Land Use Expert Projects Modest Impact on Population, Public Schools

Many different variables determine the effects of development on a community, and one simple number won’t provide insight into how the proposed Center at Fort Lee will impact Fort Lee’s already overcrowded population.

That was the testimony borough officials heard Monday evening from a land use expert, who prepared an impact assessment for The Fort Lee Planning Board’s .

“It’s a function of market fluctuation, economic activity, a construction timeline and a whole range of possible outcomes,” said professional planner Joseph Burgis.

Burgis identified various impacts of the proposed project, from population size, to the cost of development, to associated tax consequences.

He looked at population studies on mid- and high-rise projects throughout northern New Jersey and information from the Fort Lee Board of Education to get a sense of what high-rise developments are generating on a per-unit basis and the potential impact on the public school system. 

There are a substantial number of studio (42) and one-bedroom (550) units proposed for the two luxury 47-story residential towers, and as a result, the total increase in the number of residents and public school children would be less than you might think, Burgis said. 

“I feel comfortable in suggesting that 1,300 person figure is the appropriate figure to plan for in terms of what’s going to happen when both of these towers are occupied,” he said.

When it comes to kids in the development, some would be less than kindergarten age, some would go to private schools and 55 to 70 children would actually be attending the Fort Lee public school system, Burgis estimated.

Planning Board vice chairman Steven Sakin expressed concern that if capacities change, the school system would have to add facilities, build new classrooms or bond for additional construction.

For tax revenue generated by the project and the cost associated with it, Burgis examined both rentals and sales and came up with $4.8 million for rental of more than 900-units and $11 million in total tax revenue for a sales enterprise. Retail trade expenditures would net $26 million annually, he said.

Burgis determined how much of the municipal budget dollars come from the residential portion of the community versus non-residential and determined that population generates a per-unit cost of $1,343.  Applied to the 1,300 residents expected from this project would generate total project costs of close to $1.75 million. 

As the project proceeds, and the buildings immediately adjacent to the business district are occupied, Burgis said it is going to help enhance the character of the area, with thousands of people willing to spend money.