Monday, December 13, 2010 (Afternoon)
NEWS
N.J. Assembly approves bill abolishing Council on Affordable Housing (Friedman, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“The state Assembly has passed a controversial bill that would abolish the Council on Affordable Housing, but neither Republicans nor affordable housing advocates are happy with it.”
Roselle council members say they support apartment at Roselle Golf Course (Caroom, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“Roselle’s council member pledged this week to support an ambitious development on the city’s largest open plot of land at the Roselle Golf Course, a project that has encountered vocal opposition from residents.”
A 40-story building for Newport (Kaulessar, Hudson Reporter) Jersey City, Hudson County
“Newport residents will probably see a new 40-story building rising in their neighborhood next year.”
Cell tower project can move forward after Lakeland Regional High School district receives letter of approval from DOE commissioner (Kolton, Suburban Trends) Wanaque, Passaic County
“Lakeland Regional High School’s planned cell phone tower is ‘ready to rock and roll,’ said Chief School Administrator Anthony Riscica at the Tuesday, Dec. 7 meeting of the Board of Education.”
JOB
Principal Planner — Borough of North Wildwood, Cape May County
Friday, December 3, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
Gov. Christie selects law firm to challenge $271M ARC tunnel tab (Staff, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“Gov. Chris Christie agreed today to retain an influential legal and lobbying firm to challenge the $271 million bill New Jersey received from the federal government for work done on the canceled multibillion-dollar Hudson River train tunnel.”
Residents take issue with planned cell tower along Parkway in Cranford (Murray, Cranford Chronicle) Cranford, Union County)
“A public hearing on a proposed cell phone tower in the median between the Garden State Parkway and North Avenue drew complaints from residents who called the tower ‘a done deal’ and a ‘monstrosity’ on Thursday, Dec. 2.”
OPINION
Too quiet in the Highlands (Staff Editorial, The Daily Record) Highlands
“The governor recently nominated seven people to fill multiple vacancies on the state’s Highlands Council. Two of them are from Morris County, Tim Dougherty, the mayor of Morristown, and Jim Rilee, a councilman in Roxbury.”
Wednesday, December 1, 2010 (Evening)
NEWS
Lawsuit takes aim at warehouse approval (Degnan, The Messenger-Press) Robbinsville, Mercer County
“Resident George Vardakis Jr. has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the zoning board’s recent decision allowing a 90,000 square-foot warehouse/office space building to be built on Meadowbrook Road.”
Edison zoning board rejects T-Mobile cell tower proposal (Johnson, The Star-Ledger) Edison, Middlesex County
“The Edison zoning board unanimously rejected T-Mobile’s plan to erect a cell phone antenna site of Elizabeth Avenue — a project residents could have disrupted a nearby natural gas pipline.”
RFQ
Arts & Design Planning Consultant — Great Falls Arts & Revitalization Initiative
Monday, September 27, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
New downtown clears another hurdle (Frankel, Bloomfield Life) Bloomfield, Essex County
“Major construction in Bloomfield Center cleared its first major hurdle Thursday night, as the planning board unanimously approved a study declaring the redevelopment block “an area in need of redevelopment.”
Raritan Planning Board lifts much of Willow Walk 55-and-older age restriction (Staff, The Messenger-Gazette) Raritan, Somerset County
“The Planning Board by a unanimous vote lifted a substantial amount of the 55-and-older age restriction originally placed on the Willow Walk condominium development when it was approved several years ago.”
Plainfield marks start of Fourth Ward rehabilitation project (Staff, MyCentralJersey) Plainfield, Union County
“A host of government officials and local residents gathered outside a West Third Street Plainfield home on Friday to mark the launch of a movement to rehabilitate nine blighted properties across the city’s Fourth Ward.”
Bridgewater Planning Board wants T-Mobile to investigate alternatives to cell tower at Green Knoll firehouse (Mustac, The Messenger-Gazette) Bridgewater, Somerset County
“Bridgewater Zoning Board of Adjustment members are asking T-Mobile some tough questions in the company’s application to build a 125-high cell tower at the Green Knoll fire station at the corner of North Bridge Street and Foothill Road.”
OPINION
The best solution in an imperfect world (Kasabach, for The Record) Hudson/Statewide
“It’s the ARC Tunnel or nothing at all.”
Don’t let ARC go off track (Wright & Michaelson, for The Record) Hudson/Statewide
“Two weeks ago, Governor Chris Christie abruptly halted work on the Access to the Region’s Core project, saying he needed greater assurances that the $8.7 billion commuter rail tunnel under the Hudson River could be delivered on budget. This has left commuters and business leaders wondering if the governor is focused on reducing costs, or whether he intends to cancel one of the nation’s most important transit improvements.”
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 (Morning)
N.J. top court rules Long Branch couple will not be paid for beach taken by eminent domain (Spoto, The Star Ledger) Long Branch, Monmouth County
“Beaches created through sand replenishment projects are public property and do not become part of adjacent private lands, the state’s highest court ruled today.”
Raritan Planning Board likely to lift Willow Walk 55-and-older age restriction as result of court ruling (Mustac, Messenger-Gazette) Raritan, Somerset County
“The Planning Board at its next meeting will likely lift much of the 55-and-older age restriction originally placed on the Willow Walk condominium development when it was approved several years ago.”
