysis be interpreted as final accounting and any discussions about the line item numbers used in the analysis are pretty much futile. The only numbers that are really important are those that will be negotiated with the developer.
When will the cost impact on Millburn Township services for this proposed development be assessed, in terms of increased population and visitors needing Township services: police, fire, public works, and schools?
It is expected that the taxes from the residents and retailers will pay for these services.
What will be the impact on the average taxpayer of Phase 1 of the plan which will be paid for by taxpayers initially (a new Town Hall, two-tiered parking at DPW, and the relocation of DPW)?
The initial cost does not have to be borne by the residents. It is usual and customary for the negotiated agreement with the developer to include ?pre-payment? of these amenities at no cost to the Township.
DESIGN QUESTIONS
What size residential units are contemplated in the financial model? What is the proposed mix of single, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units? How much leeway will the developers be given regarding the mix?
The plan is currently in the process of revision. We do not have final figures for the proposed mix of residential units as the individuals involved are on vacation at this time. We will send them to you as soon as we are able.
Will township entities be consulted for review of the actual design to make sure that the town maintains its character, for example, the Historical Society, or a volunteer task force of local architects?
All decisions relating to the development and final design of the plan will be made by whatever agency is put in place to oversee the development.
What specs will be included in the final plan to meet residents' concerns for green design?
The redevelopment plan will include a requirement that the development achieve, at a minimum, a USGBC Silver LEED rating.
Considering the scale of the proposed development, have any architectural assessments been made addressing the impact of this development on sun and shade in the downtown?
The proposed height of the buildings and the width of the streets have been taken into account. The redevelopment will not have a negative impact on sun and light in downtown.
DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONS
What research was performed to indicate a need for additional retail and
residential development in the downtown? Who specifically advised the Planning
Board in this process?
See answer #1
Have any retailers been contacted to determine the level of interest in the proposed retail spaces? What specific types of retailers are contemplated? The type of retailers?
As with any development, whether it is one new store or a development plan as we are discussing, the developer of the property would do their own research to determine the size of retail stores that will be offered for rent and the types of retailers that they would market to. Given the interest shown by the development community since this plan has been first discussed, this interest is high.
A critical issue associated with the DRP is its impact on school enrollment and the cost of school district services. You are on record as indicating enrollment increases connected with this plan are projected to be 20 students. What specific studies were used to justify this projection? Is the
Planning Board prepared to address the tax and curriculum impact should this projection prove wrong? Who will be the 'responsible person' to address the student enrollment issue as the project moves forward?
The projection of additional school children is based on the state-of-the-practice methodology widely employed by New Jersey planning and development professionals. It is our understanding that it is the only such study of its kind [Listokin et.al., Center for Urban Policy Research, Rutgers (2006). Who Lives in New Jersey Housing?; New Jersey Demographic Multipliers: The Profile of Occupants of Residential and Nonresidential Development. http://policy.rutgers.edu/reports/cupr/NJDM.pdf]. The report describes the methodology in detail; the data are based on New Jersey and based on the 2000 U.S. Census of Population and Housing. We have researched other sources of information; there are no other data available. Information on the experience of other communities is impressionistic, in other words, there is no other empirical information on other communities in New Jersey. In regard to your questions on enrollment, tax and curriculum impacts, the responsible parties would be designated by the Township Committee in the context of its future decision-making on this plan.
Has the police department been consulted to assess potential challenges regarding crime in an expanded downtown with new retail, parking decks and new roadways? If yes, what has been their response? What are the additional costs and who will fund these costs?
There is no evidence that this development will result in increased crime. Additionally, the final plans will be reviewed by the Police Department and if there are any issues pertaining to their ability to protect residents, the plans will be revised.
Has our fire department assessed the cost of new equipment needed to scale five story buildings as well as the addition of other buildings both residential and retail? If new fire equipment is necessary, what will be the cost of that equipment and will the current fire house be able to house this equipment? Who will fund the additional costs?
The Fire Department currently operates a truck with a 100' ladder, which is more than enough to handle the height of the proposed buildings. Additionally, the final plans will be reviewed by the Fire Department and if there are any issues pertaining to their ability to protect residents, the plans will be revised.
