Northpointe Revised Plan Combines Affordable and Market Housing

Article by Kaitlyn Anness, kaitlyn.anness@patch.com

The Northpointe Development came back to Marlboro's Planning Board with a completely revised site plan, which now shows affordable housing will mix with market-rate housing throughout the proposed property.

Northpointe will have 299 market-rate homes, 85 low and moderate income homes and one caretaker unit. Previously, affordable housing units were separate.

And while Planning Board members seemed content with the new inclusion, a three-bedroom market-rate unit complete with a large den had some members on edge.

An estimated 260 school children will come with this new development, which the township is ordered by New Jersey courts to allow, but Planning Board members said if half of the large dens in market-rate housing were converted to bedrooms that number could double.

"How do you stop them from converting that room?" Planning Board member Josh Pollak said. 

Northpointe developers plan to add strong wording in any leasing agreement, stressing the illegality of converting a room with no window into a bedroom and adding any lease will be defaulted if tenants are caught doing so. 

While Wednesday's hearing could go down in the books as one of the shortest and ill-attended Northpointe events in Marlboro, Planning Board members remained diligent about the possibility of large storms and stormwater overflow.

Stormwater management was a highlight of Northpointe's revised site plan, which includes one dry retention basin and one pond which runs off into Gravelly Brook.

Board members questioned possible flooding across Thornton Road as water travels to the brook, but Northpointe representatives are confident pervious ground would limit any road flooding.

Developers previously moved proposed buildings further from the Aberdeen border and closer to the development's road, causing a use-variance request to shorten the length between the road and a front-atrium for some buildings.

The revised site plan changes have not yet been crossed with previous traffic study testimony, and developers are working with the county to develop a traffic signal plan from Lloyd Road. 

The next hearing is Oct. 2, and testimonies are expected to end at an Oct. 16 meeting.