Council hears resident worries about Market Street development and long-term bridge plan

At Monday’s meeting, residents and council candidates raised traffic and density concerns tied to a planned Market Street housing project and the town’s affordable-housing obligations.

Omar Rodriguez, who identified himself as a candidate for mayor, told the council that door-to-door conversations with residents flagged Claremont Avenue as a likely shortcut once Market Street housing and related parking become active. “They say that 120 cars will be coming into Saddle Brook,” Rodriguez said during public comment, urging the council to debate high-density proposals.

Town attorneys and staff disputed several specific characterizations and described the negotiation and legal process that shaped the town’s affordable-housing obligations. The township attorney said the initial Fair Share recommendation had been contested, the town obtained credits for already-built units and units planned at Market Street, and a negotiated settlement and court process substantially reduced prospective obligations. The attorney also said a developer had to build 40 underground parking spaces estimated by the town engineer at $1.2 million, which, when included in project value, revised a per-unit development value cited by a commenter.

The mayor and council members emphasized that traffic engineers testified the project’s effect on Market Street traffic would be negligible in aggregate, noting that not every unit generates simultaneous peak trips. Council members and the mayor also pointed to a county/state proposal to replace the Market Street bridge over the Saddle River; presenter Bob Klein said the replacement is currently in preliminary design and estimated construction could occur in roughly 2030–2032, with staged work and temporary detours during bridge replacement.

Council members acknowledged the public’s concerns and reiterated that notice rules apply to planning-board and board-of-adjustment applications (newspaper advertisement and certified mail to residents within 200 feet), and that the town will publicize an upcoming county meeting on traffic and the bridge project. No ordinance or development application was approved at the meeting.

Next steps noted by officials included public meetings with county planners and municipal follow-ups on traffic studies; the council tabled unrelated Leister Avenue parking ordinance amendments for further work.