In response to misleading and disingenuous comments made online by ON3 Developer Eugene Diaz, Nutley Mayor John V. Kelly, III and the Nutley Board of Commissioners addressed recent rumors concerning the potential development of property across from the ON3 main campus near Cathedral Avenue. 

“Over the last decade, our Board of Commissioners has turned what could have been a devastating loss into a significant victory with the ON3 property,” Mayor Kelly stated. “We’ve negotiated in good faith and, at times, had to advocate strongly for what we believe is best for Nutley—and we will continue to do so.” 

For the past few years, ON3 developers have sought to establish a truck depot on the property. After the Township rejected that plan, they have shifted their focus to openly promoting a warehouse project through signage at the property’s entrance, which has not been approved by the Township or permitted by any court. 

“It’s been claimed that we turned down a data center or assisted living facility for that site, but that is simply untrue,” Kelly explained. “In fact, once those proposals were presented, the developer unilaterally withdrew them while we were conducting our due diligence. They are now incorrectly asserting that the court ruled in favor of a warehouse plan because it was allegedly wrongfully denied by the Township, insisting that it must be regarded by our Zoning Board of Adjustment as ‘Conforming as Right Use.’ The reality is that the court merely sent it back to the Zoning Board for reconsideration with its guidance.”

The Board of Commissioners will not bow to corporate greed and continue to act in the best interest of the Township. The Mayor added “Mr. Diaz has yet to meet with me since I first joined the Board of Commissioners in 2020. Both his and the Township’s interest will be better served if he focused his energy into making an attempt to meet with me instead of drafting false press releases. I am always willing to work with him, but Mr. Diaz and his team have made it clear that they have no interest in a dialogue and would rather unilaterally attempt to assert their plans and attempt to sow discord in the community. It would be in his best interest to come back to the negotiating table because the Board of Commissioners and the Township remain united despite his misguided delusions.”