Council and Court Deny Englewood Community’s Right to Have Voices Heard on Proposed Development Plan
Former Mayor Huttle proposed a workable solution; abide by the current city Master Plan and keep current zoning, thus eliminating the proposal’s impact on neighborhoods and also create an opportunity for housing in city’s the commercial area. This would ensure the city could meet its affordable housing obligations while keeping future development out of existing neighborhoods.
Unfortunately, this simple solution ultimately fell on deaf ears. The Council ignored and refused to consider public input and calls to postpone hearings this week on the project. Englewood One Community and several individual residents representing all City Wards filed an application in New Jersey Superior Court to postpone the final compliance meeting, but due to the city of Englewood’s attorney’s vigorous opposition, the court denied the request.
Going forward, Englewood One Community will pursue further legal options with the goal for the community’s voices to finally be considered and heard.
Mayor Michael Wildes and Councilman Kevin Wilson attended the Town Hall to express their opposition to the development plan, joining the hundreds of residents in their frustration over the Council’s rush to usher through the project without hearing comprehensive input from the public. Councilman Wilson was the sole member of the Council to vote “no” on the proposal; the other four Council members, Charles Cobb, Kenneth Rosenzweig, Lisa Wisotsky, and Judith Maron, all supported the project despite significant community opposition. Huttle asked “why does Cobb-Rosenzweig-Wisotsky-Maron team want to build thousands of apartments in residential neighborhoods and increase the City’s population by multiples of thousands?
Despite enormous public outcry, this week the Englewood City Council ignored calls by hundreds of residents and current and former public officials to postpone the approval of a proposed housing development plan that would place unnecessary strains on neighborhoods and schools throughout Englewood.
Over 300 people attended a Town hall meeting on Monday at Bergen Performing Arts Center hosted by Englewood One Community to speak out in opposition of the plan, which would rezone various areas in town and promote overdevelopment. Under the proposal, single family homes, historical sites, and the public library would be at risk to be sold and redeveloped.
"We absolutely oppose the current overlay zones," said former Englewood Mayor Frank Huttle III, a presenter at the Town Hall. "We oppose the plan for jeopardizing our neighborhoods. It will have an impact on jeopardizing our schools, city services and our homes value."Mayor Huttle was joined by Former Councilwoman Lynne Algrant, Peter Steck, expert NJ licensed planner, Amy Bullock, 4th ward resident, Diane and Peter Jansen from Englewood News and Dr. David Colman, associate professor of African American History at Ramapo College of New Jersey on the presenter’s panel of experts and community leaders.
Community activist Amy Jones Bullock noted the burden the proposal would have on schools and neighborhood density.
"Why do we continue to pile people on top of people?" she said. "Is there not a value to a quality of life that promotes peace and tranquility?"