And I saw that it's not like public. >> Yeah. >> Good evening everyone. >> Good evening. >> Uh we were previously in close session. We are now in open session again. I will begin by standing to our allegiance.
Please remain stand for the most. Thank you. Nice to be seated. Just to let the public know that during our session seeing continue to discuss uh terms to the development agreements but um that was the sole item on the agenda. Um we'll open the meeting up for
public participation. Um, if you would unless you have mobility issues, step up to the microphone, say your name and address, and you have three minutes of uninterrupted time or question or comments. >> Fiddle 33 Wilson here. I hope everybody had a
happy and healthy Thanksgiving and warm wishes hopefully with the new year and Christmas coming up or Hanukkah whenever we celebrate. Um, I just want to start off and I have a question because it's been a long time um since D
has sent the letter to Wilson and wanted to get on the property and you're in the middle of negotiating this agreement within it and you know has D one has D been able to get on the property have D been willing to go to court because they
can easily go to a judge and compel the owner to go on property any superior judge would do it, you know, with a motion automatically because DP has every right to go there because of public health and safety contamination, especially when they're in the middle of investigation and they believe that the
investigation itself, you know, it's called the tourist investigation. So, they believe that that most it's the most likely source. My concern is that has a long history of skirting around toxic claims. Um, you know, there's one called Great
Manner Union where near where I grew up on block road, which they knew was contaminated. They built the project. Turns out they never remediated and now they're the homeowners association in the town have a mess. Did the same thing with chromium in Jersey City. They did
the same thing in New York and other places as well. So that I mean that's first and foremost. And then second, you know, can the town itself kind of put some pressure on GDP to make to do the move if they haven't done it? How much can you do when you're developing an agreement? Because how can you allow a development agreement to go forward when
you don't know if you've got a record site or even something worse, you know, the federal, you know, designated hazard site. And then the other only other only other only other other question I have is on um on the courtyard. There was a series of uh zoning complaints and violations, air
pollution, and smoke. uh using a building they didn't have proper zoning for some construction and outdoor seating and was that all been dealt with and straightened out? >> Sure. Um let me address your first um
question. Um escape and I met with the DP on Wednesday and council why don't you may I ask you to give the update we didn't talk about access. Um >> well first uh we um we went through they
are continuing testing on just you know additional homes you know kind of there's like the perimeter is never ending so they they did some testing in November they'll be out again in December and then you know they could be
out again in the new year on this source um they're still uh first they did not share their method but they are pursuing the property owner to gain access to it. Um and uh and those two things they assured us were
were ongoing. Uh we also talked to them about some individual uh residents who wanted to be added to the um to the testing which they're adding. I'm in uh contact with them and we had two uh
special cases that um Sean I follow up with you after the meeting as to what doing but we made a little progress on on them as well. We also had done a uh at their request uh surveys of folks who
had the poet systems and and just we that they were filling out the information about their systems and then if they had the about the odor and we did it in Lambertville and in um we uh scanned them all in both towns
gave them all their results. They're going to take a look at it. are still trying to figure out a uh along with the contractors a uh you know a resolution on the solar smell issue. Um we have one uh homeowner
who has a test case in it. You know the vendor thought that they had an answer with the filters but they still do have the odor on and off. So, um, so they're going to evaluate all of our surveys, uh, as we get some more surveys back. I
got two back today. I said over them to DP. So, they're working on that aspect as well. And so, that was kind of the end. And we, of course, set our next monthly. So, and we've been working with West Animal.
