Maplewood to Amend Setbacks and Stepbacks in Several Village Zones

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - The Maplewood Township Committee voted at its July 16 ^th meeting to make some changes to an ordinance dealing with setbacks, the minimum distance between a building and a property line, in zones R-1-5 and R-1-7 in the village. The amended ordinance would also add a stepback requirement for second-story construction on a front-facing attached garage of no less than two feet behind the front façade of the attached garage. Committee members have already received input from the planning board and the amended ordinance will have a second reading at the August 6 ^th Township Committee Meeting.

Mayor Nancy Adams said that while many local architects are thoughtful about the appearance of homes in town, Committee Members are mindful of the possible threat of house “flippers” buying homes and trying to, “cram in as much house as possible in.” Working to maintain the scale of the buildings in the village is one reason the township voted to redo their demolition ordinance. Mayor Adams also said the township’s larger goal is to, “try to reduce bulk” to keep so-called McMansions out of the village.

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The Township Committee introduced an ordinance that would authorize a long-term tax exemption for a proposed two-family, two-unit affordable housing project at 95 Tiffany Place. The nonprofit, 9395 Tiffany Place Urban Renewal Corporation, has received financing from the New Jersey Department of Urban Affairs for the project. Committee Member Victor De Luca said the Affordable Housing Board has been talking about this for six months and, “We think this is a very good project, it will put two units for very low-income folks on our rolls. The owner is seeking to move forward with this, and we want to make sure the owner doesn’t decide to pull out and sell the house, and we miss this opportunity.”

Committee Member Deborah Engel shared great news from the Health Department saying Maplewood had received the New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials sustaining local public health infrastructure grant award in the amount of just over $168, 049. “This is what funds our robust local health department and great employees which gives us the ability to host health fairs, provide free or low-cost health screenings, vaccinations to the community and explore expanded programming for mental health prevention and other social supports,” reported Engel.

Committee Member Dean Dafis summarized issues pertaining to prior approvals to zoning, demolition or construction permits, property maintenance during construction, and contractor containment. He also said Township Committee Members should again call for NJ Senator Bob Menendez to “Step aside immediately in light of the unanimous all 16-count conviction” against him.

In other news from the meeting, resident Glenn Merry, whose background is in the field of nonprofit management in sports, was appointed an alternate to the Zoning board. In accepting the appointment, he said, “I am at a point in my career where I have the time to commit back and volunteer to the community and I thought this might be a good way to do it.” Merry’s term will end on December 31, 2025. Also, Columbia High School student Ellie Tamir-Hoehn was appointed a member of the Youth Advisory Committee with a term to end in June 2026.

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Deputy Mayor Jamaine Cripe read a proclamation designating July as Park and Recreation Month saying, “Parks and recreation promotes health and wellness, improving the physical and mental health of people who live near parks, and encourages physical activities by providing space for popular sports, hiking trails, swimming pools and many other activities designed to promote active lifestyles.”

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