The Livingston Township Council met on Thursday, June 8, for a conference only meeting, briefly discussing the vacant lot at Northfield Center and PFAS litigation before entering a closed executive session.
Northfield Center
During public comment at the conference meeting, multiple residents asked about the vacant lot at the comer of Northfield Road and South Livingston Avenue. All of the residents who spoke implored the Council not to “give in” to the land owner’s demands by granting him a tax abatement in order for him to build what he already sought and was granted approval to construct years earlier.
An ordinance adopting a redevelopment plan for the property at the intersection of East Northfield Road and South Livingston Avenue was introduced during the May 30 Council meeting.
The area, identified as Block 2700, Lots 50, 51 and 52 in the township tax maps, covers the areas commonly known as 531 South Livingston Avenue, 25 East Northfield Road, and 521 South Livingston Avenue, located at Northfield Center. Prior to being knocked down years ago for an approved housing complex, the site was home to the Northfield Baptist Church and other businesses, but the area has been left in disarray since those buildings were demolished. The owner has not built what he sought approval for, citing unanticipated cost issues.
The Council authorized the preparation of a redevelopment plan for the area in November of 2022 and received it in April. While the ordinance was introduced on May 30, a related resolution to forward the redevelopment plan to the Planning Board did not have the votes to proceed at that meeting, so it is not yet known if a second hearing will be held at the next Council meeting on Monday, June 26.
During the May 3 0 meeting, in last week’s edition of the Tribune, and on social media, several residents, including members ofthe Livingston’s Zoning and Planning Boards, spoke out against granting the developer of the property a tax abatement in the form of a 30-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT). When members of the public echoed these thoughts during the conference meeting on June 8, Council members responded to their concerns.
Council member Ed Meinhardt noted that nothing the Council voted on at the May 30 meeting would directly approve a PILOT. Other conversations and votes wouldneed to take place for that to occur, though the redevelopment plan would be a necessary step for it to happen.
Mayor Michael Vieira noted that there has been “disinformation” spread about what is and is not happening with the lot. He said that he wished that the redevelopment plan had been sent to the Planning Board at the last meeting so that a public hearing could have been held at an upcoming meeting.
Council member Shawn Klein said that there is only so much the town can force the owner to do with the property, since it is privately owned land.
“We can’t take someone’s property and tell them what to do with it,” Klein said. He also noted that there has been “so much muck being thrown around” on social media about the issue, and the Council specifically, that it has become difficult to have a rational discussion about it. He added that he did not want to see a tax abatement for the property and would not vote for a PILOT for the owner.
Klein voted “present” during the May 30 vote to introduce the ordinance, while Deputy Mayor A1 Anthony voted “no.” The other three Council members voted to introduce it, though Rosy Bagolie did not vote to send the redevelopment plan to the Planning Board, which is why the ordinance was introduced but that resolution did not pass. At the conference meeting last week, Bagolie said that this was because she would not approve the “20 to 30 year” PILOT that the developer was seeking, though she may be open to a shorter term one, such as a five-year PILOT.
PFAS Settlement
The township is expected to receive compensation from DuPont, following a settlement related to PFAS contaminants in the water.
The township j oined a class action lawsuit with many municipalities, as opposed to suing on its own.
The settlement will help the town pay for remediation of its wells, as it works to get rid of the contaminants. The exact amount the town will receive is not yet known, but township attorney Jarrid Kant or said that it is not expected to be substantial, due to the number of municipalities involved.
Kantor said that an additional case with 3M is expected to beresolved in a settlement eventually. This settlement is anticipated to be larger than the DuPont one, and is currently in mediation.
Closed Session
Following the conference, the Council went into a closed executive session. Expected to be discussed was redevelopment contract negotiations; personnel litigation; Fair Share Housing Litigation; and information related to the new DPW site.
