Livingston Paves Way For Hundreds Of New Housing Units

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The Livingston Town Council unanimously voted in favor of two real estate-related ordinances during their meeting this week, paving the way for more housing in the township.

The first – Ordinance 03-2024 – will permit the development of Block 100 Lots 15 and 16 under an overlay district, with a maximum of 160 residential housing units to be owned or leased for multi-family residential use (see diagram below).

Any development project would need to set aside 20 percent of the units as affordable for low and moderate-income households.

The Livingston Planning Board reviewed the ordinance after a first reading from the council, finding (with one member abstaining) that it is “substantially consistent” with the township’s master plan. However, the board added that it is giving a stamp of approval to the ordinance because it will add to the local affordable housing stock.

A representative from Lifetown – a facility at 10 Microlab Road that hosts special education programs near the new overlay district – was present at the meeting and spoke in support of the ordinance.

“They’re working very closely with us and there are some changes to our property that will take place, but they’re working very diligently to make sure that the children and the participants at Lifetown will not only be compensated for the properties that we're swapping, but there will be a tremendous enhancement to the property,” he said.

Read the full ordinance online here.

AGE-RESTRICTED HOUSING

The second piece of legislation – Ordinance 04-2024 – will permit the development of Block 101 Lot 2 under an overlay district, with a maximum of 120 residential housing units to be owned or leased for “age-restricted” multi-family residential use (see diagram below).

Any development project would need to set aside 20 percent of the units as affordable for low and moderate-income households.

The head of the household of each residential unit must be at least 55-years-old, and no person under 19 will be allowed to live there for more than 90 days in a calendar year.

The Livingston Planning Board decided that the ordinance is “substantially consistent” with the township’s master plan, but again added a caveat that their vote – with one abstention – was based on the local need for more affordable housing.

Read the full ordinance online here.

Watch footage from the Feb. 26 meeting below (video is cued to the hearings and votes on both ordinances).

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