Planning Board - Regular Meeting

And there it is. You're comfortable. I didn't do I have not done anything in that chair that you would be unhappy to be sitting in. Samantha, we're gonna start.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I welcome you to the Hillsboro Township Planning Board Reorganization Meeting of January 8th, 2026. Would you please rise and salute the flag 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. This meeting has been duly advertised according to section five of the open public meetings act. Chapter 231 of the public laws of 1975, also known as the sunshine law. Notice of the 2026 January meeting schedule has been provided to the officially designated newspapers. The township clerk posted on the township's website and available at the Hillsboro Township Municipal Complex. Meeting documents have been made available in the township's website at https colonbackillsborj.portal.civicclerk.comback. I will now call upon committeewoman Samantha Hand to uh administer the oaths of office to the newly appointed members which are Mayor Katherine Payne, Robert Wagner Jr., Deputy Mayor Sean Leani, John Chikarelli, and Jason Smith.

All right. And I will step near this just so it gets on the recording. You please raise your right hand. Your name is just called and stand up. All right. So, here we go. Please repeat after me. I state your name. Captain P. Do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the United States of the United States as well as the Constitution as well as the Constitution of the State of New Jersey of the State of New Jersey. that I will bear true faith That I will bear true faith alle and allegiance to the same and allegiance to the same and to the governments established and to the governments established in the United States in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and that I will faithfully and that I will faithfully

impartially and justly impartially and justly perform all the duties perform all the duties of the class state your class member of the class class one member of the planning board of the clan. Seat number fill it in. Number seat number one. To the best of my ability. To the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. Thank you. Congratulations.

Let the let let the record reflect that uh Mr. Piecing joined at 7:05. The next order of business, ladies and gentlemen, is the selection of a chairman for the planning board for calendar year 2026. Do I have a motion to nominate a chair? Mr. Bernstein, I would like to nominate John Cherelli for chairmanship. I'll second that. You can second. Go ahead. I Are there any other nominations? Hearing no nominations. I have a motion to close nominations. Motion

to close. Is there a second? Seconded. All in favor of closing nominations for chairs state by saying I. I. Anyone opposed? We have a nomination for Mr. Chikarelli as chair. You accept that nomination, Mr. Chikarelli? Don't we vote on it? Do you want to change your mind? I do accept. Mr. Lumberzy, can we have a roll call, please? Deputy Mayor Leani. Yes. Um, Mayor Payne, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Yes. Shri, yes. Mr. Flag, yes. Mr. Rowitz, yes. Vitali, yes. Mr. Deb, yes.

And Mr. Cherelli, yes. Thank you. John,

it should be there. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Thanks.

David, you collecting uh forms? Yes. Thank you. I don't know who this is for. All right. Thank you folks. Um, first order of business for me is election of a vice chairman. Um, so I guess I'll open up the floor to nominations for vice chairman. I'll nominate chairman uh committeeman pon for vice chair. I have a second. I'll second.

Seconded. Any other nominations? Hearing none. Should we go right to roll call?

Mayor Payne. Yes. Deputy Mayor Leoni. Yes. Mr. Wagner. Yes. Mr. Shar. Yes. Flag. Yes. Mr. Rowitz. Yes. Vitali. Yes. Chair Cherelli. Yes. And uh Mr. Pas. Uh I guess I'll have to say yes. You should say no. You're outnumbered. Thank you. Welcome Ravi. Next order of business is election of a secretary. So, I'll open the floor up to nominations for the position of planning board secretary.

Who's got a nice signature? I nominate Mr. Ratawitz as secretary. I'll second. All right. Any other nominations for secretary? Hearing none, let's uh go to a vote. Roll call. Right. Do I have to show my signature first? You're a lawyer. You're a lawyer. Mayor Payne, yes. Deputy Mayor Leani, yes. Wagner, yes. Sarra, yes. Flag, yes. Mr. Ratawitz, sure, why not? Mr. Vitali, yes. Uh, Vice Chair Pee, yes.

And Chair Sarelli, yes. Thank you, Bruce. Um, all right. The next order of business is a appointment of a of the master plan subcommittee. Um, so we just open up for discussion on that or or ask for volunteers. Ask for volunteers. What's the the process? I mean, I know what the existing committee is up here. Um, except for Pat Smith. Right. So, do we want to

Mr. Chairman, I I think we made some good headway, you know, in the last year or so with master plan. Um, I think it's a good idea to kind of keep some consistency. Um, maybe a little input from uh our planner, David, as far as master plan. maybe maintain a little consistency because we're we're kind of in the midst of uh our master plan uh changes and analysis and keeping some consistency with the master plan members from last year. I would recommend keeping the same this year unless you have any comments or ads or deletes.

