Give Them Hell From Avenel, Again!

Seems like every time one hears about new apartments being built in Woodbridge Township, the Avenel section of the township is the place where those apartments are destined to be built.

A new 27 unit apartment complex is near completion on St. Georges Avenue (Rt. 35).  Recently, another 32 or 34 apartment unit complex was proposed by HBR, LLC, at the intersection of St. Georges Ave. and Chain O Hills Road.  Reportedly, the developer withdrew its variance request to the township’s Zoning/Planning Boards, owing to community opposition to the development.

While the 32-34 apartment complex is apparently being held in abeyance, HBR, LLC has requested a variance hearing before the township’s Zoning Board at 7 P.M., on April 3, 2014 for 29 apartment units on Avenel Street, between St. Georges and Woodruff Avenues.  The notification for that hearing         was published in the ‘Public Notices’ section of the Home News Tribune.

Why is it that Avenel keeps getting targeted for more apartments?  Who is HBR, LLC, and who is behind it?

With the new 27 units coming on line soon, the pending proposed 32 or 34(?) units, and now the 29 units, Avenel could see a total of 88, or even 90, apartment unit in its near future.  Keep in mind the McCormac administration has plans to develop the old General Dynamic site in Avenel with 500 apartment units.  Add to those numbers the township’s ‘Master Plan’ call for the Developmental Center in Avenel (if the community cannot save it) to be developed, in part, for ‘affordable housing’.  There is no current indication of how many units could be stacked in that property.

It is believed that some, if not all, of these developments will be or have been granted Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT Program) status.  That status greatly reducing the amount of tax revenue the school district will receive, while potentially increase the number of students the district will have to transport and educate.  In other words, the developers get a huge tax break at the expense of home and property owners in the township.

If the residents of Avenel, and the Woodbridge community as a whole, wish to stand against this type of development, they should attend the Zoning and, if applicable,  Planning Board hearings to voice opposition to these projects.  Members of the community can also contact the Mayor and/or their town council representatives (go to:  http://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/ElectedOfficials/tabid/248/Default.aspx  for contact information) and tell them NO MORE in Avenel.  Avenel has given them ‘Hell’ before and, apparently, Avenel needs to do so again!