Downtown Overlay Zone Ordinances
The Scotch Plains Affordable Housing Settlement Conditional Declaratory Judgment of Compliance and Repose (“JOR”) included “Condition I,” which refers to the Redevelopment in Downtown Revitalization through tiered densities and requires that “[t]he Township will continue to study the properties designated as part of “Phase II Redevelopment in Downtown Revitalization”, and as depicted on Exhibit B of the Settlement Agreement towards the Township’s Third Round unmet need.
The Township shall either adopt redevelopment plans for any properties that meet the criteria for “an area in need of redevelopment” or, if infeasible due to time constraints, adopt Overlay Ordinances pursuant to the agreed upon densities applied to each Tier in lieu of Redevelopment designation. The Township shall adopt redevelopment plans by ordinance or adopt an overlay ordinance or ordinances, putting in place the zoning mechanisms for the agreed upon densities by June 30, 2020.”
To satisfy this condition, the Township Council introduced three downtown overlay zone ordinances for Tiers 1, 2, & 3 (see Exhibit A for visual of Tiers and properties included) on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.
In preparation of the Overlay Zone Ordinances, the Scotch Plains Downtown Redevelopment Committee created an open and transparent process by holding public meetings about the Overlay Zone Ordinances informing the public of the ordinances and giving the public the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments. These meetings, which go above and beyond any statutory requirements, were held on December 11, 2019, January 8, 2020, and March 11, 2020 respectively.
On June 8, 2020 the Scotch Plains Planning Board considered and voted unanimously to endorse the Downtown Overlay Zone Ordinances, finding them each to be consistent with the land use and housing element of the Master Plan. The Township Council then adopted these ordinances on August 18, 2020.
If you have any questions on these ordinances, please contact Thomas Strowe, Director, Redevelopment (908) 322-6700 ext. 317 or
Exhibit A Exhibit B Ordinance 2020-11 |
Ordinance 2020-9 Ordinance 2020-10 |