O.B. looking to change house of worship zoning (Ciraulo, Suburban) Old Bridge, Middlesex County
“Township officials are considering zoning changes that could affect pending building applications for houses of worship.”
Lawrence mulls continued fight against Verizon cell tower (Galler, The Trentonian) Lawrence, Mercer County
“Is the Township Council considering appealing the latest twist in Verizon’s cellular tower lawsuit in the New Jersey Supreme Court?”
Homes for All to build 82 affordable-housing units in Manitou Park (Sastrowardoyo, The Asbury Park Press) Berkeley, Ocean County
“Just past the intersection of Seventh Street and Fifth Avenue in Manitou Park is a new stretch of blacktop, cresting up a slight hill before continuing into the distance as far as the eye can see. The new pavement, as well as two new houses on it, are emblematic of the new road that Manitou Park is taking.”
No decision on Enchantment (Gaffney, The Times of Trenton) East Windsor, Mercer County
“Both sides in the battle over the second phase of the Enchantment age-restricted housing development dug in their heels Monday during the township’s planning board meeting.”
Monday, September 20, 2010 (Evening)
NEWS
Colonia residents ready to fight cell phone tower (Bichao, The Home News) Woodbridge, Middlesex County
“They’re not lawyers or real estate brokers, but in the week leading up to Thursday’s zoning board meeting, a number of residents of the Colonia section have been reading up on laws and property value information.”
RFP
1600 Park and Hoboken Cove Park Design Hoboken, Hudson County
Friday, September 17, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
Land in the New Jersey Highlands will be worth more under new law (Fallon, The Record) Highlands
“Landowners in the Highlands will again be able to sell their property to the state at whatever value it had prior to the sweeping environmental protections passed six years ago that dramatically lowered their worth.”
Union zoning board denies T-Mobile’s cell tower application (de Vries, The Star-Ledger) Union, Union County
“Union Township’s Board of Adjustment Wednesday unanimously denied T-Mobile’s application to build a cell tower near a residential neighborhood, ending a series of hearings marked by vitriolic opposition from residents.”
OPINION
Highlands transfer program doing well (Swan, The Daily Record) Highlands
“This is to correct several errors in a recent letter by Deborah Post of Chester Township.”
Monday, September 13, 2010 (Morning)
Marlboro appeals COAH’s jurisdiction move (Boyd, The Asbury Park Press) Marlboro, Monmouth County
“The township is appealing the Council on Affordable Housing’s Wednesday decision to dismiss Marlboro from its protections, while officials here prepare for legal battles with the state and developers.”
As solar power developers search for sites, N.J. tries to cash in (Gruen, The Star-Ledger) Statewide
“New Jersey is looking for cash in some unlikely places these days, like its toxic waste dumps and overflowing landfills.”
Bedminster eyes new use for 9-acre maintenance yard (Snodgrass, The Star-Ledger) Bedminster, Somerset County
“Bedminster’s Land Use Board is set to begin work on a redevelopment plan for a 9-acre maintenance yard along Route 202/206.”
Appellate judges order Lawrence zoning board to rehear cell tower application (Galler, The Trentonian) Lawrence, Mercer County
“Nearly three years after the township’s zoning board denied Verizon and Cingular a use variance to build a 140-foot cell tower on farm land of Route 206, the board has been ordered by New Jersey’s Appellate Division to rehear their application.”
Planning Board approves unconventional dental practice sign (Kadosh, Passaic Valley Today) Little Falls, Passaic County
“An area dentist will be setting up a new sign - one that will not bear his name but that will feature a picture of a woman whose teeth turn from yellow to white as drivers pass by.”
Friday, September 3, 2010 (Morning)
Kuryllo v. Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment (Appellate Division) Parsippany, Morris County
Law Division affirmed decision of Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment’s approval of a site plan with variances for a telecommunications monopole. Appellate Division affirms.
Marlboro Auto Wreckers v. Zoning Board of Adjustment of Township of Marlboro (Appellate Division) Marlboro, Monmouth County
Law Division affirmed decision of Marlboro Zoning Board of Adjustment’s determination that the plaintiff’s non-automotive scrap metal operations on three junkyard facilities were not a permitted use and did not constitute a pre-existing and non-conforming use. Appellate Division affirms.
Monday, August 23, 2010 (Morning)
River’s Edge Ok’d; Plans path to new park (Racioppi, Red Bank Green) Red Bank, Monmouth County
“Just like that, the RW @ River’s Edge condominium project is going to be a little bit bigger than originally approved.”
Charter schools face fights in well-off NJ suburbs (Mulvihill, The Associated Press) Statewide
“Charter schools are a mainstay in New Jersey’s poorest cities, offering students alternatives to struggling public schools.”
Northvale OKs one cell towers as it fights another in court (The Record) Northvale, Bergen County
“The borough has accepted a five-year bid from Wireless EDGE to build and operate a cell tower in Hogan Park.”
Highlands Council OK’s plan to redevelop site in Mt. Olive (O’Dea, The Daily Record) Mount Olive, Morris County
“The New Jersey Highlands Council has endorsed allowing Goldmine Partners to redevelop a Mount Olive property.”
Mount Olive, NJ planning board votes next month on Marveland Farms 284-unit development (Roman, The Daily Record)
“The planning board is likely to vote Sept. 27 on a plan to build a 284 unit age-restricted development at the Marveland Farms horse training facility off Pleasant Hill Road.”
