They involve historic district designation, Twin Pines, snowstorm parking rules, ADA ramps at the state park, and communications, wireless telecommunications towers, antennas, facilities and equipmen
By Ruth Luse, Managing Editor
The Hopewell Township Committee introduced five ordinances Monday.
They involve historic district designation, Twin Pines, snowstorm parking rules, ADA ramps at the state park, and communications, wireless telecommunications towers, antennas, facilities and equipment.
All are slated for public hearings and adoption votes at the Dec. 10 regular meeting — the last scheduled session for 2007.
• The first would designate the Harbourton village crossroads area as the “Harbourton Rural Historic District.” See related account.
• The second proposal is a bond ordinance, providing for the acquisition of the Weasner tract (Twin Pines Airport) on Pennington-Lawrenceville Road. Plans are to turn the land into four-six full-sized athletic fields and eventually a small park. The measure would appropriate $610,000 and authorize the issuance of $579,500 in bonds or notes.
Township officials are planning to attend the Dec. 6 meeting of the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders being held in the Ewing Township Court, 2 Jake Garzio Drive, at 6:30 p.m. They hope to find out there what kind of county grant money they can expect to help fund this project, Mayor Vanessa Sandom said Tuesday.
At present, Hopewell Township, which would hold the title to the property, plans to put up $610,000 of the purchase price — estimated at $2,372,500. Lawrence Township has said it would contribute a minimum of $250,000. The rest of the price would be covered by the county grant program intended to increase recreational opportunities for Mercer residents.
The Weasner property is bordered by Pennington-Lawrenceville Road and Federal City Road in the southeastern corner of Hopewell Township, near the Lawrence border.
• A third focuses on parking and/or standing during significant snowfalls. If adopted, the measure would amend Chapter VII of the township’s ordinances. The proposal says that when snow accumulates on streets and roads to a depth equal to and in excess of 2 inches, an emergency shall exist. Under these circumstances, parking and/or standing of any vehicle would be prohibited on improved and unimproved streets. Parking prohibitions would remain in effect after the snow had stopped and until streets had been plowed to the extent that parking would not interfere with the normal flow of traffic or impede the passage of emergency vehicles.
An unoccupied vehicle parked or standing in violation of this proposed law would be considered a nuisance. Police could have the vehicle towed and the owner would be responsible for reasonable costs of removal and storage before regaining possession of the vehicle. The fine for violation would be decided by the municipal judge.
As present, the only township law relating to snow involves sidewalks, which exist only in a few sections of the municipality. That law requires owners or tenants to “remove all snow and ice from the sidewalks … so as to provide for the safe use of sidewalks within 24 hours after the snow and ice have fallen or been formed.” This law carries a fine up to $500. It also allows the township to clear the snow and bill the property owner for associated costs.
• The fourth proposed ordinance involves the installation of ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) ramps (for the disabled) at a bridge crossing the Delaware and Raritan Canal within Washington Crossing State Park.
This particular bridge is located north of the Routes 29-546 intersection and was built for use by visitors and residents during the nation’s 1976 bicentennial celebration. It allowed people to walk from the park on the east side of Route 29 to the west side near the river.
The ordinance would appropriate $137,630 from capital surplus for engineering design and related costs. According to Mayor Sandom, the township would be reimbursed for these costs.
The work has to be done, said Mayor Sandom, by the end of 2008.
• The fifth proposed ordinance addresses communications and wireless telecommunications towers, antennas, facilities and equipment. The ordinance amendment is being proposed to help “clarify the language and intent of the existing ordinance,” Mayor Sandom said Tuesday.
The retooled document was written in response to concerns expressed earlier this month by Brandon Farms area residents, who protested the Planning Board’s Oct. 18 approval of a T-Mobile application to put nine cell phone antennae atop the Trenton Water Works tower on Henley Place in the Mershon Chase section.
Township officials told residents they had no choice but to approve the antennae because T-Mobile conforms with township law, but — at the request of Brandon residents — a new ordinance — the one introduced Monday — was drawn.
Mayor Sandom said copies of the proposal are being distributed to interested parties in Brandon Farms and elsewhere. The ordinance also can be found on the township’s Web site: www.hopewelltwp.org.

