HILLSBOROUGH: Skaar, Storipan want to spruce up entry to town

   Democratic candidates Jason Storipan and Art Skaar are calling for a “badly needed” complete redevelopment plan is for the northern Route 206 entry to Hillsborough.
   The area is zoned commercial and industrial and has been neglected for decades, they said.
   ”We need more than just a restaurant with off-track wagering to revitalize that section of our community,” said Mr. Skaar in a release. “Restaurants from barbecue to upscale fine dining have come and gone in that area of town and have failed to succeed. By itself, adding an OTW pilot project is not the answer to the problem of the northern 206 gateway into Hillsborough.”
   The candidates call for a “a comprehensive, sensible, sustainable plan” for the section from Camplain Road north to the border along Route 206. The businesses there — including storage and recycling facilities, an auto body repair shop, a gas station and a seasonal business — “while providing necessary services to the community, are not designed to attract visitors,” the statement said.
   Hillsborough should capitalize on the many visitors coming to enjoy Duke Farms, which they called a “jewel in our community.”
   "Since May 2012, 700,000 people have visited this site,” said Mr. Storipan.
   ”Duke Farms is a major attraction that we need to capitalize on for a new economic vision for Hillsborough. A new restaurant, part of chain that has proven successful in other locations, and an aging hotel that could use some renovation, could form the basis of a dynamic, sustainable redevelopment plan.”
   ”People could not only stay in that area, but hopefully visit other businesses and places such as our thriving agribusinesses and local farms. It would be wonderful to see trams of visitors to Duke Farms venturing out to the local restaurants and stores in our Town Center and taking tours of our environmentally sustainable farms.”
   The candidates for Township Committee said they were “ready and eager to be part of the planning process.”