Delaney Homes Property
PERTH AMBOY – October 21, 2013 – Ordinance #1 First Reading – An ordinance adopting amendments to the Focus 2000 Plan for redevelopment area 3 pursuant to the local redevelopment and housing law. Re: Delaney Homes – No public discussion.
Business Administrator Greg Fehrenbach read a report from the Redevelopment Agency to the Council, where the following was it was suggested: the remaining 11 acres on the Delaney Homes Property be used for non-residential purposes. Non-residential could include a nursing home”
When Fehrenbach was questioned why an nursing home would be considered non-residential, he explained that, “The units consist of beds and not full apartments. The 4 acres to be developed would be residential.”
Councilman Fernando Irizarry was very annoyed when he read about the changes that the Redevelopment Agency wanted on the property. Irizarry said, “This plan is different from what was first presented to us. I don’t see why we can’t put senior housing here.”
Irizarry’s concern was that this track on Delaney Homes is already cleared for development. “Why go through the search again to find a place to put senior housing? You may have to go through a process to see if another site is suitable for development and zoned for that purpose. We are also pushing out the middle class who are going elsewhere because the rents are too high.”
Councilman Bill Petrick said that the former Delaney Homes site is really geared more towards commercial development, “I’m for senior housing, and there are developers in the City of whom I’m sure will be glad to build those kind of units.”
City Clerk and Redevelopment Agency Member Elaine Jasko said, “Once we build the 70 units on Delaney Homes, our low income housing obligation will be met.”
Councilwoman Lisa Nanton was absent.
