Township briefs

By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
Haberle to fill CFO, treasurer posts
   The Township Committee unanimously accepted the resignation of part-time Chief Finance Officer and Treasurer Ron Zilinski Tuesday, and promoted Acting Finance Director Nancy Haberle to the position.
   Mr. Zilinski served as a full time CFO and treasurer from 2002 to 2007, then became the finance director for the City of Trenton, while remaining part-time in Hillsborough.
   The committee also unanimously approved a resolution that appointed Mr. Zilinski as a part-time certified tax collector, at a salary of $9,000 annually.
   Ms. Haberle — who recently received her certification as a finance officer, and has been the acting finance director for the township since April 2007 and deputy treasurer since 2005 — will serve the remainder of Mr. Zilinski’s four-year term, which ends Dec. 31, 2009, and his one-year term as treasurer, which ends Dec. 31, 2008.
   In her new position, Ms. Haberle will receive an annual salary of $77,386.
Changes in rules for signs approved
   The Township Committee unanimously approved an ordinance to make amendments to its sign regulations, which were initially changed in March 2007.
   The newest changes allow for the use of temporary signs, as well as changing the height requirements for businesses.
   ”We believe the changes reflect our willingness to work with the businesses,” Mayor Anthony Ferrera said.
   According to Township Planner Bob Ringelheim, the new amendments to the regulations allow two temporary signs per business per calendar year, for a period of 30 days each. Business owners will only be required to submit an application for the sign and pay a $50 fee.
   In addition, the temporary sign cannot exceed 4-square-feet in area and 4 feet in height, must be affixed to the ground and cannot be illuminated.
   Freestanding signs, Mr. Ringelheim said, can be up to 40 square feet, with a height of 15 feet. Temporary signs can also be attached to freestanding signs, as long as they do not exceed 10-square-feet in area.
   The changes were first considered following a ruling from Judge Yolanda Ciccone, sitting in Somerville, that favored the township in a lawsuit brought by John Sala, owner of Hillsborough Landscape & Supply, on Route 206. Mr. Sala had claimed that the sign ordinance impeded on his free speech with its initial restrictions against temporary signs.
   Mayor Ferrera said Tuesday that he has been asked many times why the township opted to amend its sign ordinance when the judge ruled in its favor.
   ”The answer is fairness,” he said. “If there is a way to help the businesses, we feel we have a duty to act.”
Highway zone modified
   The Township Committee unanimously approved two ordinances to make changes to the newly approve Highway Service Zone District, following concerns by residents in June that the new zoning would affect their properties.
   ”These adjustments are to benefit commercial interest,” Mayor Anthony Ferrera said.
   Township Planner Bob Ringelheim has said that the first ordinance addresses a boundary line between the I-1 Light Industrial Zone District and the Highway Service Zone. In the areas where the zoning was changed from I-1, which covers industrial uses only, to Highway Service, the zoning will be changed back to I-1.
   The affected areas include Brown Avenue and Park Avenue, in addition to areas to the west of Route 206 and bounded by the VA Depot and Duke Farms. The lots at the rear, away from Route 206, will be in the I-1 zone, and those that front onto Route 206 will be in the Highway Service Zone.
   Also included in the ordinance, Mr. Ringelheim said Tuesday, is the ability for residents with private businesses in their homes to continue their work.
   ”The ordinance permits contractor uses,” he said.
   The second ordinance changes buffering and setback requirements for hotels and commercial buildings, in accordance with concerns from residents about the proximity of their neighborhoods to such places.
   The buffer has been extended to 60 feet, rather than the initial 20 feet, with hotels having a buffer of 100 feet. Building setbacks from hotels to residential zone boundaries or lot lines must be at least 150 feet. Other ancillary uses, including conference centers and restaurants, must be set back 100 feet from residential properties.
   ”These setbacks are intended to apply where nearby properties are residential,” Mr. Ringelheim said.
Cell tower agreement OK’d
   With the return of Committeeman Carl Suraci, the Township Committee was able to introduce an ordinance concerning an agreement with the township and Omnipoint Communications, which had been tabled at the Aug. 26 meeting because the committee did not have a quorum for voting.
   The ordinance updates the agreement between the company and township for a ground lease in Hillsborough, and sets a date for rental payments to begin.
   Mayor Anthony Ferrera and Committeewoman Lisa Nisivoccia abstained from the vote on the ordinance because of a conflict of interest. Both work for AT&T, which recently instituted a policy that requires its employees who are also members of township governments to abstain from votes on cell tower leases or other similar matters for all phone companies, including those not owned by AT&T.
   The ordinance was tabled Aug. 26 because, with Mr. Suraci’s absence, the committee did not have a quorum for the vote.
   ”Thank you for coming back, Mr. Suraci,” Mayor Ferrera said.
   In October 2006, the Township Committee initially approved a lease to provide the company with ground space for the construction of a telecommunications tower.
   Omnipoint Communications had initially planned to begin paying rent for the land when the cell tower became operational this year, but Township Attorney Albert Cruz led negotiations that would require them to pay back payments to November 2007, when construction on the cell tower began.
   The back pay, which will be deposited in the township’s general fund, totals $11,800.