Harrison's Planning Board unanimously approved the Renaissance Harrison – Residential Mixed-Use Community and the Wegmans Connector – Amended Site Plan. This approval came under a direct court order, overriding the town's legal position that it had grounds to delay the vote.

What Happened

  • The Planning Board held this special meeting solely to vote on these projects, not due to its own readiness, but under a county court judge's preliminary injunction order. This means the board acted under compulsion, not its usual deliberative process.
  • The town's legal counsel stated their belief that the court order was stayed by their appeal, but proceeded with the vote due to threats of contempt from the judge. This shows the town's legal department prioritized avoiding contempt over its preferred legal strategy.
  • All four resolutions for the Renaissance Harrison project (special exception, site plan, steep slope, wetlands) were adopted simultaneously. This streamlined the approval process for a complex development.
  • Both the Renaissance Harrison and Wegmans Connector projects received unanimous 6-0 votes for approval. This indicates procedural compliance with the court order rather than a deliberative decision-making process.

Project Outcomes

  • RENAISSANCE HARRISON – RESIDENTIAL MIXED-USE COMMUNITY (80 West Red Oak Lane): Approved unanimously, including special exception, site plan, steep slope, and wetlands resolutions, after the board was compelled by court order to vote.
  • WEGMANS CONNECTOR – AMENDED SITE PLAN: Approved unanimously, following a court order that forced the board to cast a vote on the long-pending project.

What's Next

  • The town's appeal challenging the court order that compelled these approvals is still active.
  • Developers can now proceed with the next steps for permits and construction for the Renaissance Harrison and Wegmans Connector projects.

Harrison's Planning Board unanimously approved the Renaissance Harrison – Residential Mixed-Use Community and the Wegmans Connector – Amended Site Plan. This approval came under a direct court order, overriding the town's legal position that it had grounds to delay the vote.