PETERSBURG — Township Committee took what solicitor Dan Reeves called “the first substantive step” toward creation of a senior housing complex off Stagecoach Road on Monday.
The governing body voted unanimously Sept. 12 to approve ordinance 22-2022, which authorizes purchase of block 566, lot 1, commonly known as 1369 Old Stagecoach Road in the Palermo section of the township.
Mayor Curtis Corson said a church-based organization is looking to build senior housing in the township and the property, which the township is buying from Cape May County for $1, would allow the project to proceed.
“We will offer this property to them and can negotiate with them for senior housing behind the senior center affiliated with one of the local churches,” Corson said, noting the county would continue to operate the Upper Township Senior Center on the property. “Basically we are buying for $1 a piece of property that’s not on the tax rolls now and repurposing it for COAH housing obligations.”
The Council on Affordable Housing requires that every municipality in the state provide a percentage of its housing units to people of low to moderate income.
Township engineer Paul Dietrich said the township has a 440-unit deficiency and that the project would provide 79 credits toward fulfilling the obligation.
According to the ordinance, the property is about 10 acres and will be subdivided into two properties of about 8 and 2 acres. The smaller of the two would contain the senior center and be leased to the county, while the larger would be developed into affordable housing for senior citizens.
“That will help satisfy some of our affordable housing obligations,” Reeves said, noting the Diocesan Housing Services Corp. of the Diocese of Camden has been working with the engineer’s office on the concept.
“This is the first substantive step moving it forward,” Reeves said.
It was unclear at press time whether the property would be taxable or tax-exempt, but a project in Northfield planned by the Diocesan Housing Services Corp. would generate ratables for that city.
The township owns property across Stagecoach Road from the senior center and Reeves said the original plan was to offer that property for senior housing.
“Then the thought was, why are we making senior citizen residents cross the street to the senior center?” Reeves said.
The property is ideal for the project, Reeves said, because there are a lot of trees.
“It will have a significant tree buffer around the development, which keeps neighbors happy,” he said.
Zoning Board appointment
A resolution appointing Donald Rainear as Strathmere’s representative to the Zoning Board was part of the consent agenda, which Township Committee votes on in one act unless one of its members requests that an item be pulled for discussion.
Councilwoman Kim Hayes asked that the appointment be discussed, saying she felt the position should go to someone more actively involved in the community. She also felt that a woman should be selected since the seat was most recently filled by a woman — Karen Mitchell, who resigned from the board two to three weeks ago — who had replaced another woman.
“It really got moved too quickly and we should have solicited more input from the citizens of Strathmere,” Hayes said the following day, noting she favored Janice Connell, who is president of the Strathmere Improvement Association, but that she is registered as a Pennsylvania resident and could not serve.
Hayes moved to table the appointment to try to find a more suitable replacement, but no one seconded the motion.
Corson said there is a backlog on the board because it has not been able to form a quorum for some time and made a motion to move ahead. The motion was seconded and the vote to move ahead with the appointment was approved 3-2, with Hayes and Committeeman Mark Pancoast voting against it.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
