Drew Forest excluded from Madison’s affordable housing plan; university maps out possible spots for housing in forest

June 24, 2025, By BRETT FRIEDENSOHN Managing EditorMadison Eagle

MADISON – Drew University has submitted concepts for possible development of future housing in the Drew Forest but the forest was not included in the borough’s fourth round affordable housing plan.

This plan, approved by the Planning Board Monday, June 23, maps out where 36 affordable housing units could go. With 27 bonus credits, these developments would provide the borough 63 affordable housing credits.

Included in the appendix was a concept by Drew and developer AvalonBay Communities, mapping out where hundreds of housing units could go in the forest and in other places on Drew’s campus.

In the appendix, the board has to include concepts from developers who have expressed interest in building housing in the borough, according to planner Graham Petto of Topology, who represented the borough during the meeting.

This concept, dated Monday, April 21, contrasts with Drew and Madison’s nonbinding term sheet for $65.1 million dollar deal that will preserve the forest and pave the way for development on other parts of the campus.

The agreement, announced in November, involves Madison purchasing the Drew Forest for preservation in perpetuity. It also includes revenue from development on additional university land for multi-family, inclusionary residential housing units.

Also on Drew’s campus, the borough would also acquire ownership of frontage along Madison Avenue including the Madison House at 2 Vinal Place at the corner of Madison Avenue, per the agreement.

The concept submitted by Drew also maps out 16 townhouses in the Zuck Arboretum and 192 townhouses in the Hepburn Woods.

Outside the woods, Drew’s concepts show 429 housing units along Madison Avenue and behind the United Methodist Church.

Madison Environmental Commission Chair Claire Whitcomb said the commission was “surprised” about this plan which “completely sidesteps the term sheet” negotiated by Drew and Madison.

As proposed, the construction of these units on Drew’s campus would involve paving over significant aquifer recharge areas, increasing stormwater runoff, wiping out important migratory bird habitats, increasing the heat island effect, clearing trees, stressing adjacent neighborhoods and maxing out the borough’s electric and water infrastructure, Whitcomb said.

“It will add very little to the quality of life in Madison Borough, not to mention the quality of life for the local habitat, in return for what will surely be a host of variance requests,” Whitcomb said.

Madison Climate Action Committee member Kathleen Caccavale thanked the task force that prepared the fourth round plan for excluding the forest from the list of sites identified for inclusion in the plan.

Caccavale said the community cannot afford to lose this natural resource for its heat mitigation, natural stormwater management and groundwater infiltration benefits, and for its species habitat and other ecological benefits.

These benefits, Caccavale said, help to ensure a healthy ecosystem for Madison’s current and future residents “from the tallest human to the smallest insect, the tallest tree to the most ephemeral native plant.”

The community can also not afford to lose 15 years and many hours and dollars of forest restoration work by students and volunteers that make the forest an example of what can be accomplished in forest restoration, Caccavale said.

“The Drew Forest is perhaps the last remaining large contiguous area of forest that is unprotected against development, which would destroy this substantial portion of our canopy,” Caccavale said.

The plan is set to be heard by the Borough Council during a special meeting Wednesday, June 25.