Candidate responses to Save Montgomery's questions

We would never have supported including the Kenvue property in Montgomery's Fourth Round Housing Plan. The current Township Committee's approval of this site for 417 residential units, including high-density affordable housing, demonstrates a disregard for the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Such a development would create massive increases in traffic, threaten the local environment, and place housing far from public transportation, jobs, and services, directly contradicting the intent of affordable housing policy.

We support fully removing the Kenvue site from the housing plan. Instead, we would work to replace it with municipally sponsored developments on land the township already owns along or near Route 206, where infrastructure and services are better suited.

As for the future of Kenvue, we support the type of development that creates the least impact on our community. This may mean maintaining its current zoning for limited manufacturing, but we believe residents should have a voice in shaping that decision. We will convene a local citizens committee to recommend the most appropriate use of the site. We are also open to exploring preservation opportunities, in partnership with the state, county, or historical organizations, given the architectural significance of the existing building.

Most importantly, we must strengthen our local ordinances. Without updating our laws, Montgomery will remain vulnerable to developments that overwhelm our resources and roadways. Other towns, like Hillsborough, have already enacted laws to protect themselves from oversized warehouses and disruptive projects. Montgomery must do the same to ensure that the Kenvue property, and others like it, do not become threats to our community's future.

The decision by the current Township Committee to approve the Fourth Round Housing Plan with virtually no public input was deeply irresponsible. Residents were given only a few weeks' notice before approval, while the township had been negotiating with the developer for nearly a year. This was a deliberate decision to conceal information and push through high-density development before the public could react. Such conduct undermines public trust and, in our view, disqualifies the incumbents from continuing to serve.

If elected, we will insist on an open, inclusive, and transparent process for all major land use decisions. Specifically:

• We will convene a formal citizens committee to evaluate Kenvue and ensure their input guides the outcome.
• We will establish a permanent Land Use Citizens Advisory Board to participate in long-term planning, with the goal of balancing growth while protecting the character and quality of every Montgomery neighborhood.

In addition, we will work to pass new local ordinances that give residents stronger protections against overdevelopment. By modernizing our zoning and land-use laws, Montgomery can proactively discourage inappropriate projects before they threaten our community.

We will not accept campaign donations from real estate developers or individuals with close ties to the development industry. Our community deserves leaders who are accountable only to residents, not special interests.

If elected, we will ensure integrity in the development review process by:

• Avoiding the appointment of real estate professionals to land-use boards such as Planning, Zoning, and Master Plan committees.
• Granting the new Land Use Citizens Advisory Board full access to meetings and planning materials, ensuring public oversight of development decisions.
• Removing time limits on public comments at Township Committee meetings and committing to answer questions openly and fully. These meetings should be forums for genuine dialogue, not procedural hurdles.

Finally, we must recognize that Montgomery's current ordinances are outdated. Without stronger local laws, we cannot prevent developers from pursuing projects - whether high-density housing or large manufacturing - that would overwhelm our town's roads and resources. Passing appropriate ordinances, as nearby towns have done, is essential to protecting Montgomery from harmful overdevelopment.