In accordance with section five of the open public meeting act, be advised that a notice of this meeting was made by posting on the pulling board and town hall forwarding to the officially designated newspapers that this meeting would take place at the Melbourne Education Center at 7:00 p.m. on
February 3rd, 2026. Details in the draft agenda are also posted on our Please all stand to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We'll call vote, please. >> Mr. Cohen >> here. >> Mr. Costro >> here. >> Mr. Seruto >> here. >> Mr. Stler. >> Present. >> Mayor second. Mandy >> here.
>> Thank you. >> May I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> So much. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. May I have a motion to approve the
January 6th, 2026 Township Committee organization meeting minutes? >> So move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I I abstensions opposed reports.
You like to start? Sure. All right, everybody. Welcome. Thank you for coming out tonight. Um, recreation committee skate club's going strong. I was very cold yesterday. Uh,
I'm a chef on that. Luckily, we've had no major injuries or lost kids. That's always good. Uh, special improvement district, that's our business improvement district. Uh, Super Bowl's coming up this Sunday. Uh, explore Milurn Shore Hills reminds everyone to shop local for the game. Whether you're
getting wings, pizza, or more at local restaurants. Grab your plates, cuts, and all that at ShopRight. Uh for game day, uh is running the uh media social media contest. Uh we're winning a $50 gift card if you correctly guess the the
score of the game. Uh so that's always fun. Uh BOE liaison uh board of education um haven't given an update really in the last two meetings. So I'll just give a meeting here now. Their strategic planning process is well underway with the second full committee
meeting occurred last night. Uh uh there was good participation uh and contribution by staff administration, parents, students and community members. Uh the MHS auditorium is nearing completion, not quite there yet, but it's getting pretty close. Hope to have the uh certificate of occupancy by
midFebruary. Uh September 1st was the BOE open forum held at the middle school. parents and community members had an opportunity to ask questions of administration and the board. Um, and then additionally, uh, there's a write up on the new principal,
Mr. Nixon, in this month's Mil month's Milbour and Short Hills magazine that you guys could all all see. Funny, he was premed before he went into education. Uh and then uh lastly uh the Milbour
Middle School robotics team uh competed in the Livingston Robotics VEX IQ tournament last weekend and they actually took four of the top six places. So that's going to be very strong for the years to come. Uh and then uh that's it on on BOV. Uh what
else we got here? Except there's not enough time in the week. uh joint facilities on the fields. Uh we've finally completed the uh shared services agreement uh that's making its rounds. Uh if you want to take a look at it, it'll be available shortly. Actually, it
might have already been made available to the public or not yet. It was right. >> The shared fields agreement. >> Okay, good. So, they'll have that. Um uh just so everyone knows in the room we
take you know this this position very seriously. Uh we met I got the communication uh from uh you know randomly that the uh shutdown for the New Jersey Transit. So I requested a meeting with our new Jersey Transit
customer service rep uh and their and their direct uh report too. Uh Frank joined me. We had a good discussion with Elizabeth Dilva and Barbara Lazaro on the upcoming February 15th the March 15th shutdown where the trains will not be going into Penn Station. Uh for those
of us who commute, it's a big deal. You go into Hobok and you got to catch the path. Uh and we wanted to talk about that in the Neport. We're going to put in all of the communication and updates and uh PDFs and presentations they gave us on our website with a link directly
to them. Uh we also discussed while I had the uh audience, uh Frank and I discussed the state of disrepair of our platforms in Milbour and in Short Hills. Uh and we're going to do actually move that forward, have a walk through of
those stations and platforms uh when the weather breaks. Uh and then also additional technology advancements that we can do on the station platforms, etc. Uh all in all, it was an okay meeting. uh we were able to uh tell them our concerns. They listened and they were uh
they were going to seemed fairly interested and we'll see where that goes. >> Uh what else we got? Open space tax fund. We did not meet last week due to the snowstorm. So, uh we've rescheduled that. Portable housing. I'll defer to
council. That's my reports. Mayor >> Vanc Cohen, >> just a few quick things. um the library headorg and Darth Kelly was elected as the president of the board of trustees um at the arboritum they had a very successful fundraiser the annual Indian
cooking night it was a sellout I attended that and it was really a lot of fun and also we learned a lot and then lastly the zoning code subcommittee met for its initial meeting there'll be three ordinances making their way to our next meeting here most of most of them
were two of them more involved with changes we have to make to the zoning code to support uh round four fair share housing agreements. That's it. >> Uh deputy mayor. >> Uh thank you mayor. Um a short report on
a historic preservation HPC. They had a meeting uh on a special meeting actually on the Woodfield estates matter that's been referred that was they voted that unanimously to go forward with that. It's it's on uh tonight here. Thank you.
>> Good evening. >> Uh just an update that the shade tree advisory board met and is continuing to get oriented with the uh technology that is available. Uh and some praise to our forester who's really diligent and
organized uh and uh looking out for our trees. uh joint uh dispatch our communications uh we'll be meeting in a couple weeks. Uh Alex and I uh serve on that uh board and continuing to ensure we have uh you know adequate uh
communications mechanisms to you know prompt the first responders when necessary. Um joint meeting of Essex and Union are um water treatment and sewage. Uh Alex and I are going to be taking a look uh under the hood uh later this week uh which will be very exciting to
see uh how all that works up close and personal. Um and uh just would encourage everybody to stay safe um you know as the weather continues to be chilly and if there's any snow in in the future
forecast just be responsible um on the roads. And thank you to the Department of Public Works and our first responders for really going above and beyond. I think we've seen that. Um and you know, all of us have here hear all of your concerns and responses and unfortunately
um you know, uh issues you're having, but all in all, I think our team has done an amazing job. Thank you. >> Right. So, February is Black History Month, and as mayor of Milbourne, I am proud to recognize February as Black History Month. Time to honor the
enduring contributions, achievements, and resilience of black Americans who have shaped our nation, our state, and our global society. Black history is American history. It reflects courage in the face of injustice, leadership in times of challenge and creativity that
has enriched every aspect of our society from science and education to culture, public service, civil rights. This month is not only about reflection, but also about responsibility to listen, to learn, and to continue building a township rooted in fairness,
opportunity, and mutual respect. On behalf of the township committee, I thank our residents for their commitment to make a Melbourne a strong, welcoming, and united community where every individual has the opportunity to contribute and succeed. Uh, planning forward, the last meeting was cancelled.
Um, so we didn't have a meeting. The Environmental Commission is actively exploring ways to educate more residents about the seasonal restriction on gas powered leaf blowers. They're also planning for Earth Day. Please contact them if you'd like to get involved with the Earth Day activities. Additionally,
the EC will soon help roll out first environmental resource inventory children has conducted in 12 years. The ERI will be web- based for the first time and will thus be more accessible than earlier editions and with will help all of us understand our town's
environmental resources are changing. So next up uh reports. >> Thank you mayor. Uh yes just a few brief reports. One is that uh at the last town committee meeting I was tasked with looking into uh two items in particular.
One was uh the sidewalk um uh sidewalks around construction sites. I've been working with the township planner. Uh we will be uh drafting an amendment to chapter 15 uh which is our sidewalks ordinance uh in the general code uh for
the township committee's consideration and then uh make sure that there is uh the necessary improvements to the zoning code as it relates to uh but that will likely be something that comes directly to the town committee does not need to go through the zoning code examination uh subcommittee. Uh in addition, I have
uh made uh reached out uh to the to harbor consultants regarding the special area of assessment um when it comes to uh RSIS standards, RSIS projects and the storm water standards for those
projects. Uh I'm just waiting for a call back from Vic Pedgra who's the uh consulting engineer over there. Uh but we will get working on that as well in earnest uh for that for that change. Um, in addition, uh, Committeeman Cohen had brought up, uh, several ordinances that
will be coming, uh, to the township committee for, uh, compliance with our fourth round housing element fair share plan. Um, one of those is a model ordinance for the, uh, uniform housing and affordability controls. Uh, that will replace our current ordinance. Uh,
another will be an overlay of the CMO and B4 sight specific as it relates to the housing element fair share plan to increase uh uh the density on again site specific properties and then the O1 and O3 uh to comply with the fourth round.
Uh those are uh general uh revisions to those that code. One in particular is I think uh it's described in the uh the housing fair share plan for the Upton um pad site to uh be uh developed for a uh
55 and over uh community. So I just wanted the community to be aware those will be forthcoming uh in front of the town committee. we do have a March 15th deadline on those changes uh for compliance and that the you know the township um particularly the town committee and the uh citizen um
committee that worked on that you know did a great job this our plan was not challenged and so these are the last few things that uh we need to do to be in compliance for the fourth round I believe that's all I have thank you >> uh council you have
>> no thank you >> in that case uh next up. We have a presentation by the standard study mission. >> Great. >> Good evening. My name is Jerry Kung and I serve as secretary of the charter study commission. Thank you to the
township committee for providing time on tonight's agenda for us to update you and the public on our work. For those who may not have seen it, we presented our preliminary findings from interviews with municipal employees at our January 22nd mission. That video is available on
the township website. Tonight, I'd like to provide context about our process, summarize key themes from what we've learned so far, and encourage continued public participation as our work continues. As a reminder, the charter study commission was created after Milbourne
voters supported forming this body by 65% to 35% margin in the November 2025 election. Our five member commission was sworn in on November 25th, 2025 and includes chair Chris Tucker, Vice Chair Cory Billard, Treasurer Sha Tana,
Commissioner Joanna Parker Lent, and myself. This is the first time since 1972 that Milbourne has formally examined its government structure. Our mandate is clear but limited. We will study Milgrain's current counter committee form of government, compare it
with other alternatives permitted under state law and issue a report on our funding. Let me emphasize we have no authority to make any changes. If we recommend a change, it will go before voters in a referendum. Only Melbourne residents can decide whether to change
our form of government. Our work follows three phases. Phase one, where we study our current system through interviews with municipal employees and elected officials. Phase two, where we examine alternative government structures available under New Jersey state law. And phase three, where we deliberate,
make our recommendation, and file our report. We're currently in phase one of factf finding. Before discussing what we've learned, it's important that we all share a common understanding of how Milbourne's government currently operates. I know the folks up on the deis know this intimately, but for the benefit of the
public and those watching at home, allow me to take some time to explain our current form of government. Milbourne has operated under the Township Committee form of government since its incorporation in 1857. This is the oldest and most traditional form of municipal government in New
Jersey. Our current structure includes five members elected at large in partisan elections. members who serve three-year terms staggered such that there are elections every year with either one or two seats up for election. Elections held in November with primary
elections held in June. The township committee as a whole holds both legislative power. They make laws and policy and executive authority. They oversee administration. There is no separation between these branches. The mayor is selected annually by committee
members rather than directly elected by voters. and the mayor serves as first among equals with limited independent authority beyond what state law requires. While Milburn has always had county committee form of government, our current structure with a strong business administrator dates to the early 1980s.
This is some important historical context. In 1972, Melbourne's previous charter study commission identified what they called a major deficiency. At the time, it was the lack of a professional administrator with full authority over township operations. They wrote that the
business administrator at that time had no authority over the police department, the fire department, the recreation department, the library, or the public works department, which make up a substantial portion of the township workforce. In the early 1980s, Milurn chose to
address this identified deficiency by centralizing administrative authority under a professional business administrator with full supervisory powers over all departments. This was a thoughtful and deliberate decision by the township committee at the time. Since that transition, Milurn has had
remarkable stability in this critical position. Only two business administrators in approximately 40 years. Tim Gordon served from 1985 to 2016 and Alex McDonald has served since 2016. This updated structure provides for unified governance under the elite mayor
system with professional administration. The business administrator appointed by the committee handles day-to-day operations, including preparing budgets, managing departments, overseeing contracts, and hiring staff. To date, we have conducted structured interviews with municipal employees across multiple
departments, the business administrator, municipal clerk, the assistant business administrator, the police chief and staff, the fire chief and staff, the DPW superintendent and staff, and the recreation director. Our methodology has been systematic. We've been working in
pairs and commissioners have conducted interviews organized around six topic areas. The first is authority, autonomy, and professional management. The second is governing body and political interaction. The third is planning, coordination, and long-term vision. The
fourth is budgeting and financial management. The fifth is public engagement and accountability. And the sixth is comparative assessment and recommendations. Before sharing what we heard, I want to provide critical context that emerged consistently across all of our interviews. Municipal employees
universally described one, an exceptionally dedicated and professional workforce. Two, a strong reputation statewide for operational excellence. Three, a collaborative interdep departmental environment. Four, a
business administrator leadership that provides clear direction while empowering appropriate departmental autonomy. and five, a township that is generally wellrun dayto-day. Department heads described working over time, innovating solutions to complex challenges and maintaining resident
responsiveness that set a high standard for municipal government. Our focus of the commission is not on evaluating operational performance, but on examining whether the governmental framework provides the structure and stability to support township operations over the long term. The structural
questions we're examining focus on whether the governmental framework maximally supports these talented professionals in sustaining and building upon this excellence. The observations that follow should be understood in this context. So here are some of the key preliminary findings that emerge from
the interview. We're reporting on what we heard. Importantly, we're not drawing conclusions or making recommendations at this stage. The first finding is that the strong VA reform works. DAP universally emphasized that the strong business administrator structure is
critical to MGR success. One respondent put it bluntly. As long as the BA is in charge of the form of government, then all will be good. If there's no strong BA, then it would be like the Wild West. This confirms that the reform undertaken in the early 1980s addressing the
concerns raised by the 1972 charter study commission has been absolutely vital to how Melbourne functions today. Finding number two, the effectiveness of the township committee depends on personalities. The current township committee was described very positively
with open discussions, members seeking consensus during public meetings, and appropriate boundaries between policy and operations. However, multiple respondents emphasized that this depends on who's on the TC, noting that this has not always been true during recent memory. Staff referenced dysfunction on
township committees prior to the current one. The consistent theme was that Milburn's current form of government works well when it works, but its effectiveness depends heavily on the particular individuals serving on the township committee at any given time. Staff repeatedly raised the question whether a governmental structure should
rely so heavily on personalities in office rather than providing more built-in stability and continuity. Finding number three, a significant learning curve. There was strong consensus that township committee members face a significant learning curve. Staff reported that it takes
about 3 years for TC members to completely understand how the job works, covering the full cycle of issues, including bond ordinances, budget cycles, and various operational measures. One noted that there's no training. There's no idea when they start. The three-year term was
characterized as too short because the first year they're learning, the second year they start to understand, and the third year they're either running for reelection or lame dump. Staff noted that when multiple TC seats are in flux, potentially four seats out of the five over the course of two years, there
isn't carryover and projects aren't seen through to completion. As a data point, in the last 10 years, only three township committee members served two full term with none serving more than two terms. Finding number four, election frequency. Election frequency generated
the most consistent and emphatic responses across all our interviews. Annual elections were described as causing quite a bit of overhead with township committee turnover requiring onboarding ongoing onboarding assistance. Multiple respondents described it feeling like it's always
elections with either a general or primary election occurring every 6 months and that having elections every year causes reluctance to make big changes. A specific structural problem was identified from election time in November until the end of January when people are sworn in and a mayor is
chosen. We can't do much. Sometimes it's tough to wait through that transition period. Staff cited concrete examples. One mentioning the town hall renovation that has been under discussion for 25 plus years, but stalled because elections happen so frequently no one wants to take risks and often projects
