The most hotly contested issue at the Sep. 16 Township Committee meeting wasn’t on the agenda. The redevelopment plans for the old police station won’t be officially addressed by the Township’s government until October, but that didn’t keep about a dozen residents from voicing their concerns at this week’s meeting, sometimes in emotionally heated fashion.

Earlier this year, after hearing proposals from several developers, the Committee determined they wanted the Dunnell Road property to be a multi-unit residential building. The plan, several citizens argued, was inadequately publicized, is ill-timed considering the real estate market, and would damage the town’s environment and character.

Township officials dismissed criticisms over lack of publicity and emphasized that no plan has been finalized; due consideration, they said, has been and will be taken.

Much of the criticism seemed driven by a post on The Local written by Rick Wessler. Several Maplewood residents referred to the article when they addressed the committee. The article, which features a sketch of the proposed development drawn by an architect based on zoning regulations,* contends that the property is a “highly flawed, 0.8-acre site with serious environmental, topographical and historic preservation issues” and that a large scale residential property would “mar the civic center of town and the park” and damage “quality of life for those who live north of the Village on Maplewood Avenue and in the village itself.”

During the meeting, Maplewood Mayor Vic De Luca said the article wasn't accurate. It appeared that he was going to elaborate, but he was interrupted by a person yelling from the audience and did not continue on that train of thought.

Several speakers at the meeting contended that a 50-unit building, the size currently under discussion by the Township Committee, was too large for the area.

“You’re bringing Springfield Avenue to Dunnell Road,” John Kaufman said when addressing the Committee. Kaufman, like several other speakers, complained that the development had not been adequately publicized. 

Deputy Mayor Fred Profeta emphasized that a “broad and extensive public process” where officials solicited input from residents had taken place over the last two years. In later comments, Township Committee member Lester Lewis Powder emphasized that nothing has happened with regards to the project without disclosure.

De Luca emphasized that the development’s future was not yet finalized.

“This is not a site plan,” De Luca said. “It’s a redevelopment plan that enables us to move forward in conversation with developers about what the development is going to look like.”

He added that several hearings will be held on the development in the coming weeks.

“No one is trying to rush it through,” De Luca said.

*Correction: the original version of this article said Rick Wessler drew the sketch on the article in the Local. He did not; it was drawn by an architect. We regret the error.