Um, also we received a grant from the Department of Health to work $6,000 to be able to do some testing. Um, there's an issue now too about whether or not um you have a water softener in along with
your PO system. And some folks may want to go back and get their water tested for iron and manganese which would indicate that they need a water softener. So m and perhaps the water softener makes the post system you know
work better. It makes the whole water system more functional now. So, we're going to take a look at that and but we're just trying to do the same contract that West Animal is doing with Grand Headquarters Guard State Labs to
get the cut rate which we will for this grant and we'll kind of work maybe in tandem with West. So, I work with Megan there's a committed woman there who's been very active up there. So we'll have like kind
of a similar joint program and we do work a lot like I said on our goal with DP and animal as well out that's okay um are you finished counting? >> Yeah. Okay. So then uh with respect to
your question about the porkyard and revolution um I know that there have been a series I don't know of any recent ones but complaints that were lodged with the county health department about smoke issues. Um I I know that the the inspector has been asked out several
times. I can't speak specifically to the resolution of those. I don't have that information in front of me but I know it's been well researched. Uh there was a question recently, I think the last couple of weeks ago, about outdoor seating and um um whether they whether
the restaurant was entitled outdoor seating um and whether they were subject to the ordinance back in 2021 that required uh licensing for outdoor seating. Uh that has to that has now been completely resolved. Um the
construction coach, learning officer uh and law technical assistant file planning board resolutions from 1990 and 1995 um that showed that there is outdoor seating available at that site. So all those documents are available to the public through Oprah. But uh believe
everything has been resolved there um through the construction office. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Sure. Uh Sean Ellis, 21 Belvadier Avenue. Um so yeah, thank you for the update on the V Hall. I do have a few more follow-up
questions to that. So um when the D says they're pursuing Mr. Wilson, um what does that mean? you know, are they are they taking him to court because it's been after >> I understand but D we're not kind of privy to exactly they didn't share with
us you know the various steps that they're taking. We told them of our they yeah they said that was what they could talk about since they're it's a private property owner and they're in their process. But we did um also say to them
that you know we want this is a you know obviously we're having a monthly call. It's a major issue in town and I'm impressed upon them that we would like to you know we want to see this resolved. I think they they understand that what they're doing on their end, you know, they don't necessarily share
completely with us whether or not you're cor but you know they understand our preference to to press on because it's important for us to >> Yeah. a very very long delay well after the 90 days that they could have taken action
and and really pursued this right so um I think it's uh very important that you advocate for us for your residents for the people who elected you and um I you know think that um
you know we won an award for our water is is worth it right I don't see why you can't call Lette and say, "Why isn't this going to court?" Right? Like, >> look, I hear you. >> Well, I mean, somebody was in contact
with Lette for that award, right? Someone was in contact with Lette for that award. They had a direct access to him and I know that the previous mayor Julia Fall also does if you're in contact with her at all. >> Well, let me say this. So my predictive on my end of it is that I've talked to
folks in West talked to the commissioner in at DP when we get not DP at the for the county because the county was helpful to so let's see who it becomes the commissioner. We have a new governor now and you know we're going to pursue it again in the new year you know um and
you know kind of we'll have a new maybe have a new person to kind of break in with with this request. reairing it could be something that happens in 2026, you know, that's >> right and working with the new administration. >> Yeah. And I just add Sean too that you
know what we can do to continue to advocate for those people as you indicated is you know when we do have this redevelopment agreement make sure we put as much as we can in there to give them access and you know I can share with you that Kanian they did represent uh at a you know conference we
had that they would try to help that as well. Great. And can can we put in there we won't sign this agreement until after the investigation has been concluded? >> We're not going to discuss that. >> I mean, can I'm saying can we is it is it a possibility? I don't have an attorney here. So, I'm not going to
answer we can't answer that question. >> I think it's a billable question. >> Sure. >> I think it's a billable question. Question. Okay. I just He's not here tonight. >> He was here for the close session. >> Uh, skip out. Okay. Gotcha. Um well maybe y'all could get back to me about
that. That's a great question. Thank you. >> Okay. Um and then uh um because yeah, I agree with Jeff. How do you how can you make an agreement if you don't know what's contaminated, how contaminated it is, if it's contaminated, you know, I mean we s all saw the data, right? Like
we we see where the heavy spots are. Um so uh did they say anything about where the perimeter is now? I know that they were doing their um extent testing and they you know and they're going out. So now I know it's reached cottage hills. Has it gone beyond that?
