Montgomery Planning Board Advances Stormwater Master Plan, Reiterates Affordable Housing Direction

Nicholas Mistretta

MONTGOMERY — The Montgomery Township Planning Board on December 8, 2025 approved Stormwater Master Plan Amendment dated December 2025, following a detailed presentation that stressed the township’s stricter-than-state stormwater standards, the growing complexity of flooding and water quality challenges, and the importance of long-term infrastructure maintenance.

The board also memorialized two previous actions from November and heard an updated summary of the township’s evolving affordable housing compliance plan, which officials said remains focused on protecting existing deed-restricted units.

Affordable housing update read into record
At the start of the meeting, the board chair, David Campeas, read a summary of the affordable housing update previously delivered by Township Attorney Wendy Rubinstein-Quiroga at the Township Committee’s December 4 meeting.

The statement noted that because there were objections to the township’s plan, Montgomery was scheduled for a mediation session under the state’s new program for fourth-round affordable housing compliance. The initial session was held via Zoom, with parties placed into separate breakout rooms. Township representatives, according to the summary, were not in contact with objecting parties.

The board heard that the township has formally notified the state program and interested parties that it intends to amend its plan, reiterating that its first priority is to extend deed restrictions on existing affordable units. Officials said a revised compliance approach was made possible after the township reached a consensus with the owner of Pike Run for an extension of at least 96 units.

With those units, the township believes it has a compliant plan and does not anticipate adding other developments into the affordable housing strategy. Another mediation session is scheduled for December 19, and an amended plan is expected to come before the Planning Board for a public hearing in the first months of 2026, once state approvals are in place.

Board memorializes two prior actions
The board then approved two memorializing resolutions tied to applications heard on November 10:

• Case PB-03-25, E Kahn Development Corporation (Block 14001, Lot 2), a General Development Plan application previously dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, was memorialized by unanimous vote.
• Case PB-07-20, The Haven at Princeton, LLC (Block 37003, Lot 7, 460 River Road), an extension of preliminary and final major subdivision and site plan approvals to November 1, 2026, was also memorialized unanimously.

Stormwater plan emphasizes stricter local standards
The core of the December 8 meeting was a presentation by Environmental Resoulutions, Inc engineer Rakesh Darji and Marybeth Straguzzi, who reviewed the updated Stormwater Master Plan — a required element of the municipal master plan under New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regulations.

The plan replaces an older version dating back to 2007 and was originally initiated after a DEP audit flagged the need for an update. Township officials said the document reflects feedback from local boards and commissions, staff, and outside agencies.

Among the key points emphasized:

• The plan is designed to guide stormwater management for quantity, quality, and groundwater recharge, while encouraging low-impact development strategies and long-term maintenance.
• Montgomery sits at the intersection of multiple watershed systems and faces challenges from varied soils, aging infrastructure, and increased impervious cover.
• The plan inventories township watersheds and identifies environmental features that influence stormwater flow, including wetlands, riparian corridors, steep slopes, flood-prone areas, wellhead protection zones, and known contaminated sites.
• The presentation highlighted that Montgomery’s standards are more stringent than state thresholds, a policy choice officials said reflects the township’s broader environmental goals and its history of careful stormwater review.

The board also discussed the plan’s build-out analysis, which estimates potential future stormwater impacts based on zoning and developable land. The analysis noted that residential zoning accounts for the largest share of remaining developable acreage, a finding that board members said underscores the importance of maintaining robust standards.

Mitigation framework clarified
The plan also includes a required mitigation framework for cases in which applicants seek variances from stormwater standards. The presentation explained that mitigation is not intended as a routine alternative but as a structured option when compliance is infeasible.

Mitigation projects generally must be tied to the same geographic area and the same category of deficiency (quality, quantity, or groundwater recharge). Board members asked how such requirements affect homeowners as well as large developers — an issue officials acknowledged frequently arises in public conversations.

The township’s goal, the engineer said, is for applicants to address stormwater needs on-site whenever possible, with mitigation considered the exception rather than the rule.

Unanimous approval
With no public comment offered, the Planning Board voted unanimously to approve the Stormwater Master Plan Amendment.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com