TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE APPROVES POST OFFICE SITE DEVELOPER AND TAX BREAKS

The Township Committee on Tuesday night gave further approval to two elements of the proposed Maplewood Village Post Office redevelopment, voting to formally choose the developer for the site as well as approving a tax exemption agreement that requires only a portion of taxes on the site during the first five years.

The TC voted, 5-0, on designating JMF Construction as the developer, while also granting the tax exemption agreement on a 3-2 vote. 

TC Members India Larrier and Marlon Brownlee opposed the tax exemption.

Some of the public comments are below:




Mayor Vic De Luca offered a lengthy review of the process prior to the comments. 

That is below:



The approvals and comments followed yet another revision to the plan, which now includes three stories and 20 housing units.  

"These designs have really changed based on the concerns of the community," De Luca said.

"I'm torn," admitted TC member Marlon Brownlee, who said he was not sure if another developer would want to be involved if JMF was forced to pull out.

The next step is for a site review by the Planning Board and numerous other approvals.