By Kaitlyn Kanzler, Special Writer
CRANBURY — The Township Committee passed a resolution at Monday’s meeting to expand its sewer service.
According to the resolution, several property owners not on the township’s public sewer service requested they be given the opportunity to hook up to it.
”This has been an issue for a number of years,” Mayor David Cook said. “Historically, the sewer districting or mapping has been one tool for Cranbury to control its expansion and growth for various reasons.”
According to Mayor Cook, less land is being developed for residential and commercial reasons, decreasing the chance for revenue from tax ratables.
”Cranbury has a budget,” Mayor Cook said. “The only way to address the budget shortfalls that we see in the future, which should be in the next three to five years, is that we need to develop east of Route 130 in a way that we will create ratables, and a lot of that is infrastructure.”
According to the mayor, the area east of Route 130, or the business district, is designed and thought of as a way to increase tax ratables.
Committeeman Dan Mulligan said he felt this resolution is important to the long-term growth of the community.
”We are taking control of our own destiny here,” Mr. Mulligan said. “We are not allowing outside forces to tell us how to grow Cranbury. We’re going to grow it.”
According the Mr. Mulligan, this resolution will allow businesses to do more with their property and increase the property’s value, contributing to the township’s long-term financial needs.
The township also introduced an ordinance increasing the sewer connection fee from $2,920 per household to $3,351 per household.
”It hasn’t been adjusted for a while,” Mr. Taylor said. “The state has a formula on how you do it. The statute requires you look at it every few years.”
According to the ordinance, owners of properties making a connection to the sewer, whether directly or indirectly, will pay the increase of $631 per residence.
The connection fee is the same as it is for people who own nonresidential properties, according to officials.
Officials said each household discards an estimated 69,386 gallons per year, and if that amount is exceeded, the owner of the property will be billed for another dwelling unit.
The second reading for the connection fee ordinance will be at the Aug. 13 meeting at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building.

