JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ – Last year, Jackson Township announced it had settled an agreement with the state of New Jersey to meet its fair share housing obligations, but a new report issued by the state says that’s not the case.
Touted as a victory for Jackson, the township’s plan is drawing criticism from the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. Many who showed up to the township meeting in December said the council’s plan was a victory for developers with strong ties to the council, not for the people of Jackson.
You can read that full report here.
The state has identified 581 housing units as being located in the Pinelands, including a 1,496 unit development project planned on the site of the Pinelands Golf Course, 962 units at Grawtown Estates, 71 units by Viviano Properties, and 45 units identified as “Rutherford”.
According to the state, town leaders have designated 58% of the fourth round of Fair Share Housing units within the Pinelands, drawing extra scrutiny from the commission.
New Jersey state officials have confirmed that Jackson Township’s Fair Share Housing agreement—initially adopted by township leaders last summer—has not yet received final approval from the Pinelands Commission. Several major zoning ordinances tied to the plan remain under state review, and questions have been raised about whether the proposed housing projects comply with certified land-use rules.
The development of the Pine Barrens Golf Course includes 477 acres to be converted into 1,496 residential units, with 275 affordable units and a 240,000 square foot commercial/office space. The project in the RD-9 Zone does not meet certified zoning, according to the commission.
The report also states that mixed use, commercial and office space development is not permitted and sewer service is prohibited at the location.
The commission also notes that the Rutherford, Grawtown, and HE&FSP developments are also plagued with zoning issues.
According to a January 30 presentation before the Commission’s CMP Policy and Implementation Committee, multiple township submissions—including Jackson’s 2025 Master Plan, Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, and ordinances establishing new affordable housing overlay zones—must be reviewed and approved before taking effect in the Pinelands Area.
Commission staff said they have “communicated concerns” to township officials regarding the proposed ordinances, which include Ordinance 2025-47 and Ordinance 2025-48, creating the AH-III and AH-III.A overlay zones for mixed-use development. A follow-up meeting between the township and Commission has been scheduled to address those issues.
Major housing projects face zoning conflicts
Jackson’s Fair Share Plan outlines one of the largest affordable housing obligations in the Pinelands, calling for 1,000 new affordable units between 2025 and 2035. Several large proposed developments—including Grawtown, Pine Barrens Golf Course, Rutherford, and Viviano Properties—would collectively account for more than half of that total.
However, Commission staff noted that none of the 4th Round sites in the Pinelands meet existing zoning requirements. For example, the Pine Barrens Golf Course proposal includes 1,496 housing units and 240,000 square feet of commercial space on land currently zoned RD-9, which limits density to one residential unit per nine acres and prohibits sewer service. Similarly, the Rutherford and Viviano projects propose mixed-use development in zones where residential construction is either limited or prohibited.
- Jackson’s Fair Share Housing plan still awaiting Pinelands Commission approval
- State staff cite zoning and infrastructure concerns with key projects
- Township granted review extension as legal challenges continue
In total, Jackson’s combined third- and fourth-round obligations call for 5,390 total housing units, including 1,047 affordable units, across Pinelands-designated areas. The Commission emphasized that sewer and water capacity documentation must be submitted before any of the projects advance.
The township’s 2025 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan is also facing a court challenge unrelated to the Commission’s review.
Officials said the Commission will continue monitoring the case while working with Jackson to determine which elements of the plan can be certified.
