Time will tell if Crossroads is good for town ... maybe

A lot can be said about Old Bridge’s controversial Crossroads redevelopment plan, which was put into place last week by the Township Council. And a lot of what is being said can, and has been, debated.

Say it has the potential to be a massive tax ratable, and the response is it will require too many services. Say it provides needed senior housing, and it’s argued that no such need exists. Claim that open space is being wasted for development, and the response is that there is enough open space and not enough tax relief.

Will time tell who is right and who isn’t when it comes to the impending development of a 500-acre tract near routes 9 and 18? Probably not.

The fact is, a lot of the debate that has roared around the Crossroads proposal over the last few months involves opinions. Sure, there were genuine concerns raised about the impacts of such a development, and as always, there were political spins and partisan battles, but much of what’s been said comes from viewpoints, even when the “facts” presented are from hired professionals.

And validating those opinions will also be subjective. For example, if after the Crossroads plan is built out, residents complain that they still don’t notice any significant decreases on their property tax bills, they will likely be told that the relief came in the form of their taxes not being higher, as the additional revenue was used to offset fixed budgetary increases or sudden uncontrollable expenses.

What can be said for certain, at this point, is that a new zoning plan has been adopted that will allow an age-restricted housing community, a variety of retail and commercial uses and a hotel-conference center. The zoning decision means the township can now solicit proposals for the sale and development of the site, and ultimately select a party and negotiate a more detailed plan.

While much of the groundwork has been laid for the future of this large tract of land, what lies ahead is a lengthy process, but hopefully an open one at that.

The people of Old Bridge have expressed significant concerns about Crossroads — this has easily been the greatest outcry we’ve seen over a community issue in Old Bridge in years — and they have good reason to question what’s happening before them, especially given the pace with which the Township Council’s majority pushed it through. As township officials move forward with the next phases of this development initiative, they can rest assured all eyes will be on them to bring in the best possible project for the community, even if such a feat can never really be proven.