Ramsey City Zoning Code
34-4.28 Affordable
housing mandatory set-aside.
[Added 5-23-2018 by Ord. No. 09-2018]
a.
Purpose. This subsection is intended to ensure that any site that benefits from a rezoning, variance or redevelopment plan approved by the Borough or a Borough Land Use Board that results in multifamily residential development of five dwelling units or more produces affordable housing at a set-aside rate of 20% for affordable for-sale units and at a set-aside rate of 15% for affordable rental units. This subsection shall apply except where inconsistent with applicable law.
b.
Mandatory set-aside requirement.
1.
If the Borough or a Borough Land Use Board permits the construction of multifamily or single-family attached residential development that is "approvable" and "developable," as defined at N.J.A.C. 5:93-1.3, the Borough or the Borough's Land Use Board shall require that an appropriate percentage of the residential units be set aside for low- and moderate-income households.
2.
This requirement shall apply beginning with the effective date of this subsection to any multifamily or single-family attached residential development, including the residential portion of a mixed-use project, which consists of five or more new residential units, whether permitted by a zoning amendment, a variance granted by the Borough's Land Use Board, or adoption of a redevelopment plan or amended redevelopment plan in areas in need of redevelopment or rehabilitation.
3.
For any such development for which the Borough's land use ordinances (e.g. zoning or an adopted redevelopment plan) already permitted residential development as of the effective date of this subsection, this requirement shall only apply if the Borough permits an increase in approvable and developable gross residential density to at least twice the permitted approvable and developable gross residential density as of the effective date of this subsection.
4.
Nothing in this subsection precludes the Borough or the Borough's Land Use Board from imposing an affordable housing set-aside in a development not required to have a set-aside pursuant to this subsection consistent with N.J.S.A. 52:27D-311(h) and other applicable law.
5.
For inclusionary projects in which the low- and moderate-units are to be offered for sale, the appropriate set-aside percentage is 20%; for projects in which the low- and moderate-income units are to be offered for rent, the appropriate set-aside percentage is 15%. Where the set-aside percentage results in a fractional unit, the total set-aside requirement shall be rounded upwards to the next whole number.
6.
This requirement does not create any entitlement for a property owner or applicant for a zoning amendment, variance, or adoption of a redevelopment plan or amended redevelopment plan in areas in need of redevelopment or rehabilitation, or for approval of any particular proposed project.
7.
This requirement does not apply to any sites or specific zones otherwise identified in the Borough's Settlement Agreement with Fair Share Housing Center ("FSHC") dated August 31, 2017, or in the Borough's 2018 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, for which density and set-aside standards shall be governed by the specific standards set forth therein.
8.
Furthermore, this requirement shall not apply to developments containing four or fewer dwelling units.
9.
Where a developer demolishes existing dwelling units and builds new dwelling units on the same site, the provisions of this subsection shall apply only if the net number of dwelling units is five or more.
10.
All subdivision and site plan approvals of qualifying residential developments shall be conditioned upon compliance with the provisions of this subsection.