Deadline passes with no Toll Brothers' plan
Township attorney expects Golden Triangle site plan 'any day'
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK - Though developer Toll Brothers is late submitting its plan for the Golden Triangle, township officials say they aren't worried.

Toll Brothers' site plan for the redevelopment project was due at the township's Planning and Engineering Department by the Nov. 15 deadline, and there is no word on why it has not been turned in, according to Township Attorney Michael Baker.

The Planning Board phase is critical because the plans will show just how many residential units Toll Brothers wants to build, along with the amount of office, retail and parking being proposed. The board will ultimately vote on the plan's approval.

The Golden Triangle, a Route 18 property that the township sold to Toll Brothers in 2005, is slated to have a mix of retail, commercial and residential space, and a new commuter parking deck. The property is currently leased to businesses including Sam's Club, which will have to close or relocate to make way for the redevelopment project.

Though Baker has not heard why Toll Brothers is late with the plans, he cautioned against people overreacting to the situation.

"We expect them any day," he said, adding that the plans are still being designed.

He said Toll Brothers is still waiting for some minor permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the township isn't worried.

"We haven't heard any bad news or concerns," he said.

He said the board is awaiting vital information about the commercial and residential space, as well as utility plans and other components, Baker said.

The residential portion of the plan has been the subject of heated debate at public meetings and among political candidates over the past two years. Toll Brothers had originally proposed 210 units of age-restricted housing, but after negotiations with the township the plan was changed to allow 402 condominium units, without the age restriction. Mayor William Neary said the township received $5 million more from Toll Brothers for making the change. Toll Brothers ultimately paid $35 million for the property, and agreed to give the township one-time payments of $20,000 for each school-age child who moves into the new units and attends the township's schools.

Though it is not known just how much commercial and office space will be proposed, Toll Brothers' original plans called for 250,000 to 287,000 square feet of retail space and 250,000 square feet of office space.

With Toll Brothers still expected to submit its plans at some point, Baker said he would have to look at the contract agreement between the township and the developer to determine what the default provisions are should the plans not be submitted.

Baker said that although the Nov. 15 deadline seemed reasonable at the time of the May 2005 agreement, it was not "written in stone," especially considering this is a long-term project, and the fact that the current occupants on the property will remain there at least until their lease expires in 2008.

A representative of Toll Brothers' corporate office in Horsham, Pa., said the company has no comment on the status of the plans.