can get stopped due to political expedience. Several respondents supported longer terms, four years rather than three, and more time between elections. When asked what single change could be made to improve the township's governmental structure, the answer was
overwhelmingly election frequency. Finding number five, and there's six findings overall, so we won't be here all night, I promise. Partisan considerations. There was a clear divide in how partisansship affects township operations versus government. Department heads universally
stated that partisanship does not affect day-to-day operations. departments were characterized as non-political while multiple respondents emphasized their neutrality as public servants. As one said, there isn't really a part of partisan element to filling potholes or
garbage collection. However, partisan considerations were identified as significantly affecting governance. Some quotes items get delayed around election time. TC meetings become more contentious around election time due to partisan nature of elections. Partisan
considerations cause unnecessary division. Instead of having a united front on the township committee, meetings get used to score political points rather than to focus on what's best for the community. Partisanship, particularly around election time, leads to a show which can get in the way of
what's best for the town. Multiple respondents felt party labels shift the focus away from local issues and noted that since most township matters are nonpartisan in nature. It's not clear that having a partisan election with party labels is helpful as a signal for how someone might vote once they're on
the committee. Lastly, finding number six, some other structural themes. The mayoral selection process was described as having recently become quite contentious. staff noted that it creates adversaries where there's no need for it with hurt feelings and lost trust and that it's not a great way to start off
the new year. One respondent stated that most people in town don't understand that they don't select the mayor directly and suggested that having a directly elected mayor would allow for more stability rather than continuously changing who's indirectly selected to serve as mayor. Though it was cautioned
that a strong mayor is probably not the right choice for our town. staff repeatedly emphasized that having mayors serve longer terms rather than one-year rotations would provide more continuity and stability for the public. And as for long-term planning, one respondent stated bluntly that long-term planning
is not well supported because of lack of continuity due to frequency of elections. Those were the findings. And let me just be clear that these are preliminary findings from our interviews with municipal courts. We're simply reporting what we heard and we're not drawing any conclusions or making recommendations at
this stage of our work. Staff praise Melbourne's current operations highly and consistently. The structural questions we're examining are whether the governmental framework maximally supports the excellent staff that we have and whether there are ways to strengthen the structure to provide more stability, continuity, and
effectiveness. The commission has significant factf finding work still ahead of us before we begin to analyze alternatives or formulate recommendations. uh for public engagement and next steps. Our process is designed to be inclusive. We need and we welcome public participation. Here's how you can engage
with our work. All commission meetings are open to the public with opportunities for public comment. You can submit questions or comments to charter studyburnwp.org. We have have public hearings scheduled as our work progresses. You can always reach out to us to participate in a
focus group and extensive resources are available on the township website, including explanations of all forms of municipal government available in New Jersey. Our next commission meeting is Tuesday, February 10th, a week from today at 8:00 p.m. We'll be meeting at the Bower Center with a Zoom option
available for public. We're committed to conducting a rigorous and fact-based process. Our job is to provide Milbourne residents with comprehensive information so they can make an informed decision about the government structure. We invite ongoing dialogue, questions, and participation as our work continues. And I'd also like
to thank this opportunity to thank Committeeman Stler and Committeeman Sudo for participating in our public interview. Thank you for your time this evening. >> Thank you, Dr. Penn. >> Great. Public comments. You're invited to
speak. Offer your comments. Please come to the lecture. Please state your name and whether you are a Milton resident or property or business owner. Please do not provide your full address soon as our meetings are recorded and readily available for the public. Help facilitate an orderly meeting and permit
all to be heard. Speakers shall limit their comments to one three-minut session. You'll be prompted and there is 30 seconds remaining. This is not a time for dialogue or to debate a matter. This is a time during our business meeting for the public to offer comments. Now
open the public comment period. >> Hi, I'm Dana Frankle, longtime Short Hills res. Um I'm reading a letter from the Milbour Short Hills Democratic Committee. Um, Milbourne Short Hills Democratic Committee calls for swift
justice and full accountability following the shootings of Alex Prey and Renee E. Paul by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota during enforcement operations last month. On January 7th, Renee Good, a
37year-old Min Minneapolis resident and mother, was fatally shot by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. 17 days later on January 24th, 2026, Alex Freddy, a 37year-old American
citizen and registered nurse who devoted his work days to caring for our vet was shot and killed by US Border Patrol agents as he tried to help a woman who had fallen after being peppered during a protest related to the state federal
immigration operation. We condemn these tragic and deeply troubling losses of life and demand full independent investigations into the actions of the federal agents involved. No federal agency could operate without
transparency, civilian oversight, and accountability. The FBI and Department of Justice must work in coordination with state and local authorities as was routine under prior administrations. Alex Prey was an intensive care nurse
and a lawful gun owner with no criminal record. Video recordings reviewed by multiple national news organizations show Prey filming law enforcement with his phone, directing traffic, and attempting to help a woman who had been
pushed to the ground by federal agents. He was pepper sprayed, wrestled to the ground by several agents, and shot at least 10 times within seconds. many shots in the back. No publicly available video evidence shows Freddy holding a
gun while at the protest. Multiple trusted news outlets, including Reuters, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, have reported that frame by frame analysis contradicts the administration's account. Witnesses, including a physician on scene,
testified that Freddy was pinned to the ground and shot while surrounded by agents. Despite this evidence, the town Trump administration and Department of Homeland Security have gone on TV to advance claims that are flatly
contradicted by video footage, eyewitness testimony, and local offices. In short, they have lied repeatedly, and as occurred in the case of Renee Hood, federal agents quickly blocked Minnesota and Minneapolis investigators from the
scene of Pra's killing. microphone. >> Okay. Um, hi, my name is Stephanie Nesser. I am a long time resident of Short Hills. Federal officials have repeatedly claimed that lethal force was justified
in both shootings. Yet eyewitness accounts, multiple video recordings, and statements from Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey severely undermine those narratives. The administration's willingness to issue inflammatory statements before any
independent investigation in the face of contrary evidence is deeply alarming and corrosive to public trust. The First Amendment protects all Americans rights to protest, to film law enforcement, and to render aid. When federal agents
respond to those protected activities with violence and then misre misrepresent the facts, they put the constitutional rights of all Americans at risk, regardless of party affiliation. Why this matters in New Jersey? Although
these killings occurred in Minnesota, their implications are national. In Milberg alone, there were two reported incidents last year of ICE officers detaining people off the street. One in the Wyoming neighborhood and one near the Milberg diner. ICE does not notify
municipalities when it operates and releases little information afterward. Officers often wear no identifying uniforms, intensifying fear in our communities. These practices disproportionately harm black, immigrant, and other marginalized
communities and damage trust in all government institutions. What you can do if these killings and the lack of accountability disturb you too, we urge you to act. Contact your federal representatives and demand independent
investigations into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Freddy. Ask your members of Congress to vote against any more funding for ICE and DHS until the executive branch puts meaningful oversight, transparency, and accountability mechanisms in place.
Watch the videos of the Alex Py shooting on trusted news sites. Ask yourself whether your taxpayer dollars should support federal agents shooting an unarmed citizen who lies pinned to the ground. Learn your rights of civil protests so
you can help keep our community safe. Push back against misinformation. Share verified reporting, eyewitness testimony, and video evidence when false narratives are repeated by officials. Justice depends not only on
investigations, but on public insistence that truth matters. We stand in solidarity with the family and loved ones of Renee Good and Alex Prey and with all of the communities nationwide that are demanding justice, truth, and accountability. We call for immediate
independent investigations and systemic reform before more lives are lost. Thank you. Hello, my name is Kathy Aaro. I'm a plant resident of Maplewood, but I grew up at Short Hill. See my parents, Trina and Jeff Frankle. Um, still live in the
house that I grew up in. A couple weeks ago, a father was detained by ICE outside of University Hospital in New York. He was on his way to visit his newborn son in the NICU, bearing newly pumped breast milk from his wife. Since
then, the hospital has seen a dramatic decrease in undocumented patients seeking care for themselves and their children. Prior to leaving office, Governor Murphy signed into law New Jerseys Safe Communities Act. This law restricts federal immigration
enforcement actions in sensitive locations, including hospitals. Unfortunately, the governor failed to sign two other bills included in the immigrant protection package, which would have prevented the sharing of information from places like hospitals,
schools, and state agencies with federal immigration officials. Regardless of our political beliefs, I hope that as a community we can agree that parents must feel safe in seeking health care for their children. To that end, I suggest
the following be implemented at all hospitals and healthc care facilities in our community. one training for hospital and healthcare employees to help them understand what federal immigration enforcement is allowed to do and what
they are not allowed to do both at healthc care facilities and in the community. Two, signage around healthcare facilities to indicate which areas are off limits to federal immigration enforcement. And these ch
signs should be available in languages that represent the communities they serve. Three, distribution of know your rights cards to undocumented and documented immigrant families. Four, providing a televisit option for
families that require them when it's appropriate. So for families that are afraid to leave their homes. Five, establishing a communication network so that health care staff are notified when there is immigration enforcement activities in the vicinity. And finally,
we should all urge our state legislators and Governor Cheryl to immediately pass the remainder of the immigrant protection package, what was formerly the Immigrant Protection Act. No parent should be concerned that by taking their sick child to the doctor, they are
risking having their address and other information shared with federal immigration officers resident. I have maybe a something more personal focus. Um, I'm speaking tonight as a followup to my request before this
body back in July that the township police and attorney lay out for us the public meaning what specifically are our rights and more specifically our defenses when we encounter federal immigration officers.
The last time I spoke, the Fourth Amendment was cited as protection we would have. But in the weeks since, as we have seen, unless our copy is bulletproof, it's not going to do us much good. Specifically, what should I do if, for
example, in the course of driving my grandchildren through town, I'm caught in a traffic jam and a group of armed mass men breaks my window or pulls me out of the park? If I have time, can I call 911 and get a response from our
police force? What are their limits in dealing with masked armed men who say they are federal agents? There are many complications in such situations in which I hope this township committee wants to protect residents and also keep our local police from breaking
new regulations. But let's be clear, ICE is barreled through constitutional search and seizure and free speech, even second amendment rights. So, we can't pretend that we are still in our traditional world of legal protections.
Township government needs to make clear to all residents of whatever racial or national background what we can expect from our local law enforcement and from them. So, I think that at the very least this topic should be on the agenda for
the next meeting. Thank you. Hi, good evening. Like to speak about a different topic. My name is Ardanar. Um Melbourne resident. Uh we just moved to work from the Bushfield section of Fort Hills. So being proposed as a historical designated site. Um I grew up lifelong
resident of Ethics County. Um my parents are in Livingston where I grew up in the house that they still live in. U did all my formative schooling in Short Hills at Arbor and then at Pangry. I'm well aware of this community. I why I came back here to live. So I've convinced my Long
Island born wife to move from the city to here. So I just want to begin by acknowledging the important role that historic preservation plays in Milber. Thoughtful preservation is essential when a place has a clear, cohesive and welldocumented historic identity that
warrants permanent protection for the public good. With respect to Kennallorth, however, we believe with respect to this Woodfield section, we believe the threshold has not been met. The Woodfull section does not function as a unified historic district. Its homes span multiple construction periods
and architectural styles and many have been substantially altered over time. In fact, one was just demolished earlier this week. This reflects normal residential evolution rather than a singular intact historic narrative appropriate for a district-wide designation.
It's important to recognize that historic designation is not symbolic. It's a permanent regulatory overlay. It introduces mandatory design review and long-term restrictions that affect renovations, energy efficiency improvements, accessibility modifications, and famil family's
ability to adapt their homes to changing needs. These are real and lasting private impacts and they should only be imposed when the public um historic benefit is clear, cohesive, and compelling. While the historic designation is sometimes set to protect property values, the evidence is mixed
and highly locationsp specific. For many homeowners, designations can narrow the buyer pool, complicate financing, increase renovation costs, and create uncertainty around future improvements. These trade-offs are especially significant in a neighborhood that lacks
architectural uniformity at the district level. This is not a question of whether the Woodfield section has character. It does. That character is already protected through existing zoning, strong community norms, and voluntary stewardship. Many homeowners preserve
architectural features because they value them, not because they're required to. Preservation of the Woodfield section is already happening organically without the need for an irreversible regulatory framework. Finally, we all agree that preservation should not freeze neighborhoods in time. In
practice, historic designation can do exactly that over decades. Even well-intentioned oversight can constrain sustainability upgrades, accessibility improvements, and family-driven modifications that reflect how people actually live today. For these reasons, we respectfully urge the township
committee to exercise caution and conclude that a formal historical designation for the Woodville section is not warranted. Thank you. Kim, our resident, I just have two comments. One on the um agenda item related to the athletic fields. Um I
think it's sort of a mixed uh mixed bag for this one and I would actually request that it be reviewed. I think it's fantastic that the town is going to coordinate development of fields and expand expand athletic opportunity with the uh the BOE. I think the selection of
the field type is flawed. I I attended the recent uh information session. I didn't hear a very compelling reason why natural turf was not pursued. Um it's a very large investment in a material that's basically environmentally
harmful. It's not it's not an ideal surface for athletes to play on. I know that from experience and I'd really ask you to revisit the material otherwise. I think it's fantastic that the town is one of the best uh in athletic fields. Um second comment I want to just make is
the historic preservation. I think it's excellent that the town is pursuing that. I think uh anything I think you should look to expand the scope of that and look at other neighborhoods uh probably you know throughout Short Hills district especially
>> um good evening. My name is Jeffrey Feld. I live in the poet section. Um I incorporate by reference with some of my prior written comments about tonight's agenda on Milbourne politics. Um I want to talk about first there are three tax
appeal resolutions on today's agenda and I don't understand the lack of disclosure and transparencies. One involves a residence where you said state what the sum of the settlement is. We have two others that involve commercial real estate on JFK
and the sums that are part of the settlement you really cannot determine from the four corners. Um also if we are paying monies it's my understanding of state law that there has to be availability of fund certifications
attached to the legislation. I did not find any. This is a continuing problem. when you did the change order for uh the paper mill playhouse, I raised that question that the certificate certification of um fund certification was not attached. It's very interesting
that the one J 150 JFK project we heard before that going to be used for round four originally promised us a hotel now it's going to be 55 plus senior housing. Um as to 103 105 JFK same question what
is the sum of the settlement how are we paying it are going to use our pack the field reserve to place it um what I found interesting is that we're agreeing to assess the value for future years but the new owner of this property issued a
press release saying that they obtained funding five-year funding and the value of the funding is is in excess of But we're agreeing to assess value and I don't know how they do that. As to the high school fields, I too agree that maybe we should postpone it for one
cycle. One reason being you all pledged transparency, but the agreement was not attached for the public to read. Also, the source of funding. It is not clear today whether the share portion that's going to be funded by the township is going to be funded by bond
ordinance or by the open space tax. And I think before you take action, I think the public's entitled to know again based on the certific certification of availability of funds what is the sort of funding this project. Last meeting there was reference to an
offering statement and uh bond anticipation notes. I want this township committee to look at the four page offering statement. the end of it there are two conflicting statements, two sentences because under the offering
statement it seems that we are prohibited from issuing bonds to fund any projects in calendar year 2026. Um at the last public meeting I asked for a chronology of what we need pieces.
