Zoning Board Approves Affordable Housing, Townhouses, Strip Mall for Route 9

Officials approved last night that would put affordable housing units, townhouses and a strip mall on Route 9 north of Cox Cro Road.

The Toms River Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to approve the Nobility Crest project with an amended variance on to build a strip mall, townhouses and two apartment buildings.

The project was first put before the board in 2006, again in 2009 and, after three , the client, Nobility Crest @ Dover LLC, was granted final approval to proceed with construction by the board.  

will erect a 53,000-square-foot shopping center, two 25-unit apartment buildings and 200 townhouse units north of Cox Cro Road on Route 9.

Joseph D. Coronato Esq., who represents Nobility Crest @ Dover LLC., said his client is pleased with the outcome of the decision despite the arduousness of the task. 

“It’s a long process. We’re thrilled… and hopefully my client will now be in the position to start building out this development,” he said.

Coronato attributed much of the longevity of the board’s decision to the size and scope of the plan and chalked it up to a normalcy that many builders face, especially with the introduction of affordable housing into a community.

There was much discussion amongst the board of the client’s “hybrid” plan that placed the affordable housing units in two 25-unit apartment buildings behind the proposed strip mall. The 2009 plan had the units adjacent to the strip mall as second level apartments.  In the end it was determined that the client had fulfilled the mandates of population density and bedroom count.

“I think this is an excellent plan I don’t think there is any problems with passing an amended use variance,” said board member Robert Alston.

Regardless of the board’s approval, local residents, like Tracy Liscola, 108 Liberty Bell Rd., made their voices heard at the meeting, with concerns over the installment of affordable housing in their community, degree of child safety, additional traffic congestion and the pure economic necessity of another shopping center and residential development in a lagging economy.

“The man owns the property he has a right to build something there, we understand that,” Liscola said.  “[But]I feel this is going to turn into a Jamestown development or a Walnut St. development.  Renters don’t really care what they do to these houses and I don’t think it’s right,” she said. 

Coranto said his client will act as the landlord of the affordable housing units, which will give his client the utmost control of who occupies the building.  According to Coranto this will help to alleviate the community of their worries.  He also added that while some of the residential complaints pertaining to affordable housing are not unfounded, most affordable housing tenants make for reputable neighbors.  

“A lot of the affordable housing units are good units, to give it a bad name is inappropriate,” he said.  “A lot of the individuals who are residents are fine upstanding citizens.”

David Fraizer, 55 Liberty Bell Rd., said the board needs to reassess their stance on the proposition before them and ensure that approval of the plan is in the best interest of the community.

“The board cannot make or should not make…resolutions for the economic benefit of the developer,” he said.  They should make their decision on the economic feasibility of the town and the people living there now.”

Coronato said that the project is going to be built in phases and the development will be contingent on selling each phase before moving on to the next one.  He said while economic times are tough now the financial landscape will be vastly different in years to come, and his client has the appropriate level financial backing to go with a functional development plan.

“It’s all about the property owner to be able to use his property and develop it in accordance to the regulations,” he said.  “It’s certainly compatible with the neighborhood and really should be no problem.”