Franklin delays action on COAH obligations

FRANKLIN—The borough council held off once again on approving a new growth share/land development ordinance last week, but will likely soon take action. The mayor and council, encouraged to act soon in order to avoid the possibility of developers not contributing their full obligations under the state's Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) requirements, could adopt an ordinance by next week if the state has not released a "model growth share" ordinance by then, borough officials have said. "The state said they would publish it a month ago, but they haven't done it yet," commented mayor Doug Kistle. "If their report isn't out soon, we'll probably pass it at the next mayor and council meeting." Specifically, the ordinance will require that for every eight units of housing built at fair/current market value, a ninth must be constructed to benefit homeowners of low to moderate income, borough officials said. For developments of fewer than eight units, developers will have to contribute $17,750 for every "per market rate" unit. If all eight units are built but not the ninth, then the developer would have to pay the full $142,000. The policy will be mandatory. "We're trying to encourage all our developers to meet their COAH obligations while they're building," said borough administrator Richard R. Wolak. "We in Franklin feel that they should meet their COAH obligations within the project," Kistle agreed. "If they build 500 units, they have to put in 60 COAH units, or whatever their number is." Officials said the ordinance would prevent COAH obligations from being passed on to taxpayers if developers fail to meet their obligations. "This will make sure without a doubt," Kistle stated. If the town had to build a COAH unit itself, it would take the money set aside under the ordinance and then "secure and purchase" a location in order to prepare it for an eventual COAH homeowner, borough officials said.