UPDATE: February 11, 2023
750 Walnut Ave was discussed at a Township Committee meeting and the conditions the Planning Board placed on Hartz Mountain before voting to approve the project. The Township Committee plans to document those conditions to keep track of their progress.
UPDATE: February 2, 2023
The Cranford Planning Board voted to approved the Hartz Mountain 750 Walnut application on January 18, 2023 and returned it to the Township Committee.
UPDATE: January 1, 2023
The hearing for 750 Walnut Avenue closed December 14 at the Cranford Planning Board meeting. Deliberations and voting are scheduled for January 18, 2023 after the 6:30 pm reorganization meeting. Residents can watch live on TV35 or Tv35’s livestream on Facebook.
UPDATE: December 26, 2022
At the Township Committee Meeting on December 13, 2022 the ordinance establishing a PILOT agreement (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) for 750 Walnut Ave was adopted by a 3 to 1 vote. The Ordinance for 750 Walnut Ave is:
Ordinance 2022-27 for 750 Walnut Ave
UPDATE: December 6, 2022
At the Township Committee Meeting on November 22, 2022, two Ordinances were introduced to establish “a financial agreement” for redevelopment of 750 Walnut Ave and Walnut Ave – South Ave. This refers to a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreement with each entity. The Ordinances are:
Ordinance 2022-27 for 750 Walnut Ave
Ordinance 2022-28 for Walnut Ave – South Ave
The Planning Board Agenda for December 7, 2022 will continue the Hartz Mountain application for Walnut Ave and 201 Walnut Ave LLC for 201 Walnut Ave.
UPDATE: October 30, 2022
The next 750 Walnut Ave hearing is postponed until Wednesday, November 30, 2022.
UPDATE: September 27, 2022
750 Walnut Avenue Planning Board hearings will continue on October 19 and November 2, 2022. The Planning Board decision on the Final Subdivision and Site Plan approval request is extended until December 31, 2022.
Video recordings of the meetings are available on the TV35 links:
September 21, 2022 meeting:
https://cranfordtv35.viebit.com/player.php?hash=uTozb08E3w9v
September 7, 2022 meeting:
https://cranfordtv35.viebit.com/player.php?hash=Wz6DdqXOoLiP
August 18, 2022 meeting:
https://cranfordtv35.viebit.com/player.php?hash=7yL0Zb4JyO4x
UPDATE: September 22, 2022
Planning Board hearing on 750 Walnut Ave, originally scheduled to finish September 21, 2022, will continue into October.
UPDATE: September 17, 2022
Planning Board hearing on 750 Walnut Ave expected to finish Wednesday, September 21 at 8:00 pm. This last meeting will be the final opportunity for residents to get clarification and ask questions on aspects of the project.
UPDATE: August 29, 2022
Cranford’s Planning Board continues the hearing on 750 Walnut Ave September 7 and September 21.
The Planning Board decision is expected no later than October 30, 2022 on the Final Subdivision and Site Plan approval request for 750 Walnut Ave projects.
The meeting on August 17, 2022 consisted of testimony and questions for the Hartz Mountain Traffic Engineer. Questions from the public for the Traffic Engineer are expected to continue at the September 7th meeting.
Here is the video of the August 17 meeting you may want to review to hear what was presented, questions asked and responses prior to the September 7 meeting.
After each expert’s direct testimony, then Planning Board experts and member’s questions, the public can ask their questions.
The most recent approved 750 Walnut Ave Redevelopment Plan, amended January 25, 2022 is here.
UPDATE: August 7, 2022
The Planning Board hearing on the 750 Walnut Ave. final Site Plan review will continue on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at 8:00 pm. The Hartz Mountain Site Design Engineer’s testimony will continue.
After each expert’s direct testimony, then Planning Board experts and member’s questions, the public can ask their questions.
In addition to documents for the Planning Board, there is a video recording and Transcript of the July 20, 2022 hearing.
UPDATE: July 30, 2022
The 750 Walnut Subdivision and Site Plan Review began at the July 20 Planning Board Meeting. The Review is scheduled to continue on August 17 with more testimony from the Hartz Site Design Engineer. Hartz is expected to call an addition 6 expert witnesses, then the Planning Board will call their 3 expert witnesses. The review will continue on September 7 if necessary.
Hartz Mountain is expected to call 2 Architecture experts, 2 Landscape Architecture experts, their Traffic Engineer and Planner. The Planning Board is expected to call their Planner, Engineer and Traffic Engineer.
The 750 Walnut Ave Redevelopment Plan referenced above will be revised and finalized based on the Subdivision and Site Plan Review.
This is the July 20, 2022 Planning Board Meeting Agenda.
The Township Professionals reports reviewing Hartz Mountain’s Full Site Plan are here.
Hartz Mountain’s Full Site Plan (500+ pages) is here.
Hartz Mountain’s Traffic Impact Study revised February 2022 is here.
