"Don's" parcel is a 4.25 acre strip of land along the south side of South Orange Avenue extending from White Oak Ridge Road to approximately Lawrence Drive, Short Hills. The parcel is bordered to the northeast by South Orange Avenue and to southwest by the neighborhoods of Rippling Brook Drive, White Oak Ridge Road, and Clive Hills Road, Short Hills. It is bordered to the southeast by the backyards of the residents of the northwest corner of Lawrence Drive. It is bordered to the northeast across South Orange Avenue by neighborhoods in Livingston. The parcel is within Livingston Township and lies directly on the border between Livingston Township and Millburn Township. The parcel is currently partially occupied by a Tutor TimeTM Child Care/Learning Center.
The parcel is owned by a group called TMB Partners who has brought a builders suit against the town of Livingston for the right to build high-density affordable COAH (Mount Laurel) housing at the site. The Livingston settlement was UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED by the Livingston Town Council on December 1st, 2008 as "not in any current residential areas of Livingston" and "in the best interests of our town." The settlement provides two options on the parcel in question:
One option allows for three "MIDRISE"* buildings containing 84 market rate units and 24 "affordable" units for very low, low and moderate incomes. They are all rental units. (*MIDRISE DEFINITION: 65 ft. height plus 8 ft. for a Mansard roof: total, 73 feet high)
The other option allows for 2 midrise units containing 100 market rate units and 20 "affordable" rental units for very low, low and moderate incomes, plus a single story office building.
For a copy of the Livingston/TMB Partners settlement click here. This settlement HAS ALREADY BEEN UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED by the Livingston Town Council on December 1st, 2008.
For a schematic of one proposal for a high-density city slotted for Don's parcel click here. Note the density of the structure and the dual-level! underground parking garages.