Thank you. I just asked you to postpone else from the audience 32 years transit. uh many problems and uh last Friday it was cold outside and they had many problems and there were many people
on platform and no one knew when the train was coming and and the apps did not work. That's no good. Uh they do not tell the public transit does not tell the public the train is coming and
screaming if it's canled. Uh the the ass don't uh when I finally got on a train on my way to New York, the uh general the conductor said, "Then get off because we don't know when we're going to be in New York because there's a
problem." So I got off in New York and I was able to get to open and so forth. But this is a constant problem. Now, uh there might be a little bit of a a solution. Uh perhaps we can have uh uh
some more better communication at Milbury station for one month at least a little bit of public relations. In other words, having someone there to say, "Okay, this train is going to be delayed or not delayed because trains are going
to go to homework and trains do get delayed, especially if there's something new happening. As you know, you know about hoboking, do you not? you know about delays and coming back from New York last Friday and made it to Penn
Station and coming back uh no one knew what track what train was going to be on uh the information center the information at Penn Station is not always adequate very very simple I've
been riding trains for many many years whether it be in Europe in Asia South America and New Jersey Transit has some problems. I think we all know. Another problem is people were complaining that when they buy tickets, there's a 30-day expiration. So, we're there and all of a
sudden, well, the train's canceled, so people leave and only have this. What can you do? We have the tickets and can't use them anymore. 30 days, no good. Turn them. This is not a good idea. used to be a
year, now it's 30 days. Even an MTA, it's not the greatest either. They give you 60 days. Let's think about it. And especially because seniors, uh, seniors, I think, deserve a little bit of a break. I'm a senior right now. When I came here, I was not. And I used it. Uh,
I've been here over 30 years. And I came here because of NJT. And I'd like to stay here a little bit longer. Thank you very much, and have a great day. Anyone else from the audience? >> Yeah, my name is Ted Co. I live in Short
Hills. I've been here about almost 40 years. I just wanted to comment on this discussion about the historical district discussion. I was looking trying to create get my arms around this and I think the main arguments against creating one is it infringes on property rights and homeowners freedom. It has
bureaucracy, increases delays and makes renovation changes and incre could increase overall cost. Third, it can lower property values as restrictions reduce redevelopment options. It can make older homes seem like costly albatrosses which in turn uh deters
future buyers. It can restrict the development of affordable housing and urban growth. And it can be used to stop unwanted projects rather than focusing on genuine historical preservation goals. These are the arguments you can make against it. But I'm looking these arguments that support this
anti-intervention efforts are focused on individual rights and focus on having a complete market freedom. I would like to argue that the case why there is a case against having big government interference as you want to call it. There's a stronger case for focusing on the benefits of having
historical designation when the focus is on enhanced property values, more stability in the neighborhood, and more local control. Let's just focus on the economic issues. There are many studies and examples showing that having historical districts and by attaining their charm often
increases property values faster than non-desated areas. Just in our area alone, Montlair has at least five historical districts. South Orange has at least seven. And without historical designation, neighborhoods run the risk of style degradation where only one or
two owners decide to do out of character renovations or tearowns, which can hurt everyone's curb appeal, home curb appeal, and resale value. The market rewards and attracts buyers who value a more cohesive neighborhood character. Historical designation is a sort of a
mutual commitment to protect everyone's investment. And what was surprising to me is not the fact that Montlair and South Orange have so many more districts, historical districts, is that Milbourne has so few. I think they may know something that we
don't. Uh they're very active on historical designations. The Historic Preservation Commission is focused on the exterior of the house only and does not stop renovations. The goal of this group is to protect and enhance your investment and not hinder or destroy it. I just recently put a new
roof on my house that which is in historic and uh built in 1885. The permitting took exactly one week to get at no additional cost. >> So I've got 18 minutes. 18 seconds. Okay. I guess I would encourage the the
committee to favor vote in favor of declaring the Woodfield estate system historical. It be a vote in favor of enhancing property values over the long term. A vote for greater stability of the neighborhood. It'll be a vote for encouraging local control, a backs stop for a mutual self-interest and very with
very minimal government intervention. And most important, it'll be a vote for our future generations to be able to continue enjoying living in such a special community that we have. >> Hello everyone. My name is Austin Ozawa. Um I am currently a resident in the
Woodfield area. Um, I think, you know, I agree with a lot of the sentiment he had about maintaining this historic nature and the beauty of it. I I I bought in the area because I love I really do and I would love for things to stay like they are, houses to stay the same. But
the fact of the matter is to be historic under the rules, it has to be a this significant concentration linkage or continuity of buildings. And it the way this proposal has been set out, it's just not it's over broad. It's halfhazard and it it's based on limited
information. For example, I live on a street where the other side of the street is not part of this designation. And on my street between Parsons and Chel and Oki, only two of 18 homes are contributing. And in the pamphlet that is the main basis for the determination
of, you know, the homes that are historic, it's two years before my home was created. So there's no basis in what the information they provided and why my home is a contributing home. Now again, I'm happy to it's not really about whether or not I want to make changes
that I don't want to make changes home. I I don't ever plan to make changes, but if you took my home off my street, there would be one of 18 that are contributing. And half this half of those 18 are not even part of this list. So to say that you're trying to main the historic nature of my street seems
completely unreasonable. like I don't see how any lay person could say that that is contributing to the historic nature. Uh I so from purely from a perspective of is this properly tailored for what the goals are to maintain
historic districts to maintain historic streets to keep a preserved you know continuity of of of architecture and history. I just don't think it is. I'm not saying that I'm against it altogether, but I do think that there's no way that in the way that it's formulated now with a straight face, we
can say that the district they're they're setting forth is the historic district of the Woodfield estates. Um it it's just doesn't make sense in the context of who they're subsuming into it. And I think because of that, right, it's adversely affecting people, myself
and others, who shouldn't be part of it, right? I I think we should revisit this and narrowly tailor it to what the purpose of the historic society is and I think it's perfectly fair that there should be historic areas and if we want to talk about what those should be and
building it out in this community that is great. I think it is good for the community but I don't think it's good in the way that it's being formulated here. It's way over broad and I don't think it's appropriate. Hi, excuse me. I'm Bill Brazelle. I'm a resident of South Mountain um and the
chair of the environmental commission. Um I'm up here just to echo Reed Chem. Uh the environmental commission has not yet had a chance to discuss the turf fields. Uh but a number of the members have contacted me with concerns. um we weren't able to make the meeting
theformational meeting where the fields were discussed because our commission met the same evening um but the economic analyses that I've seen uh suggest very strongly u seem to demonstrate that artificial turf fields cost a lot more
over a 10-year period than fixing the actual real grass. Um, I totally understand and I think all of us do that we want our kids to be able to to play more and I completely get the motivation of let's make it possible for everybody
to have more playing days. Um, what if we could manage the fields so that they could play on actual grass that was well managed? That also reduces the risk of injury. I'm sure all of us have heard about turf toe and some of the other terrible injuries that athletes
typically get on turf that they wouldn't get on a grass field. There was a recent column in the Washington Post by a physician who said that he will never allow his children play on artificial turf uh because of the very large percentage of carcinogens that tends to
end up in the bill. Um I'm not coming here with any kind of a decision. Um, I guess my I'm just here with a request. Let's please not rush this decision. Uh, when you decide to put in TURP, it's a decision with very long-term ramifications. I would love to have more
time for the community to weigh in on this decision. Thank you. Good evening, um, members of the committee, mayor, and neighbors. Um, I'm Eve Slater. I live in the area that's designated for the historic district,
the Woodfield Historic District, and I'd like to uh voice my support of the designation. I have lived uh in my house within that district for almost 42 years. So, I've been a Melbourne resident uh
for that period of time. My son's attended the public schools here. Uh, in fact, one of them has just been inaugurated mayor of a neighboring city uh in New Jersey. Um, we have a wonderful neighborhood and I'm really sorry that this issue has become
seemingly so divisive for reasons that quite frankly I don't understand. Um, as I see it, um, we have a very special area and while we we're not designed as a gated community and yes, you're right, some houses look similar and others don't, um, there is actually
a common bond and the common bond happens to be the foliage and the trees that exist in our area that were planted originally by the Lord and Taylor family uh, and belong to their original estate. Some of those trees, some on my
property, some on my neighbors, um are over hundred years old. And sadly, many of those uh trees are gone when properties are um destroyed um torn down
um and properties are subdivided and there's renovations and home flipping and demolitions and um and I think quite frankly we simply um are at risk. We are vulnerable for further subdivisions. Even if you do the math and even if it's
only maybe three homes right now, if you divide those up, those are six. Six out of 56. It's about 10%. And that's 10% of our neighborhood is vulnerable uh to being torn down, flipped by people who have no loyalty to the community, no neighborly
feelings whatsoever, and are just there because they're developers. So, I'm simply asking um for the committee to uh consider our request. Uh we do believe we have an historic uh identity and we
like living where we do. Thank you. >> Hello, Leah Cruz. Um I have lived in town over 25 years. Um, I'm here in support of the historic designation of Woodfield Estates. I think we um should try to preserve some of the charm that
makes me special. Um, I actually live in the Nwood section, not Woodfield Estates. And I'd like to actually see the Nwood neighborhood designated as a historic district. And if that should ever come to the township committee for a vote, I wonder
how many people from Woodfield Estates would come out and object to that designation of my neighborhood. My guess is probably none. And I'm here in support of this designation because I care about all of Hills, not just my neighborhood. So I hope you'll take that
into consideration. Thank you. I'm uh Debbie Frank Melbourne resident. I not here to say one way or another about Woodfield, but I will say that it also I live in an historic home in a designated section. We put it on
addition to my house in um 01 and yes, there were a couple more hoops to join jump through. there were but I think for the most part people often have um feel that it is a whole lot more
ownorous process than it is in actuality. I mean it it really is from the curbside. It has nothing to do with whatever can be seen beyond that as well. You know this is how it looks from the curb. It doesn't it does not impact
what you do inside of a house. Sometimes there seems to be a thing where people believe that if you do anything to your house whatsoever, you have to go before the preservation commission that you know that it's going to be a real problem that you're going
to be um kept from doing things that you need to have done. In my experience and the experience of other people who live in the district who have done work in their homes, that really hasn't been the case. I think sometimes it's a little bit of a fear of
what might change and how drastic those changes may be and I do not see from my experience that that's truly been borne out. Thank you. Uh good evening everyone. Um I would
like to appreciate and acknowledge I would like to appreciate the mayor's acknowledgement of Black History Month and you know also the contribution of black families in our town. I will also like I also want to express my support for the historic um designation of the
estates. Um I didn't say my name. Um so I would also like you to give me an opportunity to read um something from a prominent architect in town. Um and the reading goes um I support this
the designation because um I'm going to read it as though he's reading it. So, I support support this designation because I've seen firsthand how these frameworks protect property value and neighborhood character when done correctly. I want to speak directly to the neighbors
concerns. Historic designation is not a no, it is a how. In my professional experience, the most successful historic districts aren't museums. They are living, breathing neighborhoods that allow for modern additions and sustainable upgrades. We
follow the secretary of the interior standard which actually discouraged copy pasting the old style. We aren't asking people to build 1930s replica. The goal is a thoughtful dialogue between old and new. We want to ensure
that new construction respects the scale massing and materials without stifling architectural creativity. A historic district protects you from what happens next door. It ensures that a demolition or a massive out ofcale
mech mansion doesn't destroy the coalition that makes the area valuable in the first place. We are protecting the streetscape which is a collective asset owned by all of us. When the rules are clear, the design is better and the neighborhood wins. And I agree with
this. Thank you. Bala, president of short and the proud father of two kids which go to school in Melbour with the kids are able to see different bonds of the revolutionary history as well as the uh state as such
which predates our uh founding of the republic. So that being said, I do strongly support the historical foundation that has been set up and designation so that this is preserved as a time capsule. Uh on the contrary with
the rapid developments that have taken place on Helba Avenue and also having uh suffered from few of these uh attacks that have taken place of planes ramming into buildings and other stuff, you always see that there is no gap between
the construction process and how close they are to the road. So I always look here and thread with a great deal of anxiety when I'm taking my kids around the town where I see like the construction almost being closely.
Um the last point is that as we celebrate our 250th anniversary of the republic uh what do we preserve and what do we pass on to the future generations. So there is a fine line between community development, affordable
housing but most importantly who we are as a country and what progress that we have made. So we need to capture that in the historical preservation society as we celebrate this morning achievement. Thank you.
I'm Ellen Steinberg and I'm speaking in opposition to the historic designation. As we've heard, our town and as we know, our town has numerous zoning and building ordinances, setbacks, frontage,
side lots, permits. Anyone who has done work is aware of what the town protects and what is required. The historic designation, if it is approved, all 53 homeowners, whether contributing or not,
will now be subject to another layer of red tape. Projects will have to be approved through a subjective review by the Historic Preservation Commission. And if you go to the website, they have a design guideline for historic districts. It's 109 pages.
According to their website, you'll need something called a certificate of appropriation. That is for the repairs and replacements of roofs, porches, sidings, decks, additions, demolitions, windows, doors, stairs, railings,
fences, walls, sideways, driveways, anything that is visible from a public right away. And if you have a corner look lot, good luck. This is a certificate of appropriation
appropriateness application. You need photographs, drawings, descriptions. There's a fee to submit. There's escros that are required. There's time that is involved to get this. And there's an appearance in front of the the Historic
Preservation Commission. And this applies to both contributing and non-contributing homes. and the commission may require the subsequent submission of additional materials if it chooses. And if you don't comply, there
are forms. There are currently 52 standing homes in the proposed district. The owners of 29 of them have already raised an objection to the designation. Initially, we were told that the designation would protect us against subdivision, but in reality, there are
only three lots that could potentially be split and they're subject to set lots in current zoning laws. Now, we're being told that the historic preservation can protect us against affordable housing like building a 32 unit
structure on an 8/10 acre lot. These emails are coming from our mayor. We have zoning that protects this and the state law someday would override zoning on our district. Why would it override
historic requirements? Will the state make the building have a slate roof? I've lived here over 20 years. I love my house. I love this community and the people in it. But this designation is not something that the majority of
homeowners want in this district. Please don't force it on us. Hi, Chris Hinrix, no resident. Um, first off, thank you Dr. Con for that very thorough and informative report and uh thank all the commissioners uh for doing that work. Very important. Looking
forward to the full recommendations of the committee. Um, secondly, on the athletic fields, it seems like it's taken us a decade to get to this point and have some momentum to get it done. There's always a reason. Can we look at this? Can't we do that? Can we
>> I would say no. Um, third, um, I don't think anybody's talked about it. there's a long-term strategic planning board or something of that similar name that you guys are discussing. I very much am supportive of that proposal. I think it can do a lot
of good for the community. What I'm most interested in is it being a vehicle of making choices. Any one-off decision presented to a a body like this, it's sort of easy to approve. However, when you put up, oh, project A, B, or C,
which one do you want to do? because we only have X dollars and if you do this one that puts needed infrastructure like the firehouse off five more years so we don't seem to have a vehicle to make those decision and compile all that information. I hope that's something
that this committee could could do. So I'm very supportive of that and uh if there's room I'd be happy to help organize and participate in that committee. Lastly, um, Woodfield Estates. I actually am about two streets
away. I bike and walk through that neighborhood all the time. Fantastic. So, I'm not directly affected by it, but I've been here 15 years. Our neighborhood has changed tremendously. It seems like the pace of change is
accelerating. Normally, I'm a small government person. any attempt to put additional regulation infringing on my uh individual rights, I would bristle against and say don't do it. However, this is an area we need
more protection in. I feel like we are losing our town. Just listening to the dialogue and what I know, there are definite costs with this. There are restrictions, but I think the benefits far outweigh the cost to protect our town. A lot of residents, I'm 15 years.
I feel like a junior to some of these people that have spoken, but there are a lot of residents who come in for a short term, whether it's for work or for the schools, and leave and their threshold for these changes are lower than the long-term residents. I think this is a
good protection um against that. Thank you. like Judith Christian family moved here in uh when I was in third grade. Um and I was not here. I've been back
here for maybe 25 years. Um, I just wanted to say, uh, I'm in support of any historic preservation community. Um, I think
I live in the Wyoming section. Um, I think one of the things that preserving the character of a a community does is it fosters community. the people who live there have shared
interest in their neighborhood and I think some of the requirements for making changes in historic district I think has been exaggerated um and just a caveat my father was on
the historic commission many years ago Alex Okonnell, Short Hills resident. Rarely do I come up and speak, but I do feel uh very strongly about this topic. So, uh why do you live in Milbourne Short Hills? I always ask a lot of
residents that question. Oftentimes when I speak with them, they mention one or both of the same reasons. our high-ranking public school system and convenient access to Manhattan by Midtown direct service into New York. But are these the only things that make
this town special? Neither of these attributes existed at the town's bouting. Milburn's public schools would not become what we recognize today until decades later, and direct train service to New York wasn't realized until late 1990s. Yet people were drawn here long
before these benefits. Short hills which at a time was one of the first planned communities not just in New Jersey but in the nation uh in particular is planned short hills in particular was planned back in the late 1800s by Stuart
Hartore um as more than just a commuter suburb. was con conceived through careful contemplation. A community defined by thoughtfully designed and sighted homes that conformed with the natural landscape. Architecture was not incidental. It is a
central identity to the town. Historic homes of Short Hills, many of which Hart Short continued to influence in the construction up until his death in the late 1930s, tell the story of that vision. Each house reflects a set of values and approach to craftsmanship
that cannot be replicated once it is lost. Together, these homes create a sense of place that is immediately recognizable and deeply rooted. They are what makes Short Hills feel like Short Hills. Creating this historic district in the
Woodville Estates area town is not about resisting change or freezing the town in time. It is about honoring the very qualities that made this community desirable in the first place. The schools and the train enhance it, but they are not what give the town soul.
That comes from the architecture, the scale, and intentional design that endured for over a century. If we allow those defining elements to be eroded, we risk becoming just another suburb. By preserving the historic homes and character of this town, we protect the
foundation upon which everything else was built and ensure that future generations experience not just a place to live but also a place of history and identity. Thank you. Jean Pastnac 28 resident pleased to let
the community know about an effort Democrat committee member and my neighbor Masper Pietro and I I'm Republican committee chair along with some other neighbors launched our group met about two weeks ago. Um we invited the mayor to join us. We believe the ICE
activity is a vital matter of community safety and education that transcends politics. We have been organizing a community information session that will be in webinar format. It's designed to help our neighbors navigate the current landscape regarding ICE activity. Our primary goal is to educate the community
on their legal rights and provide clear guidance on how to act should ICE activity occur locally. This will take place tenatively on Sunday, February 22nd at 3 p.m. Panelists include immigration attorneys, advocacy organizations, legislators, law
enforcement rep, and possibly ACLU New Jersey. Retails will be advertised to our entire community once we have all the panelists finalized this week. We welcome all to participate on the Woodfield Estates historic designation ordinance. I think it's important to emphasize the context of why historic
designation in Milbourne Short Hills is a key approach to having any chance to protect the exceptional call town we all were drawn to live in. The affordable housing law was passed in 2024 mandating even more dense housing at Milbour Shore Hills, thousands more units. to the ADU
legislation, accessory dwelling unit legislations that is currently being considered. S2347 concerns development and use of accessory dwelling units to set statewide ADU definitions and require municipalities to permit ADUs with
defined standards. A3567 concerns development of accessory dwelling units and related municipal land use regulations. Uh and New Jersey Senate Bill S4736 uh is intended to enhance this is quote enhance the ability of religious and
nonprofit organizations to convert certain property to inclusionary developments with affordable housing. While this bill text is introduced is short on explicit zoning override language. Its policy intent, as described by the sponsor's office, is to
facilitate and accelerate the development of affordable housing on property owned by faith-based and taxexempt nonprofit organizations and enable conversions or partial conversions of existing nonprofit owned land into inclusionary developments that include affordable housing. We really
have little left to defend our town against onslaught of state politicians and developers to overdevelop our town. I hope you'll support this. Thanks. Hi, I'm Laura Overd and I live in the Woodfield states neighborhood that we're discussing for designation. I really
appreciate that people who've actually gone through historic renovations um have not had that experience and I think that we have a very reasonable historic commission and that they've encouraged everybody to talk to them if they have concerns about their own house. Um so that's the first point.
