To:  

From: Friends of the Drew Forest 

RE: Imminent threat to the Drew Forest and environmentally sensitive lands—S4736 introduced in the NJ Legislature's lame duck session

Thank you for standing with us over the years. Just as we are getting close to saving the Drew Forest, a new threat is on the horizon: an environmentally troubling bill, S4736, that could impact our ability to save the Forest and preserve valuable open space across NJ. The bill was introduced on Oct. 27 by Senator Troy Singleton, the Senate Majority Caucus Chair. We suspect it will be fast tracked through the lame duck session, which ends Jan. 13.

The bill has an extremely laudable goal: accelerating the construction of affordable housing in New Jersey by allowing nonprofits and churches to monetize their lands and turn them into housing. But it does so without regard to existing municipal zoning ordinances.

What has us on edge: If S4736 becomes law, developers will be able to bypass a municipality’s  Zoning Board of Adjustment. For example, in Madison, there would be no need for a zoning change (from university to residential) for Drew University to develop anywhere on its 164-acre property, including the Forest. 

Developers would be allowed to do the following as pre-approved, permitted uses:

• build housing with a 40 unit per acre density. 

• build housing with heights one story higher than the highest building in town.

• enter into automatic agreement for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT), something that normally occurs when an area has been designated ‘in need of redevelopment.’

• build housing that is 80% market rate and 20% affordable. 20% affordable is not a high enough threshold for a fast-track bill; it is simply what towns like Madison require.

The bill incentivizes sprawl, overrides local Master Plan goals and undermines the sort of smart-growth planning that makes towns walkable, liveable and public-transportation savvy. 

Most importantly, the bill totally ignores the need to protect New Jersey’s dwindling open space and its over-stressed natural resources, including the Buried Valley Aquifer, for which the Drew Forest is an important recharge zone.

Please pass this on to friends, elected officials and everyone who cares about open space and the Drew Forest.

Sincerely,

Your name here

Make calls and send emails to these key Senate members:

• Contact these members of the Community and Urban Affairs Committee:

  • Sen. Troy Singleton, Chair—email contact is here; phone: is 856-234-2790.

  • Sen. Brian P. Stack (D)—email form is here; phone is (201) 721-5263

  • Sen. Benjie E. Wimberly (D)—email form is here, phone is (973) 925-7061

• Senate President Nick Scutari (D)—email form is here; phone is (732) 827-7480

• Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D)—email form is here; phone is (732) 855-7441

• Contact these key voices:

  • Sen. John McKeon (D)—email form is here, phone is (862) 930-7071

  • Sen. Gordon Johnson (D)—email form is here, phone is (201) 308-7060

  • Sen. Linda Greenstein (D)—email form is here, phone is (609) 395-9911

Phone script:

I’m calling about the Senate bill S4736, which has the laudable goal of incentivizing churches and nonprofits to build affordable housing on their property. However, as written, this bill is a giveaway to developers because it allows very high density and a low affordable housing percentage. Furthermore, in this time of climate change, it contains no provisions for protecting environmentally sensitive lands and open space. 

As written, the bill would allow Drew University to develop the 51-acre Drew Forest and the Borough of Madison will have no control over the zoning process. The Drew Forest is a rare biodiverse forest that provides important recharge for the Buried Valley Aquifer where 30 towns get their drinking water. Its trees are some of the oldest in Morris County. 

Find your Assembly and Senate reps here.

Ask your Mayor and Council to pass a resolution opposing S4736.