>> Well you know they're doing the testing. It goes up 179. You know it expands in west not you know all you know it's it privacy issues. They don't tell you everybody who they're testing in in West Animal, right? There's also see the
issue is too is they test right from the test that they get back and then we also have private private well owners who are also testing and bringing data in at the same time. So, so it's kind of a combo. They take that information and plus then
they do the followup testing, you know, from your experience. So, >> it's kind of a combination the two. We don't have a map of it like they're like not uh look both I'm not a D expert so
but both things are happening at the same time and they're taking the data from the private folks right and then they have to double they have to test themselves as you right they came back to you plus we're adding people that really you know can get just one test
with them as well right >> and and so is is west animal so I do know it's of 179, but we don't have a they're like >> there's not a a a map point. All we have is and some of this, you know, certainly
private of what people have the homes that have been tested and and and Karen can show you. We had to have the which I did bring with me tonight have two excels of everybody in Laborville who's been tested whether or not they had the smell whether or not they've submitted a
survey and and their status and and we're doing that as well in West Danol jointly. So you could see from that of of everybody who's been tested with you know of folks that are kind of in our program if you want to see. So every
month when you meet with them, you've been mainly talking about remediation for people. They don't give any information about their about their like their investigation. They don't give any updates on that. >> The only other thing that they the only other point that they made specifically in this meeting uh two points was one
that they're dealing with this issue all over the state. Um and I know that we don't, you know, we care about us, right? So, but they did they did say that that they're dealing with this issue all around the state and they really emphasize that um in their
findings and their experience across the street that that the state that this contamination usually comes from multiple sources. Um they were very clear about the the probability that the contamination isn't just from one source. It's often from multiple sources
because it's coming in from different angles and different places. Who was in that meeting? uh all the Bill Shrier all the Bill Shrier who else >> fellow Heran service
but but you know the other aspect of it I recognize that so you know once they do the testing too you know how long it takes for the data well you know I'm just trying to you know have a conversation like there's you know they they just did testing November so they
don't have any results they've just been back out in the field or whatever they're going to do in December. >> They're testing in May, too. We haven't seen those results. >> They tested cottage chill in May. >> We haven't seen those results. We haven't seen any results. >> They have not given us a single
I think result. >> We've given people the we've been g given people the water, the well test. This seems to me like it's being intentionally delayed. if if I were, you know, just looking from the outside,
>> adding as many people as we can to the list and and you know that I've been working with Karen um and and West Danwell and and adding people. So, we're trying to do what we could do to get everybody tested to get everybody aware
and been filling out paperwork. folks that come over, they go to city hall, they get the paperwork, and Cindy and Lindy said in my house, you know, now I appreciate all the work you're doing. I'm just saying that there's a few people who may want to see this delayed and that
>> well, you know, like I don't want to see obstruction in this and I don't want to see, you know, like some people are even talking about collusion, you know, and this is like if that's true. Wow. Okay, if you could wind up your
eyes at the end. >> Happy Thanksgiving. Post update. Um, Judy Gleason, 86 North Union Street. >> Um, you've heard me come up here and ask about the playground at the Jesus School
on York Street many times. And I today I happen to be have the opportunity to come by the hearing that took place today dealing with the fact that none of the information that our town has requested has been provided.