Secondly, it actually is not halfhazard. The district that's been drawn which goes down the middle of the street is exactly the 1926 uh estate of Taylor that Taylor Park is named after. So that's why houses are in it or out. And of the 54 houses, almost
half of them, 26 are built in 1929 or around that time. I mean, there are a lot of old houses. They're really beautiful. And I just want to emphasize that they're like an endangered species. You know, they're beautiful. They're dwindling in number. And once they're gone, you cannot get them back. You
cannot build any house that really looks like that. And I, you know, having grown up a few miles from here, growing up, Short Hills was sort of this mythical almost magical place because of what it looked like. And I don't think it quite has that patina anymore. And I'm telling
you, if you let everything go, it's just going to lose it and it is going to become ordinary and the property values will go down. Um I'm interested that uh Jean before me mentioned this bill at the state level that is a real threat.
Um it right now allows LLC's to buy a property and develop it. There right now is no minimum lot size. You don't have to subdivide. And this bill is highly likely to go through. This isn't theoretical. Um the party pushing it has
a 57 to 23 majority in the assembly. Like it's going to pass. So, we're sitting ducks for this. And I thought, well, you know, what would that look like to have one of these things built? Now, I am not an artist, but I'm a scientist. So, I did this to scale.
This is the street in our neighborhood. And you know, when you have something like this show up across the street when you're surrounded by tutors, you're just going to grit your teeth every day that you drive out of your driveway. My parents live this in Westfield. It's soul killing because your home is no
longer your oasis. just wrecked how everything looks. And I think we have to think about what we're willing to do to our town and and having it decay like that. And I do want to point out I'm in an old home on a corner. I'm totally
happy to have protection um and maybe a little extra hassle in return for not having this. So I you know and a lot of people who support it who are not here today because they're away but have um said they've written to the town who support this are also in old homes and
we're willing to do it because we don't want this. So >> that's a real building and I did it to scale >> and um by the way you could put a lot more on that property. That lot happens to be.9 acres. it would support their
public. >> So I have to be fair to everyone else but thank you for showing us the picture. There is another public comment period the end of the meeting. >> Sure. >> Oh, do you want me to move? >> Yes, please.
>> Looks like that's probably because of my art. Good evening everyone. Um my name is Brock Freeman. Live in the the mountain top section and um I came up here uh
during the the historic preservation uh commission I guess two weeks ago. So don't want to repeat myself too much. Um just some random thoughts. Um, Mountaintop itself was built in the late
50s, early 60s. Um, would never consider it a historic district. Um, but there are these really amazing, beautiful neighborhoods in Short Hills, which does
make this town set itself apart from other towns. also want to just say again that I am a very much in in my DNA a small government uh person and in the past when I was in towns made different
neighborhoods uh uh historic I would be like gee I think that's you know um one map too far to go over but the the political landscape has changed in in this area in this state
and Um as Miss Pastor Knack had mentioned before, this bill um S4736 would make any kind of nuisances of a historic um requirements be child's play.
And it was Miss Passion mentioned it before. I won't go through it, but I think that this would be one of a multi-layered set of deterrence
that I think that this town should seriously consider to prevent the taking away of in in essence our property rights. Secondly, I did have a chance to go
through the Whitfield section right before the the meeting uh two weeks ago, and it is a very special neighborhood. And even though there's there's 25 homes that were built in that certain type of
shooter style, it set the tone for the rest of the neighborhood. And the landscaping reflects the design of those original 25 homes. Also, an eyesore was built in our
neighborhood by speculators who have absolutely no allegiance, no loyalty to the surrounding neighborhoods and we built a house that was completely out of proportion. I agree with you. Just something to think of. Thank you.
Good evening everybody. I'm uh I'm Peter Humphre. I've lived in Chos for 34 years. You can um I'm speaking against designating the area as a historic district. I I lived I say I lived in
that area 34 years. Um I'm going to tell something you know you know this. You can't just take a random district in the town and say it's a historic district. There are rules set forth in the zoning ordinances that define what historic district has to be. What does that have
to be? There have to be a concentration of houses that are historically or architecturally significant and were developed under a plan. That's what it says. We don't mean that. Okay. the household the the historic preservation
commission is obligated to identify these types of buildings in the town. There are 47 buildings that have identified in Norman short hills hot houses Christ Church none are in our neighborhood we don't have any of this
building none. So what did they try to do? They tried to tie historical precedent to the Taylor family and the hearts. Well, the Taylor the Taylor Manor was demolished years ago. Um, it it doesn't stand. Hard
died in 1917. So, he had nothing at all to do with the houses that were built in our district. The HPC has got information about no information in his presentation to you about architecture or architects. They name one architect, but he's really a
minor guy. And he didn't even build, as far as I can tell, he didn't design any of the houses built in on it. We don't have any Frank Lloyd houses. We don't have any Svin skyscrapers in in our district. Um, so what about the plan? Well, when I
look out my window, I can see uh a 28 house with a modern extension. I can see an empty lot, which is a soccer goalpost. I can see uh a Greek revival. Um, I can see a Georgian revival. I can
see uh another 28 house, two modern houses. Um, there isn't a plan. There's no plan here. These houses were built from time to time. They were built independently. Uh, it's a collection of beautiful homes, but there's no overall
plan. Serendipity is not a plan. So, you have a doc you have a document in the in the in the report. Uh, it's also not our plan. It's just a sale brochure. Now, we live in a beautiful neighborhood. We definitely live in a beautiful neighborhood. If you were
going for a beautiful neighborhood designation, we would be in it. No question. We live in beautiful homes. But why are they beautiful? They're beautiful because all of us there are respectful to our neighbors. We look after our homes. We've been doing it for decades. Nobody told us how to do it. We
just learned it and we did it. Um, we are grown-ups living our neighborhoods. We're grown up and adult. >> Yeah. Sorry. >> Okay. Thank you for your time. >> Is anyone in the audience still waiting to speak? >> They're going now.
Nom is first. Here we can see you. Oh, hi that. Thank you everybody. I just noticed I've got a crazy background for Christmas. So, my name is Kathleen Lomax. I live in the Woodfield um area one Oaklan. I've been
living in this community of Woodfield for 12 years and in uh Short Hills since 2004. Uh we were so excited when we were able to move into our current house and I'm very in support of historic designation.
Now, my house is from 1941. I am on a corner. Um, and I'm very very concerned about the um legislation that several people have mentioned. Um, I think uh historic designation
would be one of uh our only tools to fight against people who would come into our area without any concern uh for community norms, stewardship. they would be able to uh overlook any
zoning rules we have. Um and so again, if we had historic designation, we'd at least have something to fight back and preserve the quality of um this beautiful neighborhood. Thank you. >> Next is Melissa C.
Melissa, if you could please turn on your video. Trying. Technology is not my strong suit. Um, okay. Hi, how are you? Uh, I live in the Woodfield Estates neighborhood. I have lived there for 10 years. I my name is Melissa Sefue.
Sorry. Um I've been in Short Hills for over 25 years. I lived in the Deerfield section uh beforehand. I have I feel like a firsthand experience of seeing what happens to neighborhoods when there
are not parameters set on what you can do and how you can do it. Uh, I have a dog and most of my neighbors, many of whom have gotten up to speak tonight, know my dog. His name is Oreo. Part of the most
wonderful things about being in our neighborhood is walking on the loops, as we call them, um, Woodfield to Grovener to the other side of Woodfield, Kennallorth, all around. It really is a special neighborhood from the
cobblestone gutters, which uh, my house is not a historic house. It was uh built in 2004 by the prior owner, but it is built in a very traditional manner. It's a center hall colonial that looks like it fits in the neighborhood. Um I in
fact, the prior owner had paved over the cobblestones. I unpaved them and redid the cobblestones so they they did fit within the nature of the neighborhood. It is a such a special neighborhood. I walk miles every day with my dog and there's nowhere else that I would want
to live. And most of that is because of the way the neighborhood looks, the trees, as several other people have spoken about. You see these homes being torn down and these very modern looking homes that don't fit within the neighborhood. It you don't have to build
a tutor to have it look like it fits in the neighborhood. And we we had the Allison from the historic preservation committee come to speak to many of our neighbors and I think her voice was very strong. It's a minor inconvenience and
it will protect all of us for retaining the values of our neighborhood and of our homes. I have an acre and a half lot. So if somebody s bought my house, they probably could subdivide it. I back up to that Kora way which is right off
old Short Hills Road and they put two houses and built a fake culde-sac so that they could so a builder could sell two houses. It it it really is we we need to save our town in any way we can and I hope that the committee approves
this. Thank you very much for your time. Oh, there more a third. Hi, can you hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you. >> Great. My name is Arratim Deoy. I'm a resident of 25 Kennallwood Drive. Um I
think lot of u participants today have spoken about the Woodfield estate historical u designation and I agree that the with the sentiment that our neighborhood is indeed special. Um I do want to rec record record my opposition
to the proposal um to designate my home and other homes in our neighborhood in Woodfield Estales as a historic district. As many of other participants have noted, being a historic district introduces many additional rules and regulations that would be a burden on me
and many of my neighbors. As speakers have also noted, the our neighborhood is a collection of different kinds of homes, all of which have been renovated and modified at different degrees and different points in time, including a few that have been
torn down and rebuilt. I do not think any of these modifications or new constructions are an eyesore. In fact, they add to the diverse architecture in our neighborhood. We as homeowners uh take great care of
our homes in our neighborhood and all homeowners have done this voluntarily without the need for any additional regulations. I would urge the township to respect the right of homeowners and trust them to care for their homes as it is in our best interest to do so. We do not need a
historic district and I would urge the township committee to reconsider and um trust home owners to maintain their properties in the way that they have always done. Thank you. >> Anyone else online? >> No more.
>> Anyone else? >> Hey everyone. Uh I've been a shortlist student for almost 12 years and for last one and a half year I moved to the >> you state your name please. >> My name is Chen. Uh for last one and a half year I moved to the section. I live
in a property which is which is supposed to be designated as contributing. I love my house. I love the neighborhood. I love everything. But had I knew that it's going to be a historic house I would have not bought it. So I've been betrayed by my neighbors,
my fellow uh my fellow residents saying that okay now all of a sudden my property is going to be historic property that means that all the things which we want to do to the house is going to be at this good price but it's not going to I'm not going to be able to do that. So I
have a personal impact because of this decision. I also was in the middle of doing something to my house. I also talked to so many other neighbor and almost more than 50% of them say we
don't want this. They have already signed the petition. Petition is with someone here. I was told to not submit the petition. So I didn't submit the petition. But 29 homeowners has decided to not support this. Of course they are not here today to talk about that. But I
hope their prediction will be counted as their decision for now. Thank you. Unless there's anyone else, I will now close public comment and we are going to take a fivem minute recess before we have the DC members.
>> Second. >> All in favor? I got up there. We are going to continue. Um so at this time >> we're going to continue with our business meeting. Um so at this time I
will uh committee members uh respond to any of the public comments. >> Thank you Frank. uh quite a bit of a to reply here to uh and I like trying to get to everyone's comments. Uh probably
won't get to everyone's. Uh let me start on the uh easy ones here with Mr. Carlin and New Jersey Transit. I don't know if you came in. We actually had a meeting with New Jersey Transit to discuss the uh the current I was actually transferred to two trains, got into work
three hours later uh and um was stuck on a platform in subzero weather. Not fun. Um and you know sometimes that's the p price I pay for commuting in I drove for a long time and then go back train and such. Uh but yeah we are pressing them
for change and uh more transparency and uh visibility of what's happening. I can recommend the app since that New Jersey Transit came out with the app. I would highly recommend everybody get that app. Um, when there's not oneoff uh snowstorms that are crippling the
transportation on 100-year-old systems into New York, it is very very helpful. Uh, you can actually go down and see uh the uh the density of the individual cars uh which is very helpful. Uh I didn't know you can do that until about
a year ago and that's where I position myself on the tracks. Uh so um you can see when it's being running ahead of schedule, behind schedule, uh which always helps getting out of the house. Um uh Miss Frankle, uh Miss Esser, um you
know, I'm not going to go into the the ice bit and the shootings and stuff, but I've seen those videos just horrific. It's it's has a lasting impact. uh you know uh but I think everyone should understand that uh you know where we do
live in America and Phil as well Mr. Kur thank you um now let's get into some fun stuff that that's not fun is the athletic fields uh I think Mr. Hinrich said, "We've been working on it for at least 10 years. I think I'm 53 now and I my child was 10, 12, 13 years ago. I was
going from field to field looking for a soccer field and we still continue to do that today. It's good to have services that are commensurate with the taxes we pay. We definitely need more fields. Um the big issue if you've not gone to all the public meetings uh and looked at it is the playability of the fields and
being able to use those fields uh in inclement weather uh versus a flood plane which exists behind the high school. So I think people just need to understand that there are u uh tradeoffs uh good and bad uh for the turf. We are looking at the new improved turf without
the infill that Mr. Brazil referenced with the with the the the infill. Uh, it's more durable, it's safer, it's better temperature control, it has the same 12-year warranty, it's similar maintenance, etc. Um, somebody brought
up maintenance. You really got to look at the maintenance as compared to flooding in back there and what that really costs to maintain. Uh, I think it's a great program for our students, uh, for our kids. Uh, my daughter plays field hockey. To have a multi-purpose field back there for her to play on be
fantastic. It's a long time coming. Uh now this seems to be the topic the journ tonight the HBC and the Woodfield section and such. Um a lot of people don't know I live in a historic home uh
you know HBC regulated I guess home. Uh and I bought that home because it was HPC. When I moved out of Short Hills to my home in the Wyoming section, I specifically looked for a home that was historic because you want to talk about your
rights being infringed upon. The rights of New Jersey politicians are infringing on our rights every day. And that's very problematic to me. There's four towns that don't have to have affordable housing. Montlair,
Hoboken, Jersey City, um, and which >> and Newark >> and a few more well the four major ones that are close to us that should actually have the affordable housing should have more monies in education, um, more job opportunities, etc. Uh, but
it seems like the developers are driving this type of work. That being said, I see both sides. I'm a small government guy. I don't believe in big government. I don't believe stepping on property owners. I'm doing the work to understand what it means to be historic for this
district. I sent a list of 20 questions uh to the historic board. Legality and authority of rules, zoning versus HPC responsibilities, economic impacts, process enforcement, and practical implications. They responded fairly quickly with very
good answers. I think uh is Miss Cfield here? Yeah, I I think we should post that information out there for the the for the audience at large because it's very good information and such. That being said, I probably going to probably going to stay in sight, but just
understanding the the process. There's so many things going on. Miss Canfield came out to I was putting in a roof. I was putting in gutters. She came out to my house personally in high hills and came out and walked the property with me. What type of fence are you thinking?
Oh, this is Well, I recommend this type. Looks great because I have the the dog. Looks fantastic. Okay. And it was actually a lower cost oper. However, when I got to the gutters, I was going to put new gutters on and replace the current gutters and such.