You have an open spot um with Pat Smith who had resigned. Uh, so there's three members and then there was one alternate and so I think right now you're basically looking for the one alternate to replace replace Pat Smith. So it's uh Zarra. Yes. Rawitz Pon and it would have been it was Patty, right? We need one more. Right. Bruce Bruce was the alternate last year. That's correct. Right. You get a promotion again. There you go. I'm moving up in the world. I would volunteer if anyone is up for it.

Okay. So, that would be for alternate position for Mr. Vitali. Who is the alternate? Vitali. Vitali. Thank you, Angelo. Uh any any other comments or thoughts on that group being the master plan subcommittee.

I agree. I think u I mean we obviously we've been working been working on that for the last couple years. So it would be helpful to keep as Mr. Pson said the group together so that uh we can continue on with the process that's been started. Um, I know we're into another phase starting I think after this year of some other ordinances that we're looking at. So, it'd be good to to keep the ball moving. Okay. And I think an up maybe an update the next meeting just to kind of

for the for the board from from where we're where we're at. I mean, I know we have we have to release data that we gathered. I think that's where where got consumed by affordable housing shenanigans. So we have data to release and and move forward. Um so something to to revisit. So uh have a motion to have the master plan subcommittee constituted of uh Siraji Ratawitz fatal. It's your appointment. It's my appointment. Yep. Dem just trying to be democratic. And excuse me, Mr. Chairman. Uh,

can you just make it clear on who will be the master plan chairperson? Maybe we um Robbie says he'll do it again. Okay. Thank you. We may caucus and elect uh someone else within our master plan committee. Once we get you behind the behind the woodshed. I'm happy to chair it. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Okay. So, um I will appoint we will appoint said group as the master plan subcommittee. Um let's see. Next is resolution of uh resolution adopting 2026 schedule of meetings. Um, I looked at it briefly, but I'll just ask that did we make sure that we weren't interfering with any holidays that we would have to reschedule later in the year? And if we do, maybe we take a look at it with a fine point after if we have to make any changes. Let's do that soon.

Soon. We did vet through it. Okay. Um, but unless there's a date on here that someone notices. I didn't. So, I'm just Or if you wanted to move to other things to give people and we could come back to it. It's up to you. Um, I think we could just approve it as is and then if we need to make any changes, let's do that sooner than later is my point. Rather than last minute, right, two weeks before holiday, right? Yeah. Just have the have Samantha or somebody take a look at that. Understood. Thanks. So, I'll make a motion to approve the schedule as is now. Can I have a second? Second. Uh, roll call, please. Mayor Payne, yes. Deputy Mayor Leani,

yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Mr. Ratchet, yes. Flag, yes. Mr. Rowitz, yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Peas, yes. Chairelli, yes. All right. Thank you. Uh, considerations council. Do we take each of these individually? Yes. It's not a consent calendar, so take them each. All right. Um resolution ratifying fair and open selection process. Um motion and a so moved and a second. Second. All right. Comments. Roll call, please. Mayor Payne, yes.

Deputy Mayor Leon, yes. Mr. Ragner, yes. Sarra, yes. Flag, yes. Mr. Rowitz, yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Peas, yes. Mayor Carelli, yes. Okay, I just found the I was doing all right. Um, resolution appointing the board attorney. We had the fair and open proposal received from Eric M. Bernstein and Associates LLC. Uh any discussion on that appointment resolution, I should say. I make a motion to move forward with that. I'll second. Any discussion? Okay. Roll call, please.

Mayor Payne, yes. Deputy Mayor Lean, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Yes. Flag, yes. Ratawitz, yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Peas, yes. Chelli, yes. Thank you all. Welcome back. Number 19. Let the beatings begin. 26. 26. 26. Number 19. 26. As we like to say, he's from another era.

All right. Resolution appointing the board engineer. Again, we had a fair and open proposal received and uh applications reviewed. uh Penoni Associates had the top score. The second was uh center state engineering. So Penoni I think is the inline for the uh appointment as board engineer. Do we have any discussion on that? All right. Have a motion and a second, please. Motion to approve. And roll call. Mayor Payne, yes. Deputy Mayor Leani,

yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Sarra, yes. Flag, yes. Mr. Rawitz, yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Pas, yes. Cherelli, yes. Welcome back. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you very much to everybody on the board. It's been a great pleasure working with you for the last two and a half years, and I look forward to another fantastic year. Thank you.