this information about the uh inspections and about the safety and about all the things having to do with the construction on that site of the playground has been going on since before May when they had the grand
opening for the people who go to school there and all that stuff. I was shocked and appalled, but not really, but sort of, that the court really had no choice but to say, "Well, we'll kick the can down the road for another couple months and see whether they can give you the information you've
been asking for and waiting for since May." We've been asking for and waiting for the city. You guys, not Joe or Jane Average, who wants to know something, a city. And what I'm troubled about is I've
lived in this town for over 20 years and I know that people don't get that kind of break when they are the ones who haven't given the information to the construction office. Construction office doesn't say to you at your private house, oh okay, you haven't even
acknowledged receipt of this. You know, we'll just wait another two or three or four or five months. And I've done work on my house. So I know if you don't have the inspection when it's being done, they can't see what's been done because it's covered
up. So part of the reason why you have inspections required early is so the people who are looking out for our all safety can see if the builders have done what they're supposed to do. Otherwise, I could just say, well, I would have to
tear down the whole house. I would have Oh gosh, we can't have that. So when I was there today and I heard them present the thing and I heard the answer of well go excuse me gosh we'll have to wait another we'll have to wait till February and see what's going on. And this was not a judge who was buying
it particularly but it was a judge facing what goes on. So when he said well this is going to take and this is going to take but nothing happened. What concerns me is not this project. It's sort of this project but it's not this project. It's
if different players can get a different response from the town. If different entities don't have to give up give up the goods or do the stuff and they get away with it and Joe and Jane average don't get
that worries me about how we're running our community and how we live here. And that's why I stood up to say this, not because of the playground, because if we're not holding everybody
to the same requirement, the law of the town, that tells me that thing that we never want to hear about our town where it's who you know, it's how you are perceived by the town, not because you didn't follow
the rules. It's how you are perceived and does the town care. And that's something I don't think we want to have happen. And I'm hoping you don't want to have that happen. And so you could not have been there today. So you could not have seen this kicking the can down the
road again since May. But if we're really not doing anything because they just didn't answer and because we didn't do anything and because when we put out summons and then and now. So I don't think that's what you all think. I don't think that's what
you all ran on. I don't think that's what you stand for, but I don't think you necessarily know this. So, I stood up so that you would know this so that you wouldn't find yourself being that person who cared more about what you didn't know or
who had the whatever what they whatever they have. And and and I'm not naming any of the players here, but there's players who didn't have anybody follow up from our town. And I can assure you if it had been any one of us they would have followed up. So I would wish you
would look at that. >> Was this municipal board? >> I'm sorry. >> Was this municipal court? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> And I would just point out saying we can't control what the municipal court judge does. >> No, but you can control if the town doesn't do anything with silence from somebody who has broken the requirements of the law for month after month after
month after month after month. You could say to your people who work for the town and you're the town, what's going on? What's going on? >> Well, well, I'm just trying to understand. So, there was a citation issued by the town official. It was
brought to municipal court. The municipal court had a hearing and the person who got the citation didn't have the material. >> Just backing up backing up. This started before mid June, July, August, September, October. No. Nothing was
done. Sigh. Nothing. Can I tell you what I think would happen to any of the rest of us if we didn't respond to the city on a construction issue, month after month after month? I've never known anybody who's been able to say,
"Yeah, I got the thing, but I never answered." Month after month after month. I've never heard anybody who's had that. I've heard people who've had the opposite. >> They're after me. But I've never heard anybody say, "Yeah, don't worry about anything. They won't do anything."
Because they do do something except they're not doing anything. That's the part I'm worried about. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? I could just if I could just chime in just briefly and talk about holistically
>> the the if they're in if if a party is in violation of anything the the construction office has the and correct me if I'm wrong has the authority to
shut it down. And I don't know if if that's happened because I'm really not following this because it's not in my Yeah. But I know personally that the zoning officer can or construction office
if they don't have permits and approval to do what they did can shut it down. So, I don't know if it's gotten that far the conversation or why it if it has why it hasn't. I don't know. But, you know, just talking holistically
uh and you know, my experience and being on the planning board, we shut it down. >> Yeah. What would they have a motion to close? >> Second. >> All in favor say I. Hi.
