Fiction: Nutley Commissioners have refused to meet with Prism for the past two years. 

FACT: The Commissioners have met with Prism on several occasions. At our most recent meeting, the Commissioners presented a concept to build a ramp from Route 3 westbound into and out of the site. Traffic experts agree this ramp would alleviate all traffic concerns for Nutley and allow a full build-out of ON3. Prism rejected the Township’s concerns and solutions and inexplicably left the meeting. 

Fiction: Nutley Commissioners spend tax dollars on lawyers who have put forth challenges to every new development proposed in either Nutley or Clifton.

FACT: While the Township has retained counsel (with expertise in redevelopment litigation) to represent it in the process, many of the funds used to pay the attorneys have been and will continue to be reimbursed to the Township by the current or future developer.

Fiction: Prism made commitments to make reasonable and necessary traffic improvements as shown in numerous traffic studies.

FACT: Prism has failed to provide a comprehensive traffic study for the site despite repeated requests from the Township. Prism has continually denied possession of a comprehensive traffic study and called for Nutley to commission their own, which the Township has done. Prism’s representatives have stated repeatedly, “Why should we fix any of the problem intersections when they were a problem 50 years ago?”

Fiction: Nutley Commissioners have refused to act on any of these plans, and they have put forth no alternatives whatsoever.

FACT: The Nutley Commissioners have acted on numerous requests by the developer including three redevelopment plans and agreements; financial agreement, or PILOTS, for the Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian Graduate School of Medicine, Ralph Lauren Building, Building 200, (soon to be occupied by Eisai Pharmaceuticals) and the parking deck. The Commissioners have provided alternatives to traffic impacts including Metro Boulevard, Ideation Way, Kingsland Street, and its intersecting roadways. 

Fiction: Nutley Commissioners attempted to illegally close the internal campus roadway system, the result of which would have been to overburden Passaic Avenue and Bloomfield Avenue with even more traffic.

FACT: The Township has done everything legally possible to protect the citizens of Nutley from the inevitable traffic and infrastructure burden that overdevelopment in Clifton would cause. While surrounding municipalities reap the tax benefits, Nutley gets all the traffic (reminiscent of the Clifton Commons redevelopment bordering Nutley, near the intersection of Kingsland Street and Washington Avenue).

Fiction: Taxpayers need to understand that in order for the Township to take this property, they have to float a bond worth tens of millions of dollars and raise taxes to pay for it.

FACT: The Township has the borrowing power to obtain a note to cover the cost of the condemnation. With interest rates expected to remain well under one percent, the effect on the tax rate will be minimal. In addition, if a new developer is chosen by the Township, the note will be satisfied along with the interest paid.

Fiction: Prism has provided numerous ideas to the Commissioners, only to be met with silence.

FACT: The ideas provided by Prism were for the profit of Prism and Prism only. While the developer relies on “higher taxes” scare tactics to try and sway public opinion, the Commissioners are focused on and dedicated to Nutley residents’ quality of life.

Fiction: The fault does not lie with Prism, but with the Commissioners.

FACT: This is not about whose fault it is; this is about what’s best for Nutley. The Township has asked Prism to do many things to help make the development work and be mutually beneficial to all parties involved. These include, but are not limited to: 

• The agreed-upon design of Metro Boulevard for traffic calming
  (Prism has failed to provide this);
• The request for a water interconnect in case of water supply issues
  (Prism has failed to provide this); 
• Developing a plan to mitigate flooding problems (originating from Prism property) at Kingsland Street and Bloomfield Avenue
  (Prism has failed to provide this);
• The request by the Township for Prism to provide a complete and comprehensive traffic study for a development layout on their own website
  (Prism has failed to provide this);
• The request by the Township to address the entrance to the site on Kingsland Street and Bloomfield Avenue
  (Prism has failed to address this);
• The request by the Township for assistance in preventing the closure of the railroad tracks at Highfield Lane, due to Prism's actions on the site
  (Prism has failed to provide this).

Nutley has one chance to get this right. The Township needs a developer that will be as concerned about the citizens of Nutley as they are about their profits.

#BUILDTHERAMP

For more information on the Township of Nutley’s resolution plans, please contact publicrelations@nutleynj.org.