Thanks. Okay. Fourth item, resolution extending professional service agreement with TNM Associates. This is uh from the 2020 agreement for one I think it's only one but ongoing compliance matter that we have on an application. TNM Associates. Robert Euro is the uh uh is is our professional for that. Any discussion or comments on it? All right. Can I get a motion and a second? So moved. Second. Uh, roll call, please. Mayor Payne, yes. Deputy Mayor Leani, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Shra, yes. Flag, yes. Sawitz, yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Pee,

yes. Chair Cherelli, yes. All right. Resolution appointing the alternate board engineer. Again, fair and open proposal received with Center State Engineering. Robert Russo um is the the bidder. Uh, so can I have a discuss or is there any discussion on the alternate board engineer? Right. A motion in a second, please. So moved. Way to go. Second. Roll call, please. Mayor Payne. And it's self- serving, isn't it? Yeah. Right. I'm going to put Yes. Make sure he gets the spelling right on that one.

But, uh, thank you guys. I think this is, uh, going to be my eighth year. I appreciate it. I think I've been coming here a little longer than that, but look forward to many more. Thanks. Okay. The resolution adopting the rules of order. Any discussion on that item? Move to adopt. Or am I jumping? Sorry, I'm jumping again. Motion in a second. So, we got the motion. Yes. Second. Second. All right. Uh, roll call, please. Mayor Payne, yes. Deputy Mayor Leani, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Mr. Sarra, yes. Flag, yes. Mr. Yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Bezen. Yes. Chair Cherelli. Yes.

Okay. Resolution designating the official newspapers. Any discussion on that? Do they still exist? I think it's tap into and what was the second one? Beacon. Is it the beacon? Uh beacon. Yeah. Yeah. But tap into was added, I think. Okay. So moved. Second. Roll call, please. Mayor Payne. Yes. Deputy Mayor Leani. Yes. Mr. Wagner. Yes. Mr. Sarra. Yes. Flag. Yes. Mr. Radawitz. Yes. Vitali. Yes. Vice Chair Peas. Yes. Chair Cherelli.

Yes. Resolution fixing charges for notice. Fixing charge for notice of meetings. Um, any discussion on that? All right. A motion and a second, please. So moved. Second. Roll call. Mayor Payne, yes. Committee, excuse me. Deputy Mayor Lefani, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Mr. Sarra, yes. Mr. Flag, yes. Mr. Ratawitz, yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Peas, yes. Chair Cherelli, yes. Resolution of open meeting policy. Any discussion on that. Okay. Motion in a second, please. So moved.

Second. Roll call. Mayor Payne? Yes. Deputy Mayor Lean? Yes. Mr. Wagner? Yes, Mr. Sarra. Yes, Mr. Flag. Yes, Mr. Yes. Vitali, yes. Vice Chair Pee, yes. Chair Chelli, yes. Thank you. And the last one, resolution of administrative procedures. Any discussion on that? All right. A motion in a second, please. So moved. Second. And roll call, please. Mayor Payne, yes. Deputy Mayor Lean, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Chair Sarra, yes. Mr. Flag, yes. Mr. Yes. Vitali. Yes. Vice Chair Pee. Yes. Chair Cherelli.

Yes. Okay. Comments from the public. Any comments from the public? Huh? Not on the agenda.

Yes, we are. Maria Janusk, 720 East Frick Avenue, Manville, New Jersey. I'm also a Hillsboro Township property owner, block 86, lot 32155 Camplain Road. Uh good evening and happy new year to everyone. Um, in regard to the uh the appointment of the board attorney, um, are there any um, first of all, is is it open to the public who who applied for that or or submitted their qualifications for that position? Yes.

That's gi that's that's available available for the public. There was there was nobody that submitted a bid other than Mr. Bernstein. No one else. Um, but it's public bid, public bid, public notice. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um, and uh uh how many years is uh attorney uh Eric Bernstein the u planning board attorney for Hillsboro? This is the start of my 26th. This is your 26th. Okay. And there's a contract. There is It'll be signed at some point in the next few days. I'm sorry. It's right up here. It'll be signed in the next few days, but there is a contract in the next few days. Okay. Um, it's right here.

And for the other positions, for the other positions like uh the uh um engineer or the whatever um TNM is doing those whoever applied for that, is that available uh for for the public to see? Yes. Yes. Were there and it was TNM and um not TNM. It was uh Senator Stateon and Senator Yeah, Center State. They're right on the agenda. It's on the agenda. They're what? I'm sorry. Happy New Year, Maria. How are you?

Thank you. The um the names in bold under each um heading under each um consideration are the participants of the RFPs. So, you have that information. That's where where on the agenda? The reorganization. Oh, it's not on their agenda. I'm sorry. Okay. Okay. So, we can Yeah, we can.