Where is the municipal yard and DPW being relocated? Has the Planning Board discussed the option of discarding the DPW and procuring the services of private sanitation removal to be paid for by residents? What, if any, additional costs and expenses are projected from the move of the DPW? Will there be any additional fees or taxes for residents due to this move?
The Planning Board has never been and will not now be involved in determining alternatives for trash pick up. The relocation of DPW will be addressed as the project moves forward. With regard to taxes, it is expected that the new retail merchants will be responsible (as they are now) for their trash pick-up. For the residential portion of the development, it is expected that the taxes paid by the
residents will cover the cost of their trash pick-up.
Have the DPW and Rimback properties been tested for environmental contamination? What are the potential costs of soil remediation? Who would be responsible for these costs?
I believe that during negotiations to purchase the Rimback site by the Township, environmental conditions were taken into account. At some pint in the future, I would expect that the DPW site will be tested. However, it is not correct to assume that the DPW site must be remediated. The concept of 'encapsulation' may very well apply here, since a parking garage is schedule to be built over the site. If remediation
is required, the costs will be negotiated with the developer.
How will the proposed plan impact on the portion of downtown not undergoing redevelopment in terms of retail sales, parking, and traffic?
As noted earlier: the development would be a catalyst, a beginning core for the revitalization
of downtown Millburn — it sparks the development of the larger downtown by individual property owners, businesses and residents. The new development includes the required amount of parking for the residential and retail components, as well as an additional 136 spaces. Whether or not the plan is put into place, addressing the parking in downtown must be done.
How will the proposed plan be impacted by the reconstruction of the bridge in the center of town which is already anticipated to impact negatively on traffic?
Based on the current schedules of these projects they will happen at different times and will not impact each other.
When will the traffic study be performed examining the impact on the downtown of this proposed development? Should the traffic plan be incorporated into the plan or even performed in advance of the plan?
As has been stated on numerous occasions, a traffic study is recommended for a number of reasons, the most important of which is to investigate having both Millburn Avenue and Essex Street become 2 ways. It can be done at any time before the plan is put into place. It could also be part of the developer's responsibility.
Why is the old Town Hall being demolished instead of being modified for retail or office use when it has historical significance to the town? What study determined that a new Town Hall was required and that the existing facilities could not be more cost effectively modified or added to?
A simple walk-thought of Town Hall shows that it is inefficient and inadequate to meet the needs for the
administrative services. Town Hall is not listed on the NJ or National register as a historically significant building. I am not aware of any analysis that investigated renovating and expanding Town Hall.
Of the total number of parking spaces anticipated for the downtown, how many spaces will be situated on public roadways, within the newly developed property in parking decks for retailers and condo residents, and in public parking decks and lots strictly for public use? How does this compare to the current parking? How many spaces currently exist for public use in parking lots and as street parking? What parking rates were used in the financial models? Who will set the parking rates, the township or the developer?
The DRP included parking for all new development as well as an additional 136 spaces. Parking fees will be set by Millburn?s Parking Authority. An inventory of parking spaces is attached.
How will this plan succeed in the current economic climate?
The plan will not be built for a number of years and no one can predict what the economic conditions will be at that time.
What development might be considered in the future to create a fully integrated downtown?
The original proposal from the Township Committee was to look at the entire downtown, from Wyoming Avenue on the east to Spring Street on the west and including the Papermill and the library and the middle school. The residents were vehemently against this idea, so the study was confined to the area we are now discussing. The issue of parking in downtown must be addressed and the most recent steps were a report by a parking committee that submitted its report to the Township Committee a few weeks ago.
Previous articles on this subject:
WeLoveMillburn meets with Planning Board members to discuss the Downtown Redevelopment Plan (August 13, 2008)
Why does the Millburn Planning Board not honor our request to have a meeting regarding our questions about the proposed Downtown Redevelopment Plan? (July 29, 2008)
WeLoveMillburn, Inc. is a non-profit, grassroots, informational organization made up of involved residents. This mission, as we have stated on our website, is to help all residents to be better informed about the issues that affect our community. We do this in a positive spirit of informing one another about what is happening, what is not happening and what is possible. We are all neighbors and this is our town. WeLoveMillburn.com
|
