TOMS RIVER – A plan that allowed for buildings up to 150 ft tall and high-density apartment buildings on all existing lots in Downtown Toms River is one step closer to being overturned. On Tuesday night, the Toms River Council voted 4-3 to cancel the unpopular Downtown Redevelopment Plan, championed by former Mayor Mo Hill and his council allies.
The plan, which also allowed property tax abatements for up to 50 years, would have turned the small historic downtown village into a city filled with high-density apartments and low-income housing.
Council members allied with Mayor Rodrick – Craig Coleman, Justin Lamb, George Lobman, and Lynne O’Toole all voted to repeal the plan. Those aligned with former Mayor
Mo Hill – including Nivison, James Quinlisk, and David Ciccozzi, voted to keep the existing downtown city plan.
“This is what we were elected to do,” said Mayor Rodrick. “From day one, my team and I made it clear that we do not want to see downtown Toms River turned into a city, and we want to permanently stop rewarding high-density developers with sweetheart tax free deals. Toms River residents have made it clear, that’s not the direction they want our town to go in.”
When asked about one of Rodrick’s former allies, Tom Nivison, voting with the Hil faction on the council, Rodrick said he was disappointed in the councilman’s vote and felt it reeked of a backroom deal.
“Last night, Councilman Nivison sold out to developers and betrayed the trust of the voters who elected him. Tom promised to work with me to fight their plans for a city downtown. Nivison lied to me, and he lied to the voters,” Rodrick said.
Council President Craig Coleman echoed Rodrick’s sentiments, “Like the mayor said, this is why we all got into politics and ran for office. Overdevelopment is killing Toms River, and I don’t know the motives behind the other members voting against what more than 70% of the townspeople told us they wanted to see happen.”
Read More:-
Under the existing plan, championed by the Hill faction of Toms River’s Republican Party, every parking lot, open space, and existing structure in Downtown Toms River would have been eligible for redevelopment into projects like the original ten-story twin-tower project that Mayor Rodrick’s administration canceled earlier this year.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