>> Hi. Um, we have a couple of discussion items tonight. Um, so I sent the council um some proposed plans from Fiolia. They're looking to have an easement uh
arrangement from the city to install uh a water man that would run underneath the parking lot here and then over Swan Creek. Um and uh I told them that we would take a look at it. Um they are
interested in moving this along but I was very clear with them that we needed to have a conversation about this and um that um you know we we would we would have a conversation about it. So did everybody have a chance to look at the
plans >> briefly? >> Okay. So um I I my comment is is that You can't you can look at the plans on your screen. You can't
there are many many many pages of plans which is great but I want them to come and present it. >> I I yeah sir and I don't I was trying to follow I've read those emails like three different times. I don't know why we're
getting out of order with them. there's a land use process and and we cannot we can't we're try to to shortcut this thing. They have to go to the boards that they have to go
to in the order that they have to and and and there there are regulations out there and I am just not in favor of you know taking a shortcut because you or or or anything. So, I just want to lay that
out there up front because I was trying to read that and I couldn't figure out what the discussion had been and what what I would be looking at and where I am in the process, but if they have to go to the C and they have to go to the health commission and there's other
stuff, I we want their input first. Okay. you know, and and we're looking we're not engineers, so I I kind of get like a little like tested about looking at this stuff because I'm not qualified to at
all have comments from it. I need a memo from an engineer looking at it, but he should be looking at it after the department and the canal commission look at it so that they can tell you whether or not they're interested in doing it. package you can't get out of ter
discussion I'll have a make presentation council in January um thank you >> will they have had those reviews by then I think we should ask them to >> I have an 8:00 meeting with them tomorrow so I will talk to them and
>> well what I wanted to say was that um I think we should tell them to follow the process and invite them to come and make a presentation when it's appropriate when they've kind of got to us in the process. Like, you know, telling them to
come make a presentation when they still haven't gone to D and the DNR canal doesn't really change the dynamic. >> No, we're first and and the reason why I and I don't want to get too far down the rabbit hole here. I think we should just wait now. I'll I'll call them in the
morning. Um I was just trying to basically I'm sure well I'm just here I will call him morning and we'll make arrangements for them. do then well maybe it would be helpful if Doug was
here with us to take a look at it because >> I think one of the reasons they came to the mayor first is because don't they need permission from us before they make their applications because it's our property >> they they do I mean they we're we're a stakeholder right so
>> and I think that's what what started right >> as as somebody who's had to do all these multiple agency applications at once like on the cost on property I understand the desire for some some entity to be kind of simultaneously
trying to do things as opposed to making it a six-year project to where you go from and and your point is well taken and I'm happy to take it and let's just finish the discussion and I'll have them coming in January. Um just trying to help. >> So um so uh the next thing I wanted to
talk about was the music capital project. So, uh, back in, well, going back even further from August. So, when Mayor Fall was in office, she conducted a study, her administration conducted study of Music Mountain, um, an
engineering study that, um, the city was trying to get uh, you know, federal funds to do a large scale project up on Music Mountain for storm water management. So, there was a lot of paperwork, a lot of engineering studies that were generated. We ended up uh
using that paperwork to apply for three different grants. Two, one from D and two from the federal government. Um and and we weren't successful on larger grants, but we did get a federal appropriation for $450,000 to do the fire health project based on
that engineering study. Right. So, back in August, um Marian Bourge and I met with the DP about a natural climate solutions grant that came out in August. Um, and that grant, unfortunately, I forgot I didn't bring my paperwork with
me tonight, but it's a it's a revolving grant that's got millions and millions of dollars in it. And we met with them in August to see whether if we did a nature-based as we considered a nature-based solution up on Music Mountain about retention based sins and
things of that nature, whether the city would qualify for a grant. We were told that we would, but the grants only for shovel ready projects. So, we spent some time over the course of the fall. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Um, we spent some time over the course of the
