Quick Facts:

• The 68-acre Pulda Farm is bordered by Old Georges Road, Route 130, Farrington Lake, Wood Ave and Pershing Court. Click here to see satellite view of area.
• Farrington Lake is part of the Lawrence Brook Watershed. http://lbwp.org/ It is a drinking water reservoir.
• The Lawrence Brook Watershed organization and the township Environmental Commission indicated that building a high-density community so close to Farrington Lake would have detrimental effects on the water and wildlife.
• Even if all the 60 estimated North Brunswick Families (180 people) that can afford and have interest in moving to a gated PAC do so, this will mean less than 1/2 of 1 percent (0.5%) of North Brunswick residents will be able to use and enjoy this facility.
• If this space is retained for open space - passive/educational use, 100.0% of North Brunswick residents will be able to use and enjoy this facility now and forever.
• While it is not the objective of NBRAHDH, a possible outcome of removing the high density zoning from this location would most likely result in the construction of normal density single-family homes. As this would be an open facility, the area would still be accessible to all (100.0%) of North Brunswick residents for walking, bike riding, viewing and potential lake access. Please visit our objectives page.
• NBRAHDH is in favor of an adult community, just as long as it's not implemented in the form of high density housing on the last farm in North Brunswick. The Pulda Farm should be retained for use by everyone. We encourage the township to identify and pursue a more suitable location for a PAC.
• At the beginning of August 2004, Mercer County purchased their 60th farm to preserve for open space.
• The contracted builder for the Pulda Farm is Jack Morris of Edgewood Properties. Edgewood has been the subject of numerous litigation actions in NJ over the past few years.
• If the proposed construction occurs, there will be 2 or 3 buildings that are 50 feet tall, nearly 4 stories plus the roof.
• Tax facts: If the entire $3 million in PAC taxes were applied to reducing taxes, it would only result in a reduction of $212 per year for the typical home. Click here for our explanation.
• One week after the vote that changed the zoning of Pulda farm to high-density housing, North Brunswick Township announced a 10% municipal tax increase.
• · Zoning Impact: On August 2nd 2004, the North Brunswick Town Council voted 4-2 to change the Zoning of the Pulda Farm from the R-1 (single family residential) as it had been for decades, to PAC (planned adult community. This area was designated as R-1 or public use for over 30 years in our Master Plan. Click here for details.
• East Brunswick resident Richard Walling received a standing ovation from opponents of the ordinance after his remarks. He said the ordinance was akin to "spot zoning" that could be overturned by the courts.
• Traffic: With 325 units projected, this would add many more cars to our roads at peak hours than 75 single-family homes. Statistics support that 70 percent of seniors are working full-time jobs until the age of 65.
• More than 880 residents signed a petition against the proposed zoning change, stating it would increase density in a township that is already overdeveloped. They said if the township cannot preserve the land as open space, they preferred it be developed for single-family homes.
• Very few North Brunswick seniors will be able to afford a unit in this development. Minimum pricing for a apartment style single bedroom STARTS at $325,000. On top of this will be an approximately $12,000/year taxes and maintenance fees.
• The Pulda farmhouse is over 200 years old (document) and should be preserved as a historical site. · Environmentalists warn the farm has high water tables that can easily damage foundations. · The Pulda farm has the richest soil in Middlesex. · Many grants are available to help purchase this land as open space.

This is a copy of the historic building document

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More to come

Zoning Impact: On August 2nd 2004, the North Brunswick Town Council voted 4-2 to change the Zoning of the Pulda Farm from the R-1 (single family residential) as it had been for decades, to PAC (planned adult community). Robert Corbin and Adam Weiss cast the only dissenting votes against the zoning change.

The more than 100 residents who spoke at the various meetings, the 880 residents who signed the petition, as well as the majority of the council, all agreed that saving the farm, as open space would be the most beneficial use of this land to the North Brunswick community. While this may or may not be achievable by NBRAHDH, high-density PAC construction creates many negative impacts to the community even as compared to the original R-1 zoning.

R-1 Zoning requires almost half an acre of usable land, per house. This works out to a density of approximately 2.3 homes per usable acre. Not all the farm is buildable as there are wetlands, easements and the space for roads. This cannot be counted for housing acreage. For this land, R-1 construction would yield an estimated 70 upscale homes and at an estimated 3 cars per household, 210 cars. These upscale homes would be paying much higher property taxes than the average residence in North Brunswick.

Under the PAC zoning, this same land will yield approximately 325 units, and with an average of 2 or more cars per unit, the traffic of at least 700 cars will be added to this small area. If the builder takes advantage of all the density bonuses offered by PAC zoning (and why wouldn't they, it's more profit), they are allowed to build at 4.85 homes per acre. However this is 4.85 homes per TOTAL acres not USABLE acres. Assuming the housing is on the same buildable land available to R-1 construction, the actual average density on usable land exceeds 11 units per acre!

While there are many options available to the builder, to maximize the project profit under the PAC rezoning, there will most likely be 40% detached single family units, 25% duplex units & townhouses and 35% 'flats'. 15% of the housing will be 1500 square feet or less. Flats are large 4-story apartment house like buildings, a lower parking level, 3 residential housing levels (with a total of 45 units), plus the roof for a combined height of 50'. There is in addition a 50' tall allowable community center (residents only!). These 3 large buildings are expected to be situated on the outer perimete of the property in full view of everyone in the area.

No one questions there will be additional pollution in the area from high-density housing. The loss of unpaved land for which rainwater can percolate back into the ground creates secondary effects. No only is the rain unable to percolate down and recharge the water table, it will run off into the lake bringing pollutants of a high-density housing community with it. Farrington Lake is drinking water supply.The PAC is expected to be costly to purchase and maintain, making it out of reach for most of the population it is intended for. Lakefront housing will sell for a premium, be charged premium taxes plus have monthly maintenance fees as well. It has been estimated that the average unit carrying costs (taxes and fees) are in the order of $11,000 to $14,000 per year.

The PAC only requires that a single resident of each household be over 55 years old. All other residents can be of any age over 21.North Brunswick's own traffic study by Orth - Rogers Associates, indicates that the High Density age restricted housing will generate more traffic and peak hour traffic than R-1 single-family homes. This was even with using the flawed metrics of only .2 cars per household traveling during peak hours. This unrealistic formula is trying to tell us that only 1 in 10 residents would be traveling during peak hours. However, the majority of the residents are expected to still be working, and many will have to in order to pay the high cost of living at this location. For a more realistic evaluation, if we say only half as many people per unit in the PAC are working, as compared to non-age restricted single family homes, the traffic will be 250% greater.