And the HBC specifically said, "Well, have you looked at 6-in rounds?" I'm not a house guy. I'm not sure. I had never looked at 6in rounds. I ended up going with 6-in rounds for a considerable more cost. I think it was 3x, but I tell you, I've never been happier with the aesthetic
look and luckily I was able to afford the 6-in round gutters. Uh for the house, it was a little back and forth. I had a leak. Uh I'd already ripped the the the roof off. I got a big red sticker slapped on my door. This and that. But when I called and I articulated my position,
they reacted fairly quick and actually gave me a the ability to go ahead and finish the roof and discuss it and fix it later and pay the fee, etc. So, it wasn't horrific in terms of dealing with HBC. Um, now now that being said,
I bought my house knowing it was historic. I didn't buy a house that is going to people have used this term arbitrarily be deemed historic. Um, and when I look at the overall the overall uh the
overall ecosystem of how it's being deemed um whether it's Taylor one street through I've been in Miss Overdex's house. It's beautiful. I would not touch that house. It's you know my house was built in 1872. It's called 19th century vernacular,
which means they use local uh materials and local builders and local contractors to build in 1872. Uh six bedrooms is actually a boarding house prior to the other houses being built and such. Um but you know, the homes that exist in Woodfield are beautiful. Uh I don't
think they should actually uh you know, be touched, especially the the the older ones, etc. But there also comes at a cost. And you know where do you cross that line? Is there a way to self-desate? I don't know. Is there a possible? Does that make sense? I just
think we need to do a little more work, a little more education with the community. And as we go through this process, I'm learning every day new things about the overarching uh bills that are being passed by, I'll be nice, politicians uh in our
state government and what they mean to us. uh and and and having things infringe on our rights as a town and as residents and such. Um uh you know, from Chris to Mr. Coons to
uh everyone that discussed big government, but we're living in big government right now. Big government's controlling our dayto-day. Uh and that's part of the call of action of why I ran for township committee. Um so, you know, I'll leave it at that for now. Um, we're
gonna have plenty of time to go over this in the in the next, you know, few sessions and and go from there. So, thanks. >> Tony. >> Yes. First of all, you know, I'd like to thank everybody who came to speak about the terrible tragedies that have gone on
with in Minnesota with ICE. I have to say I was very encouraged to learn about the effort that M. Pastor Mack and Mr. Nastro Pietro are are working on. And I I believe that that will also help answer some of Mr. Hersh's questions that that he raised. I hope I mean it
sounded almost uh as if you knew what he was going to ask. So that's encouraging and knowing both of you and I know that you're from opposite sides of the political spectrum you and and Mr. Mro Petro Miss Passek and Mr. P Master Pietro I'm just encouraged that that
just makes this it's a necessary thing and that just makes it even better. Um, with regard to historical preservation, I recognize the need for that. I typically I support that. What I have found confusing, um, and tonight just added to the confusion is I don't really
have a sense at this point as to how many pe I've heard all sorts of conflicting numbers. I've gotten a bunch of emails from people who are opposed to it and they wrote an email said, "I changed my mind. I'm in favor of it." And now I'm back and forth. So what I would like to see going forward, but I
do think this process needs to continue, is just to get a real sense of of the people that actually live there, how many people are in favor of this and how many people are opposed. I think that's an important part of the decision. I am concerned and I know about the u the
bills in in um in Trenton that were referenced tonight. They are pretty scary and they and while people think zoning protections that we already have and sitting on the zoning code subcommittee we have a ton of protections but most of the new bills are written in such a way as that they
would override those protections and maybe they would override historical designation as well but um you know it's just one more one more tool in the toolbox. So again I think we need some more facts but I think this process needs to continue on to the next step.
Deputy Mayor Cos. >> Yes, thank you, Mayor. Um, I don't want to repeat what, you know, the, uh, fellow committee people said, um, I I will, you know, say thank you to everyone for coming out on the historic preservation issue, um, I'd
add in when we're talking about the, um, the, uh, legislation is, you know, pending down in Trenton that I have written, you know, objecting to that myself. Um, and it hasn't been mentioned here tonight that they that legislation is looking for 40 units an acre. Um, so
when you I don't know if this picture here was contemplating 40, >> you know, 40 an acre um, you know, is is is you could look at the um, development that's being put in by the Short Hills train station that is, I think, 42 an
acre. um so you can see what the size is that could be shoehorned into into an area. But uh but thank you all for talking. Um I am going to sponsor it later. So you'll hear back from me and of course it'll be on for the next meeting a month from now or something
like that. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much uh for all the engagement tonight on a number of fronts. I think uh it's very encouraging for me uh to see especially as you know new uh in this role um but of course not
new to the community uh and uh I um will just say that I think you know we need to protect uh our community um we need to protect our community in a number of different ways uh public safety wise and the respect for one another and that's
respect for public safety and those in public safety roles and those uh who are residents um of every community of every background. And so I am encouraged by this outside uh organization that has come together bipartisan on that front.
Um uh but I think you know we have to continue to respect all sides here. We have to respect those who are serving our country in different capacities who are putting their lives on the line as well. um and uh and most certainly those who
are who are vulnerable, we have to protect and ensure they know where they stand. Um with regard to New Jersey Transit, I mean, I'm really glad we're we're we're putting the feet to fire to an extent. I mean, look, there are wood
ties, I believe, still there's wood ties at the Milbour train station, even at at Summit, um which is insane to me. So, let's uh let's bring them out. I really think we need to do that. Um, on historic preservation, these bills, um, I'm looking to support this, uh,
ordinance tonight and, um, I think this is a, you know, growing up here. This is a line of defense. Um, and I, I think we've, we we're learning more and about how the Historic Preservation Commission works. I think that'll be leadership of
uh, Miss Canfield and others um, you know, and Mr. Stler's examples tonight. It's a it's a uh it's a hand-tohand uh it's a it's a handholding it's a uh a processoriented uh group and I think uh
you know when people want to do things uh to their homes and they want to make certain improvements there is leeway and there are discussions um and I think uh it really it couldn't have been said better by my fellow co my colleagues up
here about the threats of this pending legislation if we don't take a stand. Um, you know, uh, our legislators are not working in our favor, uh, unfortunately, uh, who represent us right now. Um, so we have
to do all we can on the home front. That's it for me. Let's keep rolling. >> All right. Um, so first I'm going to start with ICE. Um, so I appreciate everyone that came out and voiced their concerns. Um, as mayor, as you would
expect, I've actually received a lot of residents, um, a lot of residents have contacted me saying, "What can the town do? What are my rights?" etc., etc. Um, I've always been of the opinion that we should focus on local stuff as a
township committee. And so I felt that it wasn't our place as a town to weigh into national politics. But I do realize that there's a lot of residents that want information. They have a lot of questions, a lot of
concerns. Um and so that's why I've been working in the background with a outside group, bipartisan group of individuals. Um some members of the Republican committee, some members of the Democrat committee. Um, and we actually had a
meeting uh, and we discussed ways that we could help provide information to the community that was separate and apart from local government because I don't want our local government to take a position on something and be, you know, liable for that position. I don't want
to paint a target on our back. Um, some towns have made, you know, public public statements and and made proclamations saying, "Oh, police can't come here." And next thing you know, they have a lot of police agents there. So uh I really think that this approach of this outside
organization uh having this panel uh this webinar is going to be really great. It's my understanding at this point there are two immigration attorneys. There's a member of the ACLU that's going to be participating. There's a retired law enforcement officer uh and I believe there's a few
others. Um I believe tenatively the date targeted is February 22nd, but I imagine that this this group again completely separate independent of our township and our local government will you know put out information uh and I believe that this group is also going to be
collecting questions uh so that those questions can be presented to the panel of experts. Hopefully that will help uh anyone in our community that is concerned uh or has questions uh on this topic. Um second turf fields. So um we
are actually looking at a variety of different materials uh for the turf fields. Um, I actually found a hybrid solution that mixes grass, natural grass with synthetic materials. And I've
provided that information to those involved and they're looking into it. Uh, Stler has also found uh materials that are synthetic but don't require the infill that a lot of people have environmental concerns about. Um and both of these solutions uh potentially
alleviate some of the heat related issues and other environmental issues. So I think that the appropriate time to explore those is during the engineering phase of the project. This project has been um you know we've been field deficient for so long and I feel like
for years and years people have been talking about oh we don't have enough fields we don't have enough fields. you know, finally we're at the point where we can do something about it. And I don't think we should stop that process. I think what we should do is move forward and then during the engineering phase, we'll have the experts uh look at
all of the various options and then we'll pick the option that makes the most of these options are similar in price. So, you know, I don't think we need to slow things down because if we're going to get something done in time, uh, you
know, for next next year, I believe, you know, there's a schedule we're going to have for here today. Uh, I now HPC topic of the evening. Um, so I'd first like to start by addressing Miss Steinberg's comments. Um, so Miss
Steinberg, you've actually reached out to me. You and I have a few different conversations. You referenced an email that I sent to you about the Senate bill. We had having conversation on the phone. I sent people email as I promised they would. I'm going to read that out
loud. You brought it up. Um, it goes like this. Hi, Ellen. When we spoke earlier, I mentioned that there is a troubling piece of legislation currently circulating through the New Jersey Senate. The bill was previously known as S4736
last year and has been reintroduced this year as S1836. This legislation would allow religious institutions and taxexempt nonprofit entities to take land they own or presumably purchase and develop highdensity housing anywhere they want,
regardless of local zoning codes if 20% of units are set aside to be incomerestricted or what the state likes to call affordable. More specifically, the bill allows for densities of up to 40 units an acre. Again, irrespective of whatever local zoning is in place. To
make matters worse, the bill is rife with opportunities for corruption. Section one, subsection A of the bill applies to quote taxexempt nonprofit organizations with no limitation on the nature, purpose, or activity of the nonprofit.
There is nothing in this bill that prevents a developer from creating or acquiring a Shell nonprofit. specifically to take advantage of the 40 units of acre density bonuses and by right development provisions in section one subsection E. Additionally, section
one subsection E permits one story above the maximum height but provides no definition of what constitutes a story, leaving municipalities unable to enforce meaningful height restrictions while developers exploit the ambiguity. So what this means is a nonprofit Shell
Corporation could go into a singly single family neighborhood, buy a property, demolish it, and then build multi-story one story higher than everything else around highdensity housing up to 40 units an acre. Our zoning codes could do absolutely nothing to stop it. There's nothing stopping our
the nonprofit Shell Corporation from simply doing a ground lease to a for-profit developer and then the developer could profit off the highdensity housing. The consensus among the various experts I have talked to is that under new New Jersey municipal land use laws, historic designations are one
of the single tools that provide the most protection against this proposed legislation. Let's assume arguo that this bill passed. If a nonprofit acquires a property within a historic district, it would still be able to build up to 40 units an acre,
but it would still have to abide by all of the HPC rules and regulations. This means it would have to go in front of the HBC board in order to get their plans approved. The HBC has the power to enforce to ensure that whatever gets built be in character with the neighborhood. The HBC
could further ensure that the overall design and materials used be consistent with what is used by other properties in the historic district. So while a historic district cannot stop this overdevelopment, it can at least control what it looks like. This alone would dissuade potential developers from even
trying to acquire property in a historic district in the first place. Creation of affordable housing was a big campaign promise of our new governor and she now has a veto proof majority in the state legislature. Thus, I think this bill has a very high likelihood of passing. I
wanted to share this information with you so you aware of what is likely coming. While we can't prevent state legislation, understanding tools like historic district protection can help our community prepare and preserve our town's valuable historic assets. Now, to give a little context,
township committee didn't decide we're going to go designate this neighborhood. What happened is we received a petition that had more than a majority of uh houses within that district saying we want to self-desate. So, we initiated
the process. They went to the HPC. The HPC through their authority, analyzed uh the the proposed district, did a report on it, and determined that it met the qualifications required to be designated as a historic district. That then goes
to the township committee, and we have an ordinance on tonight, the first read. Okay. Assuming that's passed, we'll have a second read. We're going to skip the next meeting and it'll be in March because we normally like to give a meeting in between ordinance reads. Not
required, but we do. During this time, I suggest that the people that are going to live within the bounds of that historic district, get together amongst themselves, figure it out, you know, form form petitions uh one way or the other and let it be known
what your desires actually are. Because we as TC members have received a lot of emails from both sides. I've also received a lot of communications from people saying, "Oh, I was initially for this. Now I'm against it. Oh, wait. I was against this. Now I'm for it. So it's all very confusing. Uh Mr. Jane,
you and I have been contacted about this. I'm aware of that petition you have. It has 29 signatures. I've also been told that there's at least six people that want to take their names off of that petition. So my suggestion to you when you asked me when would be the best time to submit the petition. My
advice to you was it would probably make more sense for you neighbors to figure out Yes. and get more information and then closer to when we do the final vote, submit a petition for or against. I think that'll make it a lot easier for all of us up here having to make a
decision. >> Unfortunately, this is not a two-way >> Oh, sorry. Sorry about that. >> But you do get a second chance to speak at the end of the the meeting. Um, so where was I?
So the way I see it, this intervening month between initial read as it passes and and second read is an opportunity for everyone to learn more about the historic district, what designation means. There's a lot of misinformation
floating around and I think some people in this room are guilty of spreading it. Um, I think that there's more that we all need to know. Uh, Mr. Stler, you referenced uh a set of questions that you submitted to the HPC. It's my understanding the responses you received
are in draft form. Once they're in final form and they've been reviewed by the necessary experts in legal, I suggest that we do make that publicly available as I believe those questions uh and and subsequent answers have a lot of information that will clear up a lot of
the misinformation that's out there. So, uh, in in in summation, you know, that's that's what I have to say about HPC, and we're going to address it a little bit later in the meeting. >> Um, Mr. McDonald, do you have any responses? >> No responses.
>> Council, >> no. So, seeing that, I'm going to go back to my script. All right. Consent agenda resolutions. Uh before we consider consent agenda resolutions, I
would like to appoint Christine Best as my exeicio mayoral designate appointment to serve on the Milbourne Short Hills Business Organization Inc. District Management Corporation Board of Trustees with a term expiration date of December 31st, 2026.
The township committee will now consider consent agenda resolutions. Are there any comments from the committee in regard to any items listed on the consent agenda? Seeing none, may I have a motion to approve resolution 26-045 through resolution 26-053
which are listed on the consent agenda. >> Motion. >> I have a second. >> Second. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Collin, >> yes. >> Mr. Costco, >> yes. >> Mr. Sero, >> yes. >> Mr. Stler, >> affirmative. >> Mayor Sakami, >> yes. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. On to the resolutions. Are there any comments from the committee in regards to resolution 26-054? >> May I have a motion to approve resolution 26-054? >> So move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call vote, please.
>> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Mr. Cosro, >> yes. >> Mr. Cerudo, >> yes. >> Mr. Stler, >> mayor. Second, >> yes. >> Thank you. Are there any comments from the committee in regards to resolution 26-055? Seeing none, I have a motion to approve
resolution 26-055. >> Motion. >> I have a second. >> Second. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Collin, >> yes. >> Mr. Costro, >> yes. >> Mr. Scudo, >> yes. >> Mr. Stler, >> Mayor Secondandy, >> yes. >> Thank you.
Are there any comments from the committee in regards to resolution 26-056? >> Seeing none, may I have a motion to approve resolution 26-056? >> Motion. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Cohen,
>> yes. >> Mr. Costco, >> yes. >> Mr. Cerudo, >> yes. >> Mr. Stler, >> emphatic permit. >> Mayor Sakamandandy, >> yes. >> Thank you. All right. Next up, we have ordinance number 2728-26.
Deputy Mayor Posro is scheduled to sponsor. Thank you, Mayor. Uh, I would like to present an ordinance entitled ordinance number 2728-26 ordinance designating the quote Woodfield Short Hills Estates unquote as
a historic district pursuant to the historic preservation ordinance of the township of Milberg. um brief explanation. I I think we've all talked about it tonight. Um but it's a you know it's a it's a um an ordinance that would designate the Woodfield the
states uh section. Um and there's attached to you know a map as well to it and a listing of all 54 properties. Um, I move that this ordinance be taken up
and passed on first reading and that the township clerk be authorized to have the ordinance published in accordance with the law and the item and for hearing and final passage on March 3rd, 2026. Please be advised that the public
hearing of this ordinance will be held at the Milbour Education Center located at 434 Milbour Avenue in Milbert. Did I >> I think I Okay. Yeah. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Okay.
>> Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Cohen, >> as I said, I'd like to see this process continue. So, I vote yes. >> Mr. Costrove. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cerudo? >> Yes. >> Mr. Stoler. >> As I said, I'd love to I want to
participate in the public session. I want to see what that final tally looks like on the uh petition. Uh and I'm going to preserve my vote with an extension per now. >> Mayor secondy. >> Yes. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. Ordinance 2729-26. Cerutoo is scheduled to sponsor. >> Thank you, mayor. I'd like to present an ordinance entitled ordinance number 2729-26 an ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the township of Milbourne chapter 2
administration article 5 boards committees and commissions purpose of the ordinance is to establish the township's flood mitigation advisory committee in the township's general ordinances um this will codify the flood mitigation advisory committee which has previously uh been established each year
by resolution and so this is just setting um the maximum membership terms um and also guidance on the organizational structure for meetings um how the chairman is suggest is uh is selected as we discussed previously and
uh ensuring that its establishment um uh can be used for years to come. Um and so obviously the committee uh we know that uh flooding is not going away overnight and there's been amazing strides. Even just earlier today uh Nick Fuchelli who was a member of the committee and myself
met with a um a student uh of the community uh to talk about some great recommendations um and you know use of STEM and partnerships with um you know local with the university etc. So uh let's keep it rolling. So, I move that this ordinance be taken up and passed on
first reading and that the township clerk be authorized to pass to have the ordinance published in accordance with the law in the item and for hearing and final pass on March 3rd, 2026. Please be advised that the public hearing of this ordinance will be held at the Milbour Education Center located at 434 Milbour
Avenue, Milbour, New Jersey. >> I have a second as former uh member of the litigation. Absolutely. Second. Thank you. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Mr. Costco, >> yes. >> Mr. Cerudo, >> yes.
>> Mr. Stler. >> Mayor Secondandy. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Hey, Ordinance 2730-26. I'm scheduled to sponsor this. I would like to present an ordinance entitled ordinance number 2730-26
an ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances township of Milbour chapter 2 administration article 5 boards committees and commissions. The purpose of this ordinance is to establish a residency requirement for all volunteers serving on an advisory
board in the township. The joints would require that those volunteers that are no longer a bonafide resident prior to September 1st of a given year resign from any advisory board they are serving. Additionally, should someone cease to be a bonafide resident after
September 1st of a given year, they will be required to resign as of December 31st of that year. This ordinance would not affect those boards or commissions established through statute and exemptions would be provided for
military service. I move that this ordinance be taken up and passed on first reading and the township clerk be authorized to have the ordinance published in accordance with law in the item for hearing and final passage 3,26.
Please be advised the public hearing of this ordinance will be held at the Milbour Education Center located at 434 Milurn Avenue, Milbour. I have a second. >> Second. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Cohen,
>> as I said when this was in new business, I think the September date is too strict. I would rather have seen that as July. So, I'm going to vote no. >> Mr. Costco. >> Uh, yes. >> Mr. Super. Yes, >> Mr. Stler.
>> In fair, >> Mayor Sakcom, Mandy, >> yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay, moving on to hold business. First item up is the Taylor Park gateway. >> Uh so in combination with a new business
item uh as well um which we'll discuss uh shortly. Uh Taylor Park Gateway obviously has gone through a number of iterations was discussed um a couple years ago. Um, and uh, it's an advisory
committee looking at it. Um, and so I'd like to make it a priority uh, for this year. Uh, and so Mr. McDonald would like to make I'd like to make this a priority and we ask for an update on where we stand and how we can make that happen.
>> Um, sure. So just by way of background in addition to what committee miner stated about the advisory committee uh there was then a second iteration a scaledown version of our approach to the tail bark gateway uh which is on Milurn
Avenue um we developed a plan um went out to bid however we did not receive any bids uh for the project in the f the first time we went out to bid the second time we went out to bid we received one bid uh in in the amount of roughly $850,000
which we felt was uh in far exceeded the uh the estimate for the project. Uh since then we have attempted to um negotiate with the other contractors which is what you're permitted to do after two failed bids. Um however that
has similarly come back with a price tag of you know 800 um thousand or more. So, what we've most recently done is met with a uh local landscape architect who believes that they can help value
engineer the project um and provide us with a uh a somewhat revised plan, but nothing, you know, too drastic uh that would help us move this project along. Um and it is our intention to receive
that sort of uh see where that puts us. Uh I think also require regardless of whether uh it's 850,000. I don't think it will be that, but it will still be more than what we have currently allocated. So we'll come back to the tip committee for some
additional funding and we will prioritize that project for this year. I think where we're looking for in terms of timeline is um to have everything ready to go uh post July 4th, which as you know will be a a big celebration
this year with the with the 250th. Um and uh we'll kind of put us on a timeline similar to what we had last year, just a just a year later, but we will uh we will certainly be prioritizing this project. >> Excellent. So yeah, I I agree that this is a project we probably need to move
forward. Um I don't like the price tag that was provided by the initial estimates that we received. So I'm very glad that we're going out and trying to value engineer this and we can certainly solicit more uh bids if if necessary. Um
Mr. McDonald, do you know if there's Main Street New Jersey funding that we can utilize for some part of this project? Um, so it is my understanding that Main Street, New Jersey funding is if you buy is every other year. Um,
particularly an amount that has already been received by the Special Improvement District being about $150,000. Uh, certainly, you know, we've got two things that we're going to be discussing here tonight. Uh, one of those is u uh most likely going to utilize that first
trunch of $150,000. But there again, my understanding is that we can continue to apply for money each year. It just won't be in that significant dollar figure, but it may be more like 30 or $40,000. But I think that Main Street, New Jersey will continue to be a
viable funding source um for projects like this and other projects in the uh the business district. Uh but uh but I don't again I I think the intention is to use that that $150,000 and it's already been received on the discussion
item under I believe we also designated TA Park as historic. So might be worth uh reaching out to the HPC to see if they know of any grants or opportunities that might
be able to be utilized on you know some project. Um, but you know, I think for too long we've let these infrastructure projects go by the wayside in this town. So, I'm very glad that this township committee is addressing that. So, I'm in
support of continuing to move forward with this uh further exploration and uh we have something more concrete we'll be able to >> I think we originally allocated more
like 300,000. So 800,000 is quite different. I think it's all going to come down to what you're able to negotiate and what that means. I'm sure that it would be scaled down in some way. So you know it's not just the dollars, it's what are we getting for it as well. So I think it obviously needs
to move forward, but I think we will have to reserve until we have more time. >> I I certainly agree. um you know uh terms of what we're getting for the pricing uh and using uh you know even maybe
refitting it again but uh absolutely would love to see uh that I'll use the word refreshed. I I think just to speak to it a little bit further is that the number that was thrown out and that we were basing our project on and trying to sort of design
into that box uh was a little bit um arbitrary and so now maybe getting a design and understanding more of what the cost is and so that that come back request for additional fun. Yeah. Thank you.
Right. Moving on. Uh proposed long-term strategic plan advisory committee update. Um so I actually have updates. Uh last time I took the comments and concerns from our last discussion and incorporated them into a revised draft
which I will distribute to everyone this week uh via the town clerk. Rather than go through every change, um let me hit on a few of the highlights and then you guys can let me know if I uh missed anything. Uh first I added a fourth
mission point which is as follows. The board will now maintain an auditable record of all major township initiatives, studies and recommendations. This directly addresses the concern about continuity across administrations and making sure things don't fall through the cracks. Second, they emphasize the relationship with the
TC is two-way. We can refer items down to the strategic planning board and get back timing and prioritization recommendations. The strategic planning board could also surface long-term strategic ideas up to us. Uh and if
there's a new objective around organizing or we have a new objective that we give to them, they can help us organize that with our wish list uh into a timephased framework. Uh third, stronger guardrails on scope to address concerns about the board surfing
authority. The draft now explicitly states the board will not approve expenditures, direct staff, or override professional recommendations. Subcommittees will complement our professionals work, not duplicate it. Uh, fourth, flexibility on reporting in meetings. Reporting can now be quarterly
or semianual at our request, not just annual. There was an interest in having be frequent. Uh, and I added length to allowing flexibility on meeting procedures to avoid unnecessary administrative burden under the open public meetings act. fifth um TC member
terms are clarified committee members serving on the board will have one-year terms in line with their committee service. I think those were some of the major takeaways from our discuss last time. So I asked the rest of the committee if there's anything else they can think of prior to me
updated draft for your review and then one thing I was thinking I've never I haven't mentioned before we really need to think about when we ability to go to the orders but when we appoint people to this committee that they're not also necess you know that they're not coming
you know so if you have somebody just arbitrarily for example from the flood mitigation committee then of course they're gonna try to prioritize flood mitigation projects ahead of everything else. So, it's just something, you know, I would if we're going to have a committee like this, I think the people
on it should be independent and they can call in experts from the or members of those committees as needed, but I don't think anybody should be doing double duty. >> Yeah, I think the way we had envisioned it or at least I envisioned it is >> it's an advisory role, right? Yeah, it's
an advisory committee and like other committees >> uh advisory committees we have like the affordable housing advisory committee we had members from planning we had members from other committees um so yes we wouldn't want you know all of the
planning board to you know to be on on the committee uh and we couldn't do that because of the open public so I think by having you know as long as we have a large enough number of residents and then we have the various other advisory committees have representatives on
there. There'll be a sizable board, but I think then everyone will be able to work collectively and figure out the prioritization of things because yes, obviously, you know, people will think first, but I think that will help us as a township committee get a sense of, you
know, how these things uh might need to be prioritized. And also I think the community outreach portion of what this committee will do is very important so that they can find out from the community what it is that people actually want to prioritize. Some people might have flooding, some people might have infrastructure projects. We should try and get a sense and let this
committee help do some of that leg work so that we're, you know, not up here flying blind or trying to add yet another. Yeah, to add to what you're saying, I mean, Michael, I think having the different uh boards out there
represented is a must because they do have the best pulse on what's going on in our township. For all too long, township committees have not participated and gone down and gotten that institutional knowledge of where
there are certain uh certain uh needs for capital structure, etc. So I I would say it absolutely has to have that representation. >> I don't know. I think I think they could serve more as an as execution members. I don't know that they need to be full voting members
>> because they come with a they come with a with a inherent bias. >> We could we could look at that. Um I mean I think at the end of the day whether they can vote or they can't vote, it's an advisory board. So it's going to be up to the township committee to take the recommendations and then
decide whether we should action them or not. So if township committee feels that there was a bias in the vote towards one particular thing or another it would be at our discretion to identify that and you know I think it is important that we have some discretion there. um
you know we're not trying to you know give our authority on projects and planning uh to this board but it's rather meant to uh help enhance and supplement >> yeah and I I think um so I'm happy with
a couple of the changes you identified um I would say you know uh I guess you use flooding as the example uh Mr. But you know just arbitrarily no >> bias but hopefully it wouldn't you know this wouldn't be duplic duplicative
you know duplicate um you know be in the flood mitigation committee hopefully it would just be >> but all of those committees have their own project be that flooding be that recreation whatever so you know if you're the flooding representative or you're the recreation member that's also now in this committee that you know you
I think you come in with that inherent inherent bias >> look for fresh bases pretty much. >> That's what I think, >> you know, for >> and then call in those experts as needed as you're as that committee is trying to do that prioritization. >> I still I think I would take the
opposite. I I want the best people who have the most institutional knowledge uh with fresh faces as well as representing those boards so we understand that we have a really good cap strategy and a a path forward. >> Yeah, I think I would agree on that. I
think if there's a board not to mess around with merit-wise, this is this is the one to get. >> I concur. Um and I think you know if we look at how we did the affordable housing committee where you have the representatives uh as long as we have enough resident representatives that
should outweigh if you have one flood mitigation person they priority is flooding that's one vote for whatever you know project is you know being prioritized and again I see the committee more as helping to develop an
overall plan not necessarily picking and choosing individual projects to forward but more so helping us you know along a long horizon figure out okay we've got all these projects you know we want to do this this year next year this can
wait five years etc so I think you know >> exactly it's the timeline but again that you know my project needs to done first is something I just hope we are able to avoid >> I think you you bring up a valid point and I think um but I think that's where
we come in you know uh ultimately whatever the report comes in we can have feedback on that >> and I we don't need to put it in the order I just think as we build a committee like that we need to be concerned with that >> very cognizant of who we put on the
committee and make sure that we're not overlapping with a bunch of other >> committ um on to Yes. Uh, first item is downtown parking and sidewalk enthusiasts. >> Yes. I think everybody has in front of
them um some information. Uh, by way of background um you know uh through uh the virus a couple of years ago. Um, I think we've all seen the backup of um,
uh, double parking in the downtown and the abundance of, um, Door Dash and, uh, uh, all the brands, right? I'm not picking on a particular brand uh, company u, but uh, the backing up uh, in
within uh, the business districts, right? in particular downtown um angled parking was installed at uh as originally as a pilot um in front of the Milbourne Deli which is now uh lasted for um a couple of years now. Um several
years ago, um uh there were major downtown improvements that were initiated. Um and uh the downtown um sidewalks and streets and uh lengths and widths uh uh were
adjusted. Uh and that original plan several years ago was never completed. Um and so we have been left with a downtown uh inclusive of the Taylor Park gateway that was referenced earlier that is not
um all that is not kept to the level that I think we would all expect uh Milbour Short Hills to be at. And so um we've seen a decrease in um uh pedestrian fatalities. number one,
pedestrian um uh injuries number two, um and in general, you know, a calming effect within um the downtown uh up until Main Street. But as soon as you move east of
Main Street uh down Milbour Avenue, um you encounter three lanes. you encounter uh a hopscotch of um people crossing the street uh where there are no crosswalks.
Um and you encounter double parking uh not only in front of food establishments but also in front of uh postal and and shipping establishments. and you walk down the street and you see uh sidewalks that are in disrepair um
and that are uh beyond uh their visual age or visual aesthetic. So, nonetheless, um I I would like to prioritize to get feedback on proposed downtown Milbourne parking and sidewalk improvements. uh the scope to refurbish
the existing sidewalks on both sides of the street on Milbour Avenue east of Main Street. Um adding street trees and beautifying sidewalks, continuing angled parking um from Milbour Deli to Whittingham Terrace, adding uh the
addition of a crosswalk um from Goldberg's Alley uh basically the alley next to Goldberg's to the Milbour Deli area. um adding additional bumpouts near the UPS store intersection of Woodingham Terrace and Milbour Avenue. And
basically the the total goal, right, is pedestrian safety at all crossings and side and on sidewalks, right? You don't want to be tripping or um also being pushed into traffic because there's not enough uh space to walk. Um or you're dodging, you know, broken, you know,
whatever. Uh beautifying the downtown, adding additional parking spaces. um you know really aiming to remove uh the third lane on Milbour Avenue. You know it's like a highway uh preventing double parking in front of restaurants and and
shipping establishments um and you know overall complementing um the future Taylor Park gateway um and the past downtown improvements that have gone on. So, uh there's a couple of preliminary sort of uh drawings and um
that were just, you know, uh produced um that sort of detail, you know, one way that angled parking could be continued um down to Lacawana and then eventually uh up to uh you know, uh past Lacawana
to uh Woodingham and then to homes um where those bumpouts are and sidewalks, new sidewalk in particular, excuse me, new sidewalk, yes, but a new crosswalk in particular and um and obviously um complementing uh the
proposed Taylor Park. So, I bring this as an item of uh new business. >> What do we think? I >> I'll start. Um I actually I like the idea. I mean, really, it's dangerous walking across there. There are no real
crosswalks. Uh, and the annual parking seems to worked well in front of the Milburn Deli. So, I'd like feedback from the pedestrian safety commission as well as the MPD, Milurn Police Department, get their feedback as we move this process forward. Um, and the just like I
was talking about earlier with New Jersey Transit, those platforms are in disrepair. So are the sidewalks. Uh, and I also like to is this going to address the uh the the harp? Let me be nice here.
The lack of um of the power lines that are running up that sidewalk because of you. Is there any way to improve that as well from aesthetics? I I would I would I would love to see that and I think that would be something um that we should add into the
exploration if that if we are do if we do are looking to sidewalk improvements what may be able to be done but I think that that also u from past discussions with Mr. McDonald dating back to maybe even almost 10 years ago um you know
street polls haven't even been removed on Main Street. There's like speakers hanging off. Who's in who owns those? PSMG, Alex. >> JCP. >> JCPL. >> When's the last time we've gotten in front and met with them from TC to >> It's It's not really just I mean, if I
don't want to jump in. >> No, please. Um, but it's not really It's not really whether you're not. It's whether you want to spend money to do it. >> Um, you know, other communities have done that. Unfortunately, they they did that 20, 30, 40 years ago. uh to bury
their power lines. One of the issues that that we have is obviously the number of power lines that are running through the downtown area, the flooding of the downtown area, which so most of that stuff is going to go into bolts underground. So, um and the
expense that goes with it. Now, >> do we do we know what that expense would be yet or >> I mean I've turn a million a mile. So, >> okay. So it's what less than a mile a mile long. >> Yeah. I mean depend I mean you have to
you have to and the other thing is it can't be it can't be peace meal. I think you have to >> No I I understand but if we're if we're tearing up the sidewalks and doing the work I mean you know take an exploration of what it would cost what it would look like and
you know we can we can put it we can discuss it. I would love to know. >> I think we should ice it. And people talk about ice. I just have no bigger eyesore than those fall. >> I I think you know I think there's a few things with this proposal that are just common sense. The angled parking again
said I'd love to see um MPD uh give input the pedestrian safety advisory board. Uh we probably should run it by planning board. Now I think this did come to fruition. Go to them anyway, but we might want to ask them in advance. Uh
they can take a look at it on it. Um, I think the additional crosswalk by Goldberg's Deli makes a lot of sense. A lot of people cross there illegally. Um, so I think that will improve safety. Um, it also takes care of the issue down by Whittingham Terrace with the um, right
now those plastic barriers. I know that's contentious. Um, but you know, I I wouldn't let perfectly the enemy of good. um if it makes sense to do the power lines, if it's financially responsible to do that,
looking into that, but I wouldn't want to win this up. Um you know, I get mired in the the power line discussion because I think there's probably, you know, a lot of people in town that would think that that might not be the best use of money, but let's see what it costs.
