The Star Ledger is reporting that the Highlands Council has endorsed an agreement with the Department of Community Affairs that allows municipalities which adopt stringent restrictions on development in their communities to obtain reductions to their affordable housing obligations.

According to the Ledger:

Under the agreement, strict environmental constraints like water availability, steep slopes and the proximity of pristine waters would limit the number of affordable housing units in a particular municipality. At the same time, 20 percent of any new residential construction in those communities must be affordable, and projects with affordable housing will receive priority for approvals.

The adoption of the Highland master plan by individual communities before the end of the year, will also allow these communities additional time to submit a housing plan to the Council on Affordable Housing.

Communities that sign on would get an extra year to file their plan for meeting their affordable housing obligation. And the number of affordable housing units they would need to build would be determined through the Highlands Council’s analysis of sustainable development.

Highlands towns that choose not to conform to the regional master plan would have to follow COAH rules like every other town in the state, under the agreement. Those towns must file their affordable housing plan by Dec. 31.

The agreement also notes that there are still 3,000 affordable homes that must be built in the Highlands region as a result of growth that has already taken place.

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