By Jane Meggitt, Special Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD ‘Tis the season for towns to introduce ordinances that can be passed by the end of the year.
The adoption of an ordinance is a multi-step process involving the introduction at one meeting and a public hearing and adoption vote at another. If these aren’t both completed before the governing body reorganizes in January, the process must go back to square one with the introduction of a new ordinance.
The Township Committee introduced two year-end ordinances Dec. 6. One would implement personnel policy changes for township workers, and the other establishes regulations for solar energy systems.
The first ordinance consolidates public employees’ vacation, personal and sick days into one category called “paid time off.” The public hearing is set for Dec. 20.
”The ordinance will simply streamline administrative bookkeeping operations,” Township Administrator Dianne Kelly said Tuesday. “It is designed to mirror our current time off policies as closely as possible.”
Under the proposal, the township would provide “paid time off” to all full-time permanent employees who have completed six months of consecutive service without categorizing this time off as vacation time, sick time and personal days.
According to the proposed ordinance, a full-time employee hired on or before March 1 of the calendar year is entitled to 12 paid time off days after completing a minimum of six months of service and 22 days in the subsequent year. After completion of five years of service, employees receive an extra day of paid time off with a maximum of 32 days off for employees with 15 or more years of service.
Under the proposed ordinance, if all paid time off is not used in a given calendar year, five days may be carried to the next calendar year with the approval of the business administrator and the authorization of the Township Committee.
Paid time off could be used for illness or medical reasons, but an employee who is absent more than three days in a row due to injury or illness must provide a doctor’s note to the township administrator.
A full-time township employee who is a member of the National Guard, Naval Militia, Air National Guard or a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces will be given a military leave of absence with pay when he or she is required to engage in field training. A military leave does not count against the employee’s annual allotment of paid time off, the ordinance says.
The Township Committee also introduced an ordinance Dec. 6 to permit certain solar energy systems and establish use and design standards for solar energy panels, including new setback requirements for ground-mounted arrays. The public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 3, 2013, at the sine die meeting when unfinished business for 2012 is completed before the Township Committee holds its annual reorganization later that same night.
The proposed solar ordinance exempts rooftop solar arrays from site plan approval requirements as long as they comply with all applicable provisions of the township’s land use regulations. Ground-mounted solar arrays are permitted as an accessory use in all zones, but are subject to certain requirements.
The ground-mounted solar array cannot exceed 10 percent of a lot and in no case can exceed 2,500 square feet or exceed a height of 10 feet. They cannot be placed in front yards. The minimum setback is 60 feet from all property lines in residential or commercial zones.
These arrays are permitted in rear yards if screened from the rear and adjacent properties by appropriate landscaping and approved by the construction official to create a continuous buffer. They are permitted in side yards under the same criteria.