>> Yeah. I mean, I I have I have concerns just on this layout. Um because if you drive through all the drive through downtown now, um there's I don't think you're ever going to solve the the double parking or the triple parking by the UPS store
>> because it's happening how even with the with those plastic pump outs. I think if you take this by Goldbergs and narrow this down to basically one lane, which is what's happening when people are parking there, it's going to be it's going to be like the complete streets,
you know, originally. Uh, I also think we need to think long and hard about money that we're spending because I just see money going out the door. Uh, you know, we've still got paper bill. Um, you know, we're spending, you know, three or4 million on the fields. There's
a lot of money going out. We just gave a chunk of money back to, you know, to uh uh on the tax refunds. And I really think we got to, you know, think of this as money coming out of your personal pocket. um not this, you know, a big
chunk of money that, you know, that there's no supervision. >> Yeah, I would I would I would rebut that and say, you know, somebody compared us earlier to Mont Clair, South Orange, Maplewood, they're they're fiscally dead, those towns. They're literally on
the verge of bankruptcy. We are fiscally conservative. We've done a great job uh managing our balance sheet. We have a AAA credit, but people are paying taxes, quite a bit of taxes for services and amenities that are commensurate with
this town. I think that thought process is absolutely broken. We got to look at it. We got to we got to analyze it. We've got to see whether it makes sense for the town moving forward. For us to sit on a $19 million, $17 million surplus of cash year in and year out to
me is ludicrous. we should spend the money to upgrade our town so we're comparable to Westville comparable summit not comparable to South Orange uh such so you know just doing it correctly and and having just a methodical process
where we absolutely look at instead of just kill it out of hand >> but that's the that's this committee reforming I mean isn't this the first seems to me I mean I don't know what >> yeah I don't know that we've established a threshold for the size of the projects that they would look at But I would think this would certainly be something
for them to be discussing in their initial portfolio. >> Yeah. I mean, if it were just the angled parking and that's >> right. But but the power >> I think that would be a fraction of the cost of what we're talking about overall. >> But once you're starting with the power lines, >> but yes, we mess with the power line
even the sidewalks. I know that there's probably some funding opportunities there. >> Yeah. Street. But maybe it would make sense. Let's do the strategic planning committee. Let's get more information on this because we can all chew them at the same time and then when we have that
we'll have the information to give to the strategic planning committee and they can look at it and help evaluate you know whether some >> against all the other priorities >> right >> and in the same vein as you were talking too maybe have the HBCO on it as well in
terms of the Taylor Park we were talking about that but also on this as well >> because there should be a historic fashion in some type of continuity throughout the town. >> Sure. I you know, so one thing just to note answer you know some questions is on the financing. There is $150 uh
excuse me $150,000 grant that was received uh through uh explore and focusing on the uh downtown improvements uh which you know is obviously uh slated to be um used for
something of this nature. Um so I I think uh that is one aspect additional grants looking uh you know to see if there's other funding mechanisms um but I do think that we should separate the um I think we should separate the power line discussion from
it and um you know and continue to look at it but I don't think we should um I think we should keep this as a just my opinion as a priority. I value Mr. Cosgrove's point um you know on on on the finances but I think if there's
funding available you know for us to take >> I think it would be a strategic mistake not to look at the power lines if we're going to have the sidewalks repaired or such and have them up if the cost is half the cost of going back and doing it later we might as well take a look at it and just get the information so we
understand not just bypass it all together. >> Yeah I think no one's disagreeing that we should get the information. And I think we're putting the cart before the horse. We should get the information. We should figure out what the scope of this is. We should have the strategic planning committee and whatever other
committees weigh in on scope of what we want to do. Uh and then we can properly evaluate. Okay. Yeah, you're tearing up the sidewalk. Do you think this planning committee says look we want within the next five years to bury those power? Right. that's we've determined that's a
priority. The the public has said that's a priority, right? I'm just being arbitrary about it. But let's let's say for the sake of argument they've decided that. Then, you know, we would look at it and say, okay, well, the cost to do it when you do the sidewalk is probably a lot less than doing it later. But
these are things that I think the strategic planning committee could help us >> sort out. So, I don't think we should take anything off the table. We should go in with an open mind. Um, but let's let's utilize let's form the new committee. let's utilize it and in the meantime let's get some investigation so
that what they can hit the ground. >> Can I just add one thing? Just seeing the word bumpout makes me a little nervous because you know we've had some bad experiences with bumpouts in the past downtown. So we need to make sure I think it's a good idea to do it but we may need to make sure that we're not
impeding the ability of emergency vehicles to make that turn onto Whittingham, you know, or you know because there's above that. >> Yeah. I mean if you have a better name for a for bumpout. >> No that's what it is but we just careful.
But also how do we solve but and this is another discussion which I didn't list on this agenda here but how are how as a community are we going to mitigate the double parking that is happening >> it's enforcement >> and at a location like that because if
it is not above >> you know >> if you if you had a policeman if you put if you put a traffic officer there you know at lunchtime you know when people are doing it at also at dinner time people are picking up stuff and I know
they don't like to give out tickets to town residents because you know people get angry but you know you do that for a while you know ultimately it'll stop. >> Yeah I think that's something we can do in the short term. Maybe we can talk to the police department about doing some parking
enforcement there. Uh I know no one likes fines so >> maybe they had a warning or it's a small fine to begin with but I think for too long we've sort of let that go on. Um so we should we should address the enforcement aspect. I think do that
immediately. You guys let me know uh three of us to say yes. >> I have a great >> look into enforcement and then all the other stuff we talked about. Mr. >> McDonald, you had a point on this. >> I I have I have a couple points if I
could. Um, one is, um, I was actually going to suggest maybe something else when it comes to, of course, enforcement. I think that that is absolutely necessary. But, uh, maybe exploring whether we can become the
community that you don't ever want to get caught double parking because it is a higher fine than you always. um if it's an issue then then perhaps there's a way for us and some of that goes under title 39 some of that you know might be a local ordinance that can
be adjusted to increase the fine for for double parking or obstruction of a lane um in addition you know because because we do you know we're obviously exploring this our ability to to spend this 150,000 it sounds like this process might take a
lot longer than we have we have to we have to actually spend that money by by August Uh I I just wanted to make a suggestion uh because this has come up for years and years. Um whether it's pedestrian safety advisory board, whether it's just general commuters, uh people walking
into downtown, the Winningingham intersection is a problem. It is something that needs to be addressed. So perhaps we could utilize that funding to improve the pedestrian safety of the downtown by doing this uh extension of the curving um at Whittingham and
piloting some of this angled parking as you as you know this diagram by Oscars because it actually yields you know a few more parking spaces that's always a complaint for those businesses over there because there's no surface area parking in that area. Um, and maybe that's a uh, you know, I think that if
if I learned anything from my experience having gone through that previous project is that you need to take uh, you need to take uh, chewable bites, right? How to eat a whale, right? Absolutely. Um, so so maybe that's maybe that's a route uh, that could be taken. It would
also offer some planting area, some additional, you know, trees, uh, things like that. Uh, and maybe that's just a a sort of a a quick hit on while we do all this Yeah, we don't we don't want to leave money on the table. That seems like a very I like the idea of doing a pilot of it. We sort of did a pilot of
the annual parking already that worked out very well and talk about this now. But if we could let's have you know the necessary um experts within the township weigh in on what the scope of that pilot look like and figure out if that's
something we can size to fit that 150,000 nicely. That would be something we could do while we're putting this through the rest of the process. >> Sounds good. >> Great. So, next up is community
holiday decorations and lighting. >> A lot. But, you know, obviously Mr. Stler uh had mentioned it the other day as well. I think in general we've just seen uh I think you can tell by my personality th this far, you know, take the bull by the horns, right? Let's get
working. Um but uh I I obviously the township committee prior to me and uh just myself as a resident, an incoming township committee member heard a lot about downtown decorations. So um trying to get ahead of it. You know, who knows?
Uh, you know, I stopped uh looking at now that uh Christmas and holiday decorations have started to come down from stores. Um, I haven't seen as much out, but I'm sure there's still great sales going on. Um, basically call to the community if you're interested in
getting involved in something like this. Uh, reach out. Um, and we're going to be I, you know, I wanted to get all of your feedback sort of. Um, but just trying to get some people together to work with Mr. McDonald on um on getting uh getting a plan together to um to take care of uh
to get decorations going in different parts of town building up, right? I mean, not looking at unless there's a significant sponsor um you know, not looking at you know sort of uh uh be the uh you know uh Macy's lobby. But I think
um you know uh we got to start somewhere. So, you know, I grew up here. The sidewalk the excuse me, snowflakes, you know, um, which, uh, were what they were, but at least they were something. This >> might be something where we want to go to the local businesses, see if there's
sponsorship opportunities. >> But is that us or is that I mean, or is that something that the city should really be doing? >> But they haven't. >> Well, but then, you know, but is that something we, you know, but we direct that? >> I I think that this is for all those
parties. Um, one, the township is most likely going to be purchasing the items, right? So, uh, and the things that are going to be displayed, but the sin is going to have the relationship businesses or have an idea of where things can be placed. DPW should be part of where electrical is within throughout
the town. Um, but also I think residents have brought up concerns and it's probably a good idea to have a couple residents to say, "Hey, this is this is kind of what we envision, what we want to see." So, Jamie and Mr. Sheruto, sorry, and I have had a conversation about it. I think it would be a great
group to to throw together because it unfortunately has been left to the municipality to figure out what the people want, right? And you know, how much we're going to be able to do and and I that doesn't always work out that well. >> Every year it seems people come and complain about the lack of holiday
lights. So, let's at least put together a committee to talk about it. >> Everybody likes a little holiday joy. >> I would say put a committee together to get it done. That's to get it over the to get it over the finish line. >> Let's let's uh let's do it. I envision
one to two meetings uh you know select recommend purchase. >> Well, let's get the pricing in. No question. But the other piece is um that I wanted to sort of bring up and and uh Mr. McDonald could also give some colors on the lighting in Taylor Park. So,
there's a project that is coming together uh to install um regular lights throughout Taylor Park. As you know, Taylor Park is way too dark uh to begin with. Uh you know, let alone during the holidays. Um so, um so there's a project
that's coming together to install light poles within Taylor Park and those will have the capability u well they will have outlets on, right? So, if we did want to continue to light, you know, or sort of resurrect the winter walk or something of that fashion, we would be
able to do that. if I'm explaining correctly. >> Yeah, it would be a lot easier with those light fixtures installed. Um, we do that uh as well as looking at things that can be put on the the current pedestrian scale lighting downtown. Uh, all those are all those are
possibilities. Um, but I think as you mentioned is sort of like build up uh to it. You know, some of these k things pretty expensive. I didn't want a snowflake uh to be displaying that was that was four grand in of itself. So, but but again, you could rent that and
it would be, you know, $500 or $750 and you're renting it. So, >> snowflake made out of gold or >> Well, I'm I'm telling you, it's expensive stuff and and and but it but it's far better to purchase it and have it so that we can display it for the next 10 years as opposed to renting it each year. Um it's it's it's just an
investment, but maybe an investment for >> we don't want to spend that much money that this also becomes a project. >> Yeah. Well, I would encourage Yeah. How how about permanent >> the permanent displays? I know. >> What about a permanent display rather
than something that gets put up? >> What's the change? I mean, this >> Christmas in July. >> Well, no, no. I mean, arguably it could be the the light color could change for a lot of different >> Oh, like like a like an omb like a
>> but again I don't know what the price would be if if you notice that that's that is already uh on our view. Okay. >> Yeah. So those are pos those are possibilities. I think also another factor in this is encouraging the businesses to be displaying too. You
know, it's not just up to the the the community to to to be festive, right? >> You see you see it from uh you know, great job decorating, you know. >> for for the holiday. Yeah. >> All right. Good. So, let's move back
over next. >> Well, that concludes our new business. Uh next up is the second public comment period. This public comment period is to allow for final comments from the community. Invited to speak for your
comments. Please come to the lectern. Clearly state your name whether you are a B resident or property or business owner. Please do not provide your full address seeing our meetings are recorded and are readily available to the public. Reminder that in order to help facilitate the order of the meeting and
to permit all to be heard, speakers shall limit their comments to one three minute session. open the public comment period. >> Um, I'm de Humphre. I live in Short Hills. Um, and I'm gonna ruin the mood from the holiday
festivities to this affordable housing bill that's surround. Um, I know affordable housing is a big deal. We all know that. Nobody's trying to minimize it, but it's becoming the bogey man. Uh, there's a picture and we should just talk about what it is. Okay. So there
was this there's this bill that's been reintroduced. It was introduced last year in transit. Didn't pass. It's got two sponsors. It's got no corresponding as family bill. There's no hearings at the moment scheduled. It's getting opposition from a lot of people because
of exactly what it does. So but let's assume that it gets passed. Okay? Let's just assume it does. If it does, it says religious organizations and taxexempt nonprofit organizations who've been allowed to take property they own, they don't actually own it, okay, and build
affordable housing. Now, it's not easy to become a tax exempt nonprofit. You rightly point out there's nothing in the bill that has any rules about this, but there's thousands of pages of rules and regulations in the federal tax law and
the state tax law that govern tax exempt. And you talk about the email you read out to us uh which you've widely circulated. I know you don't want to mislead people. It talks about them people setting up shell nonprofit
entities which could then scoop up these prop these properties. Well, I don't know how you do that. Um they wouldn't be able to do that under rules and regulations. So, lots of restrictions. So, I don't think it's realistic that a builder could do that. And I think before we stop trying to work out shell
corporations here, I don't see you can do it under the federal or the state tax exempt rules. That's that's where it does come. But let's let me let me assume even let us go on one stage. Let's assume that we have this really clever developer and they do take advantage of the legislation. Okay. What
are they going to have to do? They sell their nonprofit. They can only buy property if they capitalize on nonprofit. So, I got to stick in enough money to buy a workable lot. That's $3 to4 million in my neighborhood. Then
you've got to get another2 million to build build the affordable housing. That's $5 million. You can't get the profits out the nonprofit. It's a nonprofit. You got the money's trapped. You can't just dividend them out like you could with a regular
company. Um, and there are rules. Okay. So, I don't understand what would happen. Let's assume somebody tried this. Really clever a guy, go around all my rules. We just sue the hell out of them as a shack and we'd win. So, I just
want to make these points because Jamie and Mrs. Trudeau said we should keep all the arrows in our quiver. Yeah, that's great. But when you're considering whether to make us um >> Yeah, I'll be two seconds. When you're
considering whether you're concerned to me, please don't just make us the test guest when the only person is the people build the housing unit in our district. >> Your time is up. You're welcome to go back next meeting and speak to your
three minutes public. >> Yeah, I appreciate that. Hi Leah President. Um three quick things. Um you had mentioned um mayor about um somebody should bring back a petition with how
many people are for or against. I'm not sure I'm in agreement with that. I don't know why other residents who don't live in that area, why their voice and why their opinion doesn't carry equal weight. we we can um give our opinion on what's happening down in downtown and other
areas of town and I feel like um this district it does involve the whole town. Um I love Jamie's initiative about downtown improvements. I'm all for it. Our downtown sorely needs it.