And Maria um Mr. Euro and and um that firm is only held to cover old um how would I put this politely? applications that are still pending that we need his his input on. Is that correct?

Yeah, there they are. Basically right now, I think handling I think the chair indicated one application for compliance that they handled when they were the board attorney several years ago. So, this is just to continue compliance rather than to have Mr. Mayu's firm start from scratch and come into knowledge. So, well, that one wasn't for open for bid. That's just to cover that application at the prevailing rate which is paid out of the escrow, right? Okay. And what were the official newspapers again? I heard tap into being mentioned. What were the other

I'm sorry. Oh, the Beacon. The Beacon. Beacon. Uhhuh. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Any um no other comments from the public on the reorg? I have a uh motion and a second for adjournment. Motion to adjurnn. Second. Second. Do we do a roll roll call on that or just all in favor? All in favor? I. All right. Next meeting will be in two minutes. Nobody go anywhere. Um, nobody moved. Nobody. What?

Yeah. No bathroom breaks. They're not here. Uh, yes. Wait. Maybe. Oh, you

Let's get the uh call the meeting to order. 7:32 public meeting of January 8th, 2026. Let's uh join me in a salute to the flag, please. 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.

This meeting has been duly advertised according to section five of the Open Public Meetings Act, chapter 231, Public Law 1975, otherwise known as the Sunshine Law. Notice of this meeting has been provided to the officially designated newspapers, the township clerk, posted on the township's website, and available at the Hillsboro Township Municipal Complex. Application documents, plans have been made available on the township's website at hillsboro.al.civicclerk.com at least 10 days in advance of this meeting. Complete application files are available in the planning and zoning department for inspection in accordance with the public meeting notice. Can I have a roll call, please? Uh

yeah, there he is. Yes, here. Mr. Wagner here. Mr. Here, here

consideration of meeting minutes, we have none. Consideration of resolutions, we have none. Planning board business 2025 planning board annual report draft. Any you want to Yes. Uh please.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh so this is the annual report that's required. Um it's up to the board if you were comfortable and wanted to take action on adopting it uh tonight. Uh but it's a summary of all the applications that you heard um in 2025. Anybody want to discuss what's in the report, make any comments, observations? Um, obviously I because I was there last year. Uh, I'd like to thank the the board and their their attendance because we had a lot of meetings that carried over from meeting to meeting for some of our applications and um they were long and strenuous and tedious in some ways, but I commend you all for being there and attentive and participant in those meetings. Um, and I think that the uh absentee record proves that most everybody was there for all of them with the exception of a few vacation days, whatever. So, uh, I'd like to thank you for that and also to the staff for working through all this year and, um, and the report dictates or says a lot what was being done. So, thank you.

Thank you. And I know a lot if they weren't present, they ultimately if they had to participate watched the videos and attested to that. So, if I'm reading this right, I I congratulate uh Mr. Leanas. get the best attendance record. Brown noser. I have no life. One of them, huh? All right. Congrats. Um, so if there are no edits to it, we can we motion to uh motion and second to approve report as presented. Yes.

So, I'd like a motion and a second. So moved. Second. Okay. Roll call, please. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Business from the floor for matters not on the agenda. Anybody want from the public? See, Maria state stated her name and her address without even being prompted. So, state your name and address.

Maria Janu 6 720 East Frick Avenue, Manville, New Jersey. Also, Hillsboro Township property owner, block 86, lot 32155 Camp Lane Road. Um, uh, information was given in regard to the, uh, professionals that, uh, uh, were hired by Hillsboro. Uh, has Hillsboro hired a um affordable housing attorney? I believe Mr. Bernstein is our our affordable housing attorney. Does that fall within the planning board? That was done at the Oh, that was at the reorg separately from this. Yes, he's he works for the committee, not the planning board.

So, yes, the Yes, the town the township committee hired or appointed uh Mr. Bernstein as affordable housing on Tuesday night. So, P the uh township committee uh appoints the uh affordable housing attorney and the planning board appoints the planning board attorney. Yes. Okay. All right. Thank you.

Thank you. Anybody else from the floor? All right. Seeing none, let's move on to consideration of ordinances, which we have none. Okay. Applications uh for public hearing. The first one is Dukes Parkway East LLC, Crane Farm LLC, file 24-PB-11-sp. Our understanding is that the applicant is request, he's not here tonight, and is requesting this be adjourned to March 12th, 2026 without further notice. Um, I don't know if we need any discussion on that other than to inform anybody who's here from the public regarding what this means is that without further notice means you won't be notified again uh through the mail or any other means, but that the next meeting on this application is March 12th. So, um, anything else from anybody up here?