fall working with the city engineers to determine if there was a way for us to use existing um reports to incorporate a new project that would that would be an Hbased product. Long short of it was no, we can't. So, um the engine there wasn't
enough surveying done. there was a there was a lot of reasons why we we wouldn't be able to use that existing um information. So I called today and so I kept track of all of this and had multiple conversations with the the engineer Mary and Doris who did the
project description um and I called the D today and they said they only have one applicant for the grant and so they're still in fact they just pushed out another uh announcement about the grant uh today or yesterday. um they're still interested in the grant. Um but in order
for us to move forward on this grant, uh I had to request that the city engineer provide us some basic information about what it would cost that in terms of engineering studies um to to move forward on this plan. Uh and the the number that he gave us was about uh
about $300,000. So the question that we'll have to ask the council in uh January is uh you know would we consider bonding that amount to move forward with engineering studies to apply for this grant for this to become shovel ready for this grant for which
would probably about be just over a million dollars. Um so that's kind of where we are at the moment. Uh I don't remember if we had a chance to look at all the documents in the folder, the both the project description and the letter from uh from from uh from the
engineer. Um I don't put information specifically about the grant in there, but I can certainly send it out. We don't need to have this conversation tonight, but I wanted to at least frontload it to see, you know, kind of where we are. There's obviously major concerns with storm water imaginary at the top of the hill there. Gullies that
are eight, nine feet deep. Uh serious erosion. um really you know continues to cause water quality problems and flooding at the base of the mountain. So um this is a project I think is an interesting one to consider and I think that uh personally I think that the
engineering would be valuable to us even if for some reason we didn't get this grant and I think that it would would put us in a good position to share other opportunities. It's a huge huge area for the city and now it's been for probably for decades.
If we do the study, how much could we apply for? Or or is there a match involved with this? >> There's not a match. And um >> no. And uh at least a million dollars we apply for >> and that would pay basically pay for the >> construction costs. Yeah.
>> I I don't know. I trying to I think it would be great to understand maybe from Doug about the uh the value of you know like to be able to quantify like what it does you know for us but I would say that in addition if we're going to do
something like that that we still go back to um I know we have we're we've been doing work to map our system but since we have a redevelopment coming online in town that if we don't hire a
consultant to look our existing storm water system and advise us of where we're going to need to improve or size it or something, we're we're going to be behind the eightball. So, if we're going to be, you know, doing something engineering wise or hiring an engineer,
I would all be in favor of combining the two concepts in order to get uh our system looked at as well. is a great project, but we have our existing system that we talk about it as limping along. And I'm always interested in figuring
out how big a limp it is or maybe, you know, it's not, but you know, and because really until you find out what it is, you're going to be be surprised. So, we need to find out what it is there as well. I think that's a great idea and I'd be
more than willing to have bring Doug into the conversation sooner rather than later in terms of uh determining the scope of for this particular project and then addressing the larger question and then putting potentially putting out to bid you know but but my only concern
with this is that the longer we're not shovel ready the longer you know it diminishes our our chances of getting >> I understand that but but I also want to say and it's an opportunity So I'll always taking that opportunity that this other issue about our storm and water
system has been we've been talked talked about for a long time and it's important too because if we're going to have other projects being constructed in the city that are going to be using our storm water system, we have to know what we
can do about it because otherwise when these things come before the planning board, we're going to be like, "Oh gee, Well, we aren't going to know. So, it would be great to be ready in both areas. Shovel ready and and and shovel
ready for all the rest of us. All right. So, um I will work towards getting some sort of on the agenda discussion. Um, and I'll begin to talk to uh whoever the the engineer is the
new engineering that firms in. Um, just quick update on the farmers market topic. So, uh, everybody probably saw something matters as of four o'clock this afternoon. We had 180 responses.
