Residents Oppose Ridge Oak's Proposed 29-Unit Senior Apartment Building (2024)

Ridge Oak requested support from Bernards Township in its request for state funding to be used to develop 29 apartment units for seniors.

Posted Tue, Jan 31, 2023 at 1:13 pm ET|Updated Tue, Jan 31, 2023 at 1:33 pm ET

The opposition was triggered before the Township Committee voted on a resolution on Jan. 24 to support The Ridge Oak Manangement Inc. in its desire to apply for state funding "for the purpose of developing approximately 29 rental apartment units of age-restricted affordable housing to be designated as Ridge Oak IV."

If the funding is approved by the state, the proposed project would then go before the township zoning board.

The proposed project, according to the resolution, would demolish a single-family home on Manchester Drive and replace it with the apartment complex on the two-acre lot at Block 1611, Lot 40.

The private non-profit organization already has 308 units in its senior facility, "which mission includes the development, management and operation of low and very low-income housing for the elderly and the provision of social and supportive services to elderly persons with low and very low incomes."

While the resolution was just to support Ridge Oak's request for state funding, Manchester Drive resident Stephanie Dougherty said, "we all know they have a much bigger chance of getting that funding with your backing."

Dougherty who has lived in the area for more than 17 years said that even though the affordable housing aspect is appealing to the township, "the solution is not to keep dumping it all in the same residential neighborhood... We are at capacity, we've done our part."

Traffic and congestion were the main concerns brought up by residents at the meeting.

Prospect Avenue resident Brian McMahon presented the Township Committee with a video showing a car plowing into a parked car without ever applying the brakes.

"A lot of people drive up and down that street. They are not from the neighborhood, not from this town. They are there once in their life, twice in their life," said McMahon.

Dougherty said the bulk of the traffic in the neighborhood is from The Ridge Oak due to meal deliveries, caretakers, medical supply deliveries, and visitors.

"Manchester Drive is quite literally a thoroughfare from S Maple Avenue all the way down into Ridge Oak. And they speed," said Dougherty.

"This neighborhood was not built for that kind of traffic and we don't need 29 more apartment rentals. Don't do this to our families and our neighborhood," said Dougherty.

Police Chief Jon Burger said the department was informed a week before the Committee meeting about issues with speeding vehicles.

"We have been increasing our presence there the same we do for many areas where we receive complaints," said Burger.

Mayor Andrew McNally acknowledged all of the residents' comments and said he doesn't disagree with them at all. However, he reminded residents that the resolution up for a vote is just in support of funding.

"I believe it would be very prejudicial of us to decline this and prejudge this application. So I support Ridge Oak's potential ability to obtain funding from the state and believe they should have the opportunity to present the full merits of their proposal to the zoning board," said McNally.

Deputy Mayor Jennifer Asay said, "any yes for this does not endorse this project at all. What it merely does is allows them to apply for funding."

"We are doing this in fairness and we are very transparent about this. I promise you this is just about the funding," said Committeewoman Janice Fields. "We have to be fair to everyone if we have done this for others we have to do it for them too. We can't be biased."

Fields added that if Ridge Oak does get the funding the next step would be for the township zoning board to vet the project so that the public can share their concerns.

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