Um but I'm going to say a couple things that might not be that popular. I feel like maybe we should wait for that Annie says apartment building to come online because I think it's going to really affect downtown traffic and god knows what else. >> Um, as far as double parking, you notice
there's no double parking on upper mil upper Milbour Avenue. And if you notice in Summit, you rarely see people double parked anyway anywhere. Why? Because it's two-way traffic. And I hate to say it, I think maybe we should reconsider
that again. If it's two-way um if it's a two-way street and you're parking on both sides, you cannot double park. I know that's not really a popular opinion, but I feel like it might be the only way to combat double parking. Um, and the last thing
is I I'm not really sure what that $150,000 was earmarked for, but perhaps so we don't rush to use it on something that maybe we really don't want to use it for, that's not well thought out, perhaps could that be used for the
holiday decorations? Thank you. Hello again. Phil Kers, Milurn resident. Um, I was happy to hear Mr. Serude mention winterw walk. I think a lot of people miss that. I know it became like almost a family tradition for us in just the short time that we had it. And if
there's some way I know originally with the chamber of commerce, there's there's some way that can be put together, you know, with other holiday decorations with explore Milburn or somebody do that. I think that would be, you know, really welcoming to the town. I hear so many people miss it. I think it' be a great thing to bring back if it's
possible. Um, on another topic, I was happy to hear about this webinar that's being set up uh potentially February 22nd uh regarding immigration enforcement. My concern again is that okay, we can have some immigration
lawyers. We can have a retired policeman. We have these people give us information. My concern is I want a commitment from the town, the town legal advisors, the township government, the township police. So if and when I'm
caught in this situation or somebody else's, we don't find out, oh, I was told this. Oh, but that was this attorney from the ACLU. That doesn't apply. Oh, I was told this, but that was a retired policeman in this chamber. We need a commitment. I'm not asking for a
declaration that's going to put a target on the back of a town. We're concerned about that. Um, but I think, you know, I know that mayor mentioned he wants to concentrate mainly on local topics and I agree with that. But I think this is local and it's an exception and I hope
you see my point that we need something, we just need something official coming from the town. So, this webinar is a good idea for general information, but the town still needs to act with something that tells us specifically what we can do, what we can't, what the police can do and what they can't. It may not be what I want to hear because
legally it may not be possible. I may be stuck in just going along with enforcement, but we have to know that. So, I need that commitment that starts with the town government and goes with our attorney and the police department. There's no there's really no nothing
else that can settle this question. Thank you. >> So respectfully the suggestion that a historic designation sorry my name is Arjun um I'm a resident of the the Woodfield section. Um, so respectfully,
the suggestion that a historic designation can shield this township from statemandated affordable housing obligations is not supported by New Jersey law. New Jersey courts have repeatedly cautioned against the use of preservation overlays as a defensive zoning strategy, particularly when
applied broadly or without clear nexus to cohesive historic integrity. noting that such approaches may increase legal exposure rather than reducing it. Reliance on historic designation as a mechanism to prevent state housing mandates is therefore legally ineffective and strategically
counterproductive. Moreover, the Woodfield section does not uh does not have meaningful function as a realistic site for affordable housing to begin with. It's a fully built out lowdensity residential neighborhood characterized by single family homes on
irregular parcels, limited transit access, constrained infrastructure, and no meaningable opportunity for largecale or cost-effective multifamily development. As a result, designated Woodfield, whether historic or not, does not materially affect the township's
affordable housing obligation or compliance strategy. Accordingly, historic designation neither lawfully nor practically protects the township from state housing requirements. Instead, it risks imposing permanent regulatory constraints on homeowners while providing no corresponding benefit
in housing compliance, potentially displacing development pressure to fewer remaining sites and increasing long-term legal and planning risk. Thank you. >> Hi, Jean Pasternac. I just wanted to uh quickly comment um that I don't think I
think that's actually not true what you just said. Uh you might want to look into Glenidge uh town that's uh completely declared 90% of it is historic and I believe that their um uh their declaration of that has helped them a great deal with the affordable
housing mandates that the state has laid down. So maybe check check that as an example that might not fit with what you just said. Um, the other thing I was going to say is that um the um sorry I lost my train of thought. Um
here um oh on the um Whittingham I I wanted to say something about that. I don't know how that UPS got uh I I guess they had a change of use that got approved. I have no idea how they came to be on that corner. But why are they there? I mean,
if the parking isn't sufficient and it's causing all this problem, could the town offer an alternative place for them to go? That's >> um Jeffrey Fel, first I want to compliment TC and the community for how civil we were tonight. I mean, it's a marked
difference than it was like in in 2021 with the fights over historical preservation where it was fist. I really want to really give a shout out for the whole community. Um, also a shout out for cheap people like myself for
Valentine's Day by going when I pay my taxes. I saw there's a senior um newsletter that on 2 o'clock on Valentine's Day, the library is going to be showing probably one of the best romcoms ever holiday. And I really want the community
because I even like when I talk to the kids in high school that we have a common language that that that should be emphasized that the um library is going to be showing probably the greatest romcom ever that we all do and it's free.
All right. Again, I really want to compliment the community about the ideas for Jamie. You need to look at the annual debt statement and the bond offering statement about how some monies have been I think we need an accounting as to the bond
participation notes that were issued for Taylor bark how they were used. Thank you. I guess so. Christine D. Hi. Sorry. Um and Mil Township. I just
wanted to bring up this is a really nice meeting. I'm digging the vibe a lot. I really I really like it. I I there's a lot of change here and um it was a real real pleasure listening to everything. a lot of smart comments and I just wanted
to just bring up one thing. Um I two just quick things on um particularly just our general sort of strategy towards design in this town where we're doing work for projects. Um, and there's a lot of design comments and that's why I was just bringing it up. Um, just
really thinking about, you know, if you are going to, you know, I've been in situations in my house where I only have $100,000 to spend on my landscaping and I know it's going to cost me and everybody has different price points, so you no comments there, but you know, it's going to cost me maybe three times
as much. So, I what I do is I do a master plan and I spend $3,000 to do a master plan and I slowly over a 10-year period as I can afford it spend $10,000 here, spend $5,000 there, whatever. And I get the end result that looks like I did it all at once. And I think what's really important is we lose sight of
doing a strategic plan because it does cost money. I don't know what would cost to design Taylor Park all at once, for example. But if you do that that strategic design then you can go in as you have money when you get you know a grant of $150,000 then you can complete
the gateway or you can do you know lighting renovations etc. And so my suggestion is is to really think about that because one of the things that Charlie talked about is the riverwalk quite a bit of time and I think it's time that Milbourne gets some money from Joey Dum because we give so much money
county and it would be so amazing to have something like a riverwalk that flowed into that park. So just something to think about and um you know in maintaining its naturalistic design. So, you know, I think at this time I would really like to see possibly a budget set aside to do that to, you know, do a
strategic plan for the park um and then work on the gateway project as it relates to the overall design. And that's my only comment and thanks um Jamie for um the holiday light stuff. It's awesome. >> Anyone else from the audience? Sure.
Al Carlin, resident 42 years plus uh and I am not running for Congress qualified more qualified than some of these people. Uh it's unfortunate, but uh we've seen
millions of dollars spent uh on negativity uh in the last few months. That's a damn shame. And thank goodness we don't see that negativity in our township these days. And that's appreciated.
It's really bad when we see candidates running for office being totally negative and groups coming in like the AP pack so forth and we know who they are of course uh just one several comments I walked
neighborhoods basically district 10 and uh they feel that mayor is doing a very good job with communication uh Alex sir you've done a very good job in in protecting the community. That's what's
said by many people and that's why the township works in many ways. If there's a disaster, Alex will be there and that's one of the things as far as safety in the community uh walking main street, walking across Main Street, not
Main Street, um over a view at times is uh is problematic to say the least. with Annie Sis coming on board, it is going to be even more problematic. Uh changing any parking, it's going to be I suggest let's not change any parking
until he says well the apartments open up there. uh one lane. Having one lane would be problematic also because of emergency vehicles and at certain times of the day that's going to create even
more of a traffic jam unless we have some sort of a uh some sort of a study done to like I say I've been here for about 30 years uh and I do not own any property and I do not own any
businesses. Thank you very much. My name is I live state uh the contributing property. I just want to thanks Alison. She has been very nice, very knowledgeable about very she has a vast knowledge of the house
which was built in 1928. She explained me a lot and I really double checked all of them because I like factchecking. I double check every single thing and what she said was true. I also want to thank Mayor Frank uh because he has been also
helping me a lot. Thank you so much. Um unfortunately what we did while trying while trying to prevent the sublotting subdivision of our lot we unfortunately subdivided the entire section into two part. So to fill the gap uh Lortch and I
have been trying to do something to make sure that all the committee will come together. will come together discuss this and we'll figure it out what to leave from here and we'll come back to you. Okay. Thank you. >> You have anyone online?
>> All right. With that, I will now close public comment. Have a motion to I'm sorry. Actually, I have things I'd like to say. >> Why don't we start at this end of the day?
>> Sure. Try to be short and sweet. Um, just to clarify, uh, two lanes, never go down to one lane. I don't support one lane uh anywhere. I know that it is present right now in part of downtown. Uh, I didn't vote on that. Uh, so I
won't be voting on anything. Uh uh so two lanes, two three lanes to two lanes, always two lanes. You know, I like the thought in this discussion about two-way traffic. Uh that was studied. It was uh looked at on Essex Street and then was,
if I'm correct, was deemed that it just didn't have committee support. >> Really not. >> It was very expensive. So everybody has that kind of money, you know, laying around, would like to donate it, you know, that's but that could be one
of the strategic projects. Look at that as well. Um I think that's pretty much it. Um I also uh I know some things were referenced with Taylor Park. I just want to give a little shout out to I believe he's still a resident to uh uh Jesse Mullman who
did a uh amazing uh um Taylor Park uh strategic plan brought the community together several years ago several years ago looked at different improvements and little by little it has been chiseled. I think one of those um part of the strategic plan was the gateway. Um so
you know uh I think we certainly have done done the studies there. Um, you know, I think we could try to do a little bit of peace meal. Nobody ever wants to do peace meal use the word peace meal in a positive way, but I think, you know, are there ways that we could look at the gateway in that way to
maybe do a couple of things. Um, so we can talk about that for not comments for me. Have a good day. >> Deputy Mayor C. Nothing. Thank you, Mayor. Cohen. >> Yeah. I had two things. First of all,
um, with regard to Mr. Humphrey's comment on that bill, while I'm not going to speak to how far-fetched it is to have, you know, a madeup non forprofit, a better example is we all know that religious institutions are in trouble and what do they do? They merge.
And when they merge, they have two buildings today, but they really don't need both of them. So now they can get rid of one. It can be demolished if it's not historic. And then there you have land owned by a religious institution that's just sitting for a uh 40 acre per
unit development regardless of where it is one story higher than anything around. So that bill is something to be you know concerned with as a committee. Last year we we passed an a resolution our opposition to it and now that it's been reintroduced I think that's
something we should do again um you know this year and make that clear to our uh state legislature. U Mr. Kersh a few six months ago we did publish um what the panel is legally allowed to do with regard to ICE. Um I haven't looked at it
in a while. I don't know that anything's changed, but that that did quote the various rules and laws that are established by the state of New Jersey. I think we should just take a look at that, make sure that it's still accurate. I don't think anything change would just be sure and maybe distribute
that again given that the ICE situation just continues to to worsen. So, I would recommend that we we do that and then push it out again through ourification channels. >> Thank you. David.
>> Sure. Um, all right. I'm going to be unequivocally safe. This township supports affordable housing. We are not against affordable housing. We don't want to work off the face of the earth. We are going to do everything we can do to do it in a sensible manner, sensibly
financially, sensibly for infrastructure, sensibly for our school system, sensibly for the density of our town. Um, you know, I, you know, as our attorney sitting here, you know, we are doing what we have to do. We, you know, we, with the leadership up here, we put
in place the, uh, committee for the fourth round. We put a fantastic plan in place to meet our obligations. Um, uh, no lawsuits against it. Uh, so I don't want us to come off as, hey, we're just against affordable housing. I think
looking at the strategic nature of of the Woodfill section, looking at the different places, um the bill etc. But you know, I just want to make it unequivocally clear from this day when people are watching this video when you know they are that we are not against
affordable housing. I'll say it again. We are not against affordable housing. for doing it in a very sensible manner, in a way that's compliant with with our town in in the best possible financial manner. Not writing blank checks for $50 million, not putting 6,000 people on one
corner, etc., etc., but doing it in such a way that we don't overburn our school system, that we don't overburden our tax ability, uh, as well as the infrastructure. I say one more time or think I'm sure Frank will say too. Uh I
want to commend the entire deis for the um for the uh professionalism, the civility and the intellectual capacity brought to the township and that we continue to to to exhibit. Frank, you're running a fantastic meeting. We really appreciate that. Uh and uh you know,
this is just the start of things to come in in the the years ahead. So I appreciate everybody up there. Great. So, >> um, Mr. Kersh, um, so yeah, I think we can look at something we put out. I mean, some put out something recently.
Um, we have put this out in the past. Unfortunately, you're not going to like the answer. So, if I'm going to use your scenario that you comes and is pulling you out of a car, you call the Milford police. Milford police is not going to be able to interfere with federal law
enforcement. We're just not allowed to legally. We cannot. And and that's true all across the country. And I think you've probably seen that in other parts of the country. Local law enforcement, federal law enforcement, completely separate. Federal law enforcement doesn't
collaborate local law enforcement in our state. we have state laws against that. So we certainly put out some information uh that we put out in the past and hopefully that will help clarify this but just wanted to respond to your hypothetical with my understanding as it
is is that local police cannot interfere with law. >> Um next Mr. Humphrey. Um, and Arjun, I'm sorry I don't have your last
name, but >> um, you know, I think it would be foolish to think that developers wouldn't find ways to exploit loopholes. The legislation that we've been talking about that's currently written is is
very loose. there's a lot of room for misuse and developers absolutely will find every single little loophole and exploit them. And again, I want to be clear, this doesn't stop affordable housing. I'm not suggesting that historic districts should be utilized to
stop affordable housing. What I'm more concerned about is high density development in single family neighborhoods where it doesn't belong. And we are seeing instances where this is happening in other parts of the state. Um, Now, granted, the circumstances there
are different depending on who owns the land, but I believe that this bill will open up Pandora's box. It's not difficult to start a 501c3. If you have some money and you have the proper attorneys, you can do that. I'm pretty sure developers will find ways to
exploit these 501c3s, buy land, and, you know, go into neighborhoods and build housing. And yet, it might not be 40 units an acre. It's possible. It could be, but I could certainly see a developer going into a single family neighborhood and deciding
to put five units in, right? One of them is affordable, so that allows them to build those five units, right? I don't know, would you want a five unit structure in your single family neighborhood? Now, historic won't
prevent that from happening, but it puts some guidelines around it. It helps you control the design, the the materials used. It gives you more control. And I think given that municipalities in our
state are under attack from state level politicians trying to jam more and more housing units throughout our communities. I think we have to look at every available tool. And look, at the end of the day, I think the residents should be the ones in that neighborhood to make the determination. This all
started because residents decided they wanted to initiate the process. Now granted, some may have changed their mind since then and we don't know, you know, where the numbers lie. We'll certainly find that out, but the fact of the matter is there's been a lot of misinformation that's been pedled by,
again, some people in this room that are detractors. And I think it's important that we get accurate information out there. So, we talked about some things tonight that we're going to work to try and get some additional information. Um, Mr. Jane, I understand uh that you're going to be working with another
neighbor to maybe put together an info session. Yes. Uh, certainly would encourage you to invite appropriate members of the, you know, the HPC or whatever other experts are are required to have a productive session, but ultimately it's you guys, the residents
that should, you know, you were driving this and we will see how it how it shakes out. But uh I do think it would be foolish to think that uh developers won't find every single opportunity to um to exploit these these laws and and I
do think a lot of these laws are coming. Um all right uh that >> well I want to add one thing. Um you know you jog my memory out of place. So we talked about the overriding laws. The Woodmont uh the Woodmont developments on our aquifer.
It's on a on the aquifer. We're cutting down a forest on our aquifer to build that project. We were told people made decisions based on that. The DP Department of Environmental Protection would never let that happen. 180 species
to disappear like that. It took them less than a half an hour to agree to do that project and move it forward. So, this is the type of things we're dealing with. Now, like I said, we support affordable housing, but let's do it sensibly. >> Yeah, exactly. I don't think high
density housing belongs single family neighborhoods. That's my opinion. That's something I've that's campaigned on run on. And, you know, we're going to try and provide whatever tools and mechanisms we can to, you know, allow those single family neighborhoods to
stay single family neighborhoods if that's what the residents want, obviously. Um, all right. Well, with that, uh, I think we've had very effective meeting.