97% were in favor of the bar market. 72% were in favor of some kind of music that the market. So, um, just wanted to throw that stuff out there. Uh, I did have two emails. Uh, one about concerned about, uh, well, not concerned, but asking the
question why it would be consider Sunday over a Saturday. Um, which I explained, um, and one who, uh, one about parking, specifically parking. I I took it took that one. I mean, parking for who where are people who are coming to the market
going to park? Um, so, uh, so that was it. But, uh, as we continue to get more information from the survey, I'll certainly pass that on to to you and the public so that we can continue the conversation. Um, so announcements. The street sweeper uh
is has been suspended. It's suspended as of December 8th through March 23rd, weather permitting. last morning. >> Seven moving to cars in my hotel. >> No more tickets, but we are going to
spend another week up on the hills. So, uh, all of next week this >> we don't have to move our cars. >> You don't have to move your cars because they're in your driveways. >> Um, so yeah, he'll be up hitting the hills in particular South Franklin Street. He'll be in every hill this week just making sure that everything is
clear. So >> blowing up after the sweeper goes into >> Yeah, of course. >> They had a miss. >> Yeah. >> Before they miss they come public works will come and tidy what they what the sweeper mission
for December 17th at 6:30 and Bridge Street. Uh the reorganization schedule is follows the entire thing. Please note that it's worth the agenda. It's the reorganization schedule for all the boards and councils and committees.
Uh as always, we scheduled attend the votes uh in January. So wish them pretty well and thank them for their service. Um, and let's see what else. >> Uh, the uh the final sampling for the
final report for Kavalo Park should be done. Um, I've had a couple of emails about that. Uh, should be submitted, they said by the end of this week, so probably by tomorrow. So, I will let everybody know as soon as that's done. Um, also just an update on the Fisherman's Mark subdivision and the New
Jersey Historic Trust. Um that application uh is now complete and will be mailed on Monday for the Jersey Trust for consideration of their easement uh for the subdivision um later in December. Both of the Green Acres
projects are moving along. Uh Cindy has done just uh as my middle son said a butt ton of work lately um on getting all of the the paperwork ready for uh for the greenac final green acre submissions for for home park. It's a tremendous amount of work. I thank you
for it. That's all I have in terms of announcements. We'll go back to uh public participation saying before. >> You want to say anything about certified local government? >> Oh yes I do. Certified local government application complete also sent in the
mail. So we have a nice list of things that I'm proud of this year. Uh in terms of accomplishments, uh Church Street finally after seems like 19 years uh is complete. I'm pleased about that. >> I'm confused the horses. That's how >> I saw somebody made a left-hand turn off
of North Main right in front of you today and nearly went right right around the three cones. It was anyway determined. >> Yeah. So yeah, we have and we'll talk a little bit more about this at the the second meeting, but we have a lot to be proud of uh in our work this year as a
council and as a community. So thank you to everybody who's been a part of that um public comment 21. What is a certified local government? What's the criteria that is required? uh
certified local government is uh it's a very kind of prestigious group of communities that have gone through a very rigorous uh process application process that's overseen by the National Park Service and uh it so some of the things that we've been doing for that
for example uh we've amended the historic preservation ordinance this year uh it's much more comprehensive um and and so the government asks us for you know professionals on our historic preservation commission architects, historians, all kinds of things. A very
long strict list of criteria that you requirements that you have to meet. And basically what it does, I think there's only 35 of them in New Jersey. I think there's about a thousand across the United States, but it opens you as a municipality to very um to to dedicated grant funding at the federal level that
is uh it's dedicated trust fund. Um and uh it allows it will allow us to do all kinds of things. It will allow us to apply apply for funds to do historic surveys and to look at uh planning initiatives uh for for restoration of
historic buildings in town. It's a >> all around preservation. >> All around preservation anything with the master plan I know we were talking about updating that. >> Certainly it's I think it's a feather in the cap master plan. I think that uh it'll be an important part of kind of
maybe the language of the master plan. I mean it certainly puts us in a different place in terms of our approach to historic resources. So I I can't answer specifically how it will be a component of it, but it certainly >> part of the flood. >> It was Yeah, that's what I was going to say to kind of tie it back to the
relevance. >> Um I don't remember what you were what this was called, but it had to do with the hundred-year flood plane plane I think. And there was discussion about how certain uh criteria
would apply to historic structures. Okay? Because it was very stringent in that you had to raise the home, you had to raise mechanicals and you know it it's not always
