Plainfield Council Tables Study of Affordable Housing on Wooded Site along Woodland Ave

PLAINFIELD, NJ — At Monday's Plainfield City Council meeting for the month of August, the Mapp administration proposed a study of a wooded site on Woodland Avenue.

One of the last remaining undeveloped sites on Woodland Avenue in Plainfield, the 4-acre property is around the street's intersection with Marlborough Avenue. The resolution, which can be read here , proposes that the Planning Board conduct an investigation into whether the property at 1101-1117 Woodland Avenue satisfies the criteria to be designated a non-condemnation development area. Such a designation would pave the way for development of the site.

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In a discussion with the council, Director of Economic Development Zenobia Fields revealed details not explained in the resolution. Fields explained that the study would be geared towards affordable townhomes for both leasing and purchase.

"All of the properties that we are currently studying for affordable home ownership will be deed restricted, including the ones that we look at that will be for affordable rents are still being restricted," said Fields, speaking both about the Woodland Avenue site and Plainfield's affordable housing plans in general.

While she did not specify the nature of the restrictions, in the content of affordable home ownership a deed restriction would likely limit the appreciation of the home value so that the property can remain affordable beyond its first owner or to avoid a quick flip of the home.

Fields explained that the City of Plainfield defines affordable as monthly costs between 30% and 120% of what is considered affordable to the city's median income of around $70,000. Giving an example, Fields said this means an affordable studio would rent between $700 and $1600.

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The lack of new development in Plainfield that provides opportunities for home ownership was a point of contention during the July council meeting. Towards the end of that meeting, Mayor Adrian Mapp explained that attracting builders who build houses and apartments for purchase is difficult.

"Plainfield is providing the housing choices that financial institutions will support and will finance and that the state will provide incentives," said Mapp in July. "Although it is ideal to encourage home ownership, we must be guided by the reality.

On Monday, Councilor Richard Wyatt commended the City of Plainfield for putting forth the prospect of development geared towards home ownership so quickly.

"I know at the last meeting the council was tasked with going to find developers who were looking to build single family homes or multifamily homes," said Richard Wyatt on Monday. "[The mayor] said there was no financing for that. But in four weeks I see that you were able to do that. I just want to commend you for finding people that were willing and able to come to Plainfield and build those homes."

In fact, the administration did not find anyone willing to build affordable homes in Plainfield, but Wyatt seemed to appreciate the fact that the administration wants to study it, both at the Woodland Avenue site and another on South Second Street. Read the South Second Street resolution, which passed, here .

Nine residents, many of whom lived in the vicinity of 1101 Woodland Avenue, spoke against the resolution. Their concerns largely centered around the environmental, quality of life, water, and aesthetic issues.

"Nobody wants it, and it's additionally going to drive all the animals and wildlife that currently live there onto my property and onto my neighbors property," said Julie Davidovich, who lives close to the site. "So you're talking about deer, raccoons, mice." Davidovich also wondered if the new construction would lower property values or if clearing the sloped site would cause problems in the foundations of surrounding homes.

Sal Carrono, a 53-year resident of Plainfield, worries if developing such a sloped site would cause issues for emergency personnel, citing another nearby developed area. "You need to learn from the wisdom of the people that came before you and the mistakes that were made that could never be corrected," he told the council.

Jo-Ann Bandomer, who lives one block downhill from the wooded site, fears that removing the trees would worsen her water issues. "We've had put in sump pumps and French drains in our house," shared Bandomer, who said her son used to play in a pond on the site decades ago. "Successive storms have brought the water down Marlborough Ave. It hits our house ... and I can only imagine that if we lose that little bit of wetland up there, it's only going to impact us more."

"New Jersey is the densest state in the nation, and there was just a New York Times article that was talking about how we are the fastest warming state in the nation," said resident Krisja Lorenson. "It said that one of the reasons for that is increased development in some parts of the state."

"The only thing we can do to try to counter this is to plant more trees and to leave the little bits of woodlands and wetland that we have," concluded Lorenson.

"I believe that the majority of people want to be proud of where they live," said resident Marie Ansari. "Comments like 'It's just a study' have led to a lot of the irreversible issues we have," said resident Marie Ansari. "Trees are good. Open space is good. We don't have to fill every little space."

The Plainfield City Council voted unanimously to table the study.

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