UPDATE: July 9, 2022
IMPORTANT: Cranford Planning Board Hearing on the 750 Walnut Avenue application is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 8:00 pm. It is in the Municipal Building, 8 Springfield Ave, Cranford.
Your attendance is important since there are still unanswered questions and areas of confusion regarding this project. The hearing will include presentations by professionals and experts from Hartz and the Township followed by questions from the public.
Update: July 3, 2022
Approving and authorizing the execution of Redevelopment Agreements for 750 Walnut with 750 Walnut Avenue Residential Urban Renewal LLC (residential portion) and 750 Walnut Avenue Logistics, LLC (commercial portion).
Older Summary and Status Updates (oldest to newest):
UPDATE: December 20, 2020
The Township of Cranford and Hartz Mountain have agreed to a settlement regarding 750 Walnut Ave (Memorandum of Understanding) settling various disputes. It splits the property into two 15 acre parcels. One will have flex warehouse space. The other will have 250 apartments with 38 Affordable Housing units.
They have also agreed in principle to a 30 year PILOT for the residential portion.
Here is the CRANFORD-HARTZ SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT RESOLUTION (MOU).
Here is the SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT SUMMARY AND PILOT
The Fairness and Compliance hearing is rescheduled for April 12, 2021.
UPDATE: February 25, 2021
There will be a public hearing on the latest draft Fair Share Plan on March 3, 2021. The full draft Plan is here.
UPDATE: March 6, 2021
On January 26, 2021, the Cranford Township Committee passed a new Draft Fair Share Plan Settlement Agreement that was submitted to FSHC with updates reflected in the Hartz Mountain Settlement. This is the approved, signed CRANFORD-FSHC SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT RESOLUTION.
There was a public hearing on the latest Fair Share Plan on March 3, 2021.
This is the approved and signed FINAL HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN, dated March 3, 2021 and approved by the Township Committee on March 6, 2021.
Cranford held a Public Outreach Presentation on the Proposed 750 Walnut Avenue /Hartz Mountain Property on May 6, 2021. Slides from the presentation are here.
UPDATE: June 9, 2021
Cranford’s Fairness and Compliance court hearing was held on April 12, 2021. Hartz Mountain dropped its remaining objections to the Township’s Fair Share Plan. The Affordable Housing Superior Court Judge approved and signed Cranford’s Judgement of Compliance and Repose (Fair Share Plan) on May 11, 2021. Cranford has immunity from builders remedy lawsuits until July 2025.
Again, this is the final court approved HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN.
UPDATE: August 16, 2021
There is an unresolved dispute between the Township & Hartz Mountain over the height of the residential buildings vs open space at 750 Walnut Ave. Cranford and Hartz were unable to agree on this so it was turned over to a mediator who gave the Township two options.
The two options are detailed in this presentation from the most recent TC meeting. The Township is asking residents their preference via a one question survey with a Comments section.
UPDATE: August 25, 2021
The Cranford Township Committee on Monday, August 23 voted to restrict the height of the 750 Walnut residential buildings to 4 stories. This is one of the two options supported by the mediator.
UPDATE: November 9, 2021
There will be a virtual meeting to present the updated Redevelopment Plan for 750 Walnut Avenue this Thursday, November 11, at 7 pm hosted by Topology Planner Annie Hindenlang. It will be livestreamed on the Tv35 Facebook page, as well as broadcast on TV35 with opportunity for the public to comment and ask questions. A call in number will appear on the screen.
A recording of the November 11 virtual session will be available at https://cranfordtv35.viebit.com/player.php?hash=bedHne084nBB. The presentation PDF file is here.
UPDATE: December 4, 2021
THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTION OF THE 750 WALNUT AVENUE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN will be at the December 14 Township Committee Official Meeting at 8:00 pm.
An Ordinance to adopt the Plan was introduced at the November 23 Township Committee Official Meeting. The Ordinance and final Plan are in the Agenda for that meeting (starting page 13).
UPDATE: December 15, 2021
The Township Committee voted on December 14, 2021 to approve the 750 Walnut Ave Redevelopment Plan.
UPDATE: February 21, 2022
There is a meeting on the 750 Walnut Ave Traffic Study, February 23 at 7:00 pm in the Cranford Community Center. This study was done by Hartz Mountain.
Update: March 6, 2022
The Township Committee approved an Ordinance 2022-02 to amend the Redevelopment Plan for 750 Walnut Avenue. It clarifies that any prospective redeveloper of the properties “may not later request or apply to increase the maximum number of residential units already permitted by the existing Redevelopment Plan.” The Redevelopment Plan permits 250 units on 15 acres and commercial on remaining 15 acres.
Update: May 29, 2022
The Cranford Township consulting traffic engineer reviewed the Traffic Impact Study submitted by Hartz and will present his recommendations and findings at a community meeting.
This Project moves back to Planning Board with a tentative hearing date of July 20, 2022.