uh applicable to a a older historically relevant structure. So we pursued this as a means of having that control within our community so that we would be able to, you know, to make those calls
without an external set of criteria that didn't really fit our community. >> Well, and it it it basically came after Ida when there was a lot of confusion uh and
rightly so. you hadn't experienced something like that. >> Yeah. >> And the information that we had that was compiled over the years from the DNR commission about what's historic and what's not in Lambertville was no longer
in the format it was done was no longer acceptable to the historic preservation commission in the state more or less. Right. >> But so well so elaborate on that a little bit. So, so part of the National Flood Insurance Program and one of the
one of the concerns was that uh applicants who triggered the flood damage control ordinance uh whose whose damage was more than 50% of their of their assessed value were having to go to the zoning board for relief. uh and what the CLG should do. I mean what is
what we control it will do. It gives us that control to skip that process to say that uh you know we have enough experts in town to say that you know this is not going to be something that an applicant is going to have to spend thousands of dollars to go before a zoning board to get approval for because it's a national
it's an NFIP requirement. So, so it gives a lot of own control over >> and what and what it does it it puts the designation back on once we get the plateau. >> Yeah. in the position where locally we can declare properties his have of a
historical nature and using of course Historic Preservation Commission and their expanded >> expanded use to be able to not rely on anyone else's uh decision or homeowner
or whatever it is that your house is or does or does not comply with being a sore uh uh structure and that's basically >> and it's and I can say just from a kind of an outsider on this from the
beginning uh it takes a long time. It's a lot of paperwork as Cynthia and and Lindsay to get this done, >> right? >> And and so the thing is with the flood plane that's constantly changing, right?
Like so the flood plane I I took it to mean >> the river flooding but with Ida it was not the river flooding it was coming down the hills and that is a complete and so the flood plane is going to change based on development based on
storm water management right storm water is not managed the flood plane is going to be somewhere else right like so >> how do you determine that 100red-year flood plan how frequently different. >> Yeah, they're different questions
really. >> Oh, I thought you you mentioned that it was about IDA and >> well partly I mean we have the conversation about that but it has much larger implications for the city generally in terms of planning and historic resources in in terms it it it allows the city
more flexibility in making decisions about properties that happen to be damaged in during a storm during an event. Right? So it doesn't matter if it's rivery or you know blue or >> okay so if someone's basement just ends up flooding one day never flooded before
they have recourse it's more complicated that I can't I can't go through all of the all of the >> that's what happened on North Union Street those people didn't have any flooding until music mount was built >> so you're talking about very complex flooding issues tied into the flood damage control
>> so this so this like certification doesn't give people protections in that sense of the word. >> Well, it gives >> the city um city officials the ability to apply
locally appropriate criteria >> in that case. All right. So, and it is really complicated. It came about through that discussion, but it's not just specifically for flooding. It's it
has other purposes. Okay. >> But it was it was important to our community um because of Ida and the circum and so many people uh experienced you know significant more than 50%
damage and you know they were like I said earlier now you have to raise your mechanicals. Well, if you're on a rogue house, you have a, you know, and you got damaged but your other side of your party wall didn't, how are you going to do that for, you know, that's probably
most glaring example, right? So, um, it it it gives the community, our city, our city professionals and the council be the and the boards, whatever to the ability to say this is a historically
significant structure, district, um, space or whatever. So those rules don't apply, but we need to have that certification from the federal government to be able to have that power. >> Okay.
>> So it's about, you know, integrating that control back into our community. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> This is just a start though. I mean, we just submitted the application and I can see a lot of back and forth. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. It's comp. It's very complex. We didn't even know how to do it, >> right? >> I mean, it took >> Well, it sounds like a good thing given that we have a lot of risks coming down the road, you know, in terms of still water in our tool box. Let's put it that way. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We won't be tearing down any
buildings to build a bigger one that the star. >> Okay. Right. Want to protect our historic essence >> no matter what color they >> Yeah. Anyone else? >> Yes. So, okay. Uh, how many people do we
have online? >> We have five. >> Okay. >> I'll make motion public comment, please. Favor, please say I motion to
second. All in favor, everybody. Thank you.