Motion to approve. Mr. Chairman, it would be a motion to continue Dukes Parkway East LLC, Crane Farm LLC, file number 24, PB11 MSPV to Tuesday, Feb, pardon me, Thursday, February 12th, 2026 at 7 p.m. or soon thereafter as the matter may be heard without further notice and an extinction on the time of decision is already in existence through the end of March. Can you confirm February 12th or March 12th? February 12th. There's also a March 12th, but Feb March 12th. March 12th. Thursday, March 12th. Sorry.

Okay. Um, so a motion and a second for that, please. I'll make So moved. Second. Uh, roll call. Can we have another second? Second. Thank you.

Um, I believe that all members of the board can vote on the extension even if they weren't present at the December 11th meeting. I know we received the mayor's uh signature that she had no life and and watched the video. Uh, but I think for purposes of an extension on time, I think all the members can vote on it even if they weren't present December 11th meeting. What? Alternate second. No, I No. I changed it. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you, Mayor. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes, thank you. The second application is in a similar situation. It is Sukdev and Ruchica Angress file 21-PB-13-MSv 2025 extension request. Um, this is a an application on Farm Road. They are the applicant is requesting to be adjourned to March 5th without further notice. An extension of time has been provided through March 31st, 2026. So adjourned to March 5th. I expect that that's when the next meeting would be then. Right.

That's when that coming in. That's when they're requesting it is a new situation and one of the parts of the motion is going to be to accept the extinction on the time of decision to the 31st of March. as part of this motion or the motion as part of this motion. Part of this motion. Okay. So, also an extension through March 31st. Okay. So, Oh, any discussion? I was going to have a discussion. Have Well, because among yourself, right? Yeah,

I've done that a few times, but so it looks like there's for this one there's multiple requests of one-year extension. So, you know, the last one expired last year, December 10th. So, I'm trying to understand what kind of what the circumstances are.

What prompted this request for an extinction was a email that the planning office received yesterday from a neighbor to the property who has issues with the application. Uh that ma that material was forwarded on to council for the applicant who then decided based on that that they would like some additional time to attempt to address the issues raised by the neighbor regarding storm water and related items and that's why the request for the extension is being made for this one. But but we've got a series of one-year extensions I see here in the summary. Not not a absolutely

and they were and they were here for if you recall an extension. Yeah. And that was part of the discussion. So it's up the board can choose when it hears the application in March to deny any further extensions. How many times has it been extended? This is the last. This is the last one of how many? Looks like three. Three, right? 20 23 24 25 this would be a fourth well and and and there but in here was looking for another extension till the end of this year. So would we be able to get through this in one night? I don't know.

I'm just looking I'm sorry at Mr. Kois.

We anticipate that it it could. Right now, we're keeping it by itself unless there's something that comes up and uh you know, we'll work with the board leadership in case something has to change. But we uh we anticipate that it could. And Mr. Chairman, if I could just give some clarification, uh so in regards to this application and the reasons why it's coming back for extensions, they have not been able to perfect the subdivision. and have not been able to achieve resolution compliance and then that's that's one of the main reasons why they're requesting the extensions and then in addition to that they're ex um requesting a change of one of the conditions which that condition is one of the causes as to why Mr. Mayhew and myself cannot cannot sign off a resolution compliance. So just wanted to give a little bit of that background

and then the additional item that came up yesterday. Correct. So, the sum the summary that we have here does say that they already have a one-year extension of time from December 2025 through December 2026. Is that an error or is that the right right paper?

I don't believe they have been granted that. I agree. Yeah. I I don't believe they have any extensions does state through a after December 10th 2025 some right correct right

um Mr. Bernstein, do you want to summarize what this motion would be? The motion would be to continue this application without further notice to Thursday, March 5th, 2026 at 700 p.m. or soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, as well as an extension of the time of decision to March 31st, 2026. Okay. Could I get a motion and a second? So moved. Second roll call. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. And again for those in attendance. There won't uh there will be no further notice to of the meeting. The notice is that uh or or the resolution or the uh motion tonight is notice that the next meeting for that will be on March 5th. Um next meeting is January 22nd. It's a business meeting. No, that's not true, is it? You do have an I believe an application maybe two. No application. Just the uh redevelopment study the investigation report for Sunny. It's a business meeting. Thank you. The next meeting. Okay. Yes.

All right. Can I have a motion and a second to adjurnn? Mr. Second. Uh. All in favor? I. All right. This is easy.