Franklin committee advances affordable-housing compliance measures, rejects proposed settlement

At its June meeting, the Franklin Township Committee took multiple steps to show compliance with state affordable-housing requirements ahead of a July 16 court hearing, including hiring an affordable-housing planner, adopting an affirmative marketing plan and introducing ordinances to update local rules.

A staff member read a prepared statement saying the measures are routine compliance items municipalities statewide have been required to adopt and are aimed at preserving the township's immunity from builder's-remedy lawsuits. "The agenda items related to the proposed affordable housing tonight are required for compliance and must be effectuated prior to the township's compliance hearing on July 16th," the staff member said.

The committee approved R10426 to hire Burgess Associates, Inc. as the township's affordable-housing planner for the remainder of 2026 and passed R10526 to adopt an affirmative marketing plan; the latter passed with one recorded "no" vote from Mr. Keane. The committee also voted to appoint an administrative agent (R9626); that resolution passed with one "no" vote recorded from Mr. Kee.

A proposed consent-to-settle resolution, R8526 (consent to settle GL-L-1245-23), failed after recorded "no" votes from Mr. Fierella, Mr. Keane, Mr. Marsh and Mayor Bruno.

The committee introduced several ordinances related to affordable-housing regulations and development fees (010-26) and public-notice requirements (011-26), plus ordinances addressing property ownership interest renunciations and new municipal staffing for a compost facility and community center; public hearings were scheduled for July 14, 2026.

Public commenters urged greater transparency and community involvement. One resident proposed forming an advisory committee of volunteers to provide input on local issues. Another resident from 3200 Newman Street urged the township to reconsider how accessory dwelling-unit rules are being interpreted and described a family medical emergency they said could have been prevented if an ADU had been permitted, calling recent reinterpretations "unintended consequences." The resident said, "we're being hamstrung uh and forced at gunpoint by the state," a characterization recorded in the public comment period.

What happens next: the township's attorneys and retained technical consultants are preparing for the July 16 compliance hearing; the introduced ordinances return for public hearing and final vote on July 14.