What impact will these new residential developments have on traffic and schools?

Certainly, development generally will put more cars on adjacent roadways but Planning Board review will help to control inflows and outflows of cars on to roadways to help control traffic issues. In addition, the proximity of these housing units to downtown and public transportation will limit vehicle traffic during rush hour.

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University found that when comparing apartments to detached single-family dwellings, apartment dwellers own fewer cars and generate fewer automobile trips per household. The proposed overlay zones within Westfield are located in close proximity to downtown and mass transit, thus allowing for more pedestrian vs. vehicular activity.

Often, there is a concern that new apartments will result in a strain on local schools. However, studies conducted by the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University, the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, and information from other New Jersey municipalities have shown that the number of school-age children in multi-family housing is dramatically lower than that which comes from a detached single-family dwelling and in many cases is nonexistent. During the 2018 Downtown New Jersey Annual Conference, the South Orange Village President stated that they were seeing one school aged child coming from 33 units of multi-family housing.

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1. Why does Westfield need to provide an opportunity for low and moderate income housing?
2. What if Westfield decided not to provide an opportunity for low and moderate income housing?
3. How does the law define affordable housing? What’s the difference between low and moderate income housing?
4. What is the Fair Share Housing Center and why is there a settlement agreement with it?
5. Why even settle? Why not litigate?
6. What does the Settlement Agreement call for?
7. What is an overlay zone?
8. Where are the “overlay zones?”
9. The Settlement Agreement says that the Town has a rehabilitation share of 9 units, a prior round obligation of 139 units, and a prospective need obligation of 1090 units. How will we fulfill that?
10. Are there plans already in place to develop these areas in the overlay zones?
11. What are these developments going to look like, and will Westfield become urbanized?
12. What impact will these new residential developments have on traffic and schools?
13. What are the next steps?