By: Dick Brinster
HIGHTSTOWN Redevelopment of the former rug mill site has hit another snag over the concept of the project, resulting in the Borough Council again putting the proposal on hold, according to Borough Attorney Fred Raffetto.
The council was set to approve on Monday night a memorandum of understanding with John Wolfington, owner and developer of the property. He would have been required to post $50,000 in escrow funds so the borough staff could continue its review of the property.
But the resolution of approval never came to the floor.
"It’s about the number of residential units to be constructed, the breakdown of residential construction vs. nonresidential construction and other similar issues," Mr. Raffetto said Tuesday.
Mr. Wolfington, whose Greystone Capital Partners in 2004 reached a conditional agreement with the borough for development of the site, did not return a call from the Herald seeking comment. The agreement expired in September 2005.
"The borough professionals were told not to perform any further work on this matter until such time as Greystone executes the MOU and posts the escrow," Mr. Raffetto explained.
Borough Administrator Candace Gallagher estimated that $13,000 to $18,000 has been spent on professional work for the site since expiration of the Wolfington agreement.
"There have been a lot of meetings and a lot of time spent by the borough," Mr. Raffetto said. "Funds would be used to pay those outstanding invoices of the professional staff with the exception of any professional fee associated with the borough’s drafting of a request for proposals."
After expiration of the agreement with Greystone, a solicited proposal came from Dranoff Properties of Philadelphia.
The Dranoff plan called for 6,300 square feet of new municipal space along Main Street on the second floor of a building with a similar amount of retail space below. But Dranoff never posted an escrow to continue its pursuit of the project.
In early 2004, Mr. Wolfington became the conditional developer of the site, which is home to abandoned buildings and empty lots. The borough let that designation lapse after Mr. Wolfington quickly raised the number of planned units from 80, the maximum allowed at the time, to 130. Soon after, Satish Mehta, a partner of Mr. Wolfington, made a presentation with 100 units.
In May 2005, Greystone presented a plan for 72 condominiums, eight duplexes and 35,000 square feet of office space, including space that could be used for municipal offices. But a month later, the firm increased the number of condos to 122, citing cost efficiency.
The latest Greystone plan, unveiled this fall, calls for 119 condominiums and eight townhouse units. A recently revised redevelopment ordinance allows a minimum of 130 units.
The rug mill property is one of only two significant pieces of land left for development in the borough, the other being the former Minute Maid property.
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In other business:
The council awarded by a 6-0 vote a contract to Central Jersey Waste and Recycling, of Ewing, for trash pickup. The three-year contract, which takes effect Jan. 1, is for $390,750. The borough will pay $297,000 for once-a-week curbside collection and $93,750 for collection from Dumpsters.
Carnivale Disposal of Princeton Junction also sought a contract, but did not bid on the curbside option.
On Nov. 20, the council approved by a 4-2 vote a bond ordinance for $187,500 to buy a trash truck to pick up grass leaves and bulk items.
The council approved a two-year contract totaling $92,480 with Applied Water Management, of Hillsborough, for sludge removal from the wastewater treatment plant. Applied Water Management, the lowest of three bidders, will remove the sludge for 34 cents per gallon.
The council also voted unanimously to retain for one year an emergency medical services provider. A year ago, the borough awarded a one-year contract to the Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corp. (MONOC).
The council introduced an ordinance that would raise developers fees and scheduled a public hearing for Dec. 18.
An application seeking preliminary approval for major subdivisions would increase from $550 to $750, and the cost to apply for major final approval would increase from $350 to $500.
Preliminary site plans would go from $550 to $750 and final site plans from $350 to $550.
Those fees are due on the date of filing with the secretary of the Planning Board no fewer that 31 calendar days prior to a hearing date on an application.

