Motion allows attorneys to meet and hammer
out details of builder’s remedy settlements
By:Alec Moore
The Township Committee gave the green light to its special legal counsel to notify the court that the township is interested in reaching a settlement agreement with PEC Builders and the Bielanski Group, both of which have builder’s remedy lawsuits against the township stemming from the Greenbriar case.
The decision to look into reaching a settlement was made during a joint meeting of the Township Committee and Planning Board Wednesday night.
Although the meeting was primarily conducted in closed session the Township Committee did go into open session to give the township’s special legal counsel, Jim Farber, the okay to give notice to the court that the township was interested in striking a settlement deal with the two developers.
The court had given the township until Friday to determine if it would be willing to look into reaching a settlement or dispute the suits in court.
"This was basically just a tentative OK to show the court that Hillsborough Township is willing to settle this amicably as long as certain parameters are met," said Mayor Joseph Tricarico.
The mayor noted that although the green light has been given to let the court and the two developers know that the town will consider settling the case he emphasized that no action has been taken towards hammering out an actual consent agreement between the opposing parties.
He added that any action taken by the township towards a settlement will either have a tax positive or tax neutral bearing on residents.
"Whatever we do to settle this lawsuit won’t impact taxes and will either help people in town or not impact them at all," the mayor said.
Among the stipulations that the township will require in order for a settlement to be reached, is a limit on the number of homes that PEC and Bielanski can be build on their respective properties. PEC is slated to develop a roughly 200 acre parcel in the area of Route 206 and Valley Road and the Bielanski group is slated to develop roughly 60 acres near the Manville border and Kennedy Boulevard. Age limits must be in place for both developments as well for any settlement to be reached.
The mayor declined to comment on specific numbers as to the exact number of homes that the town will allow under a tentative settlement.