Plans include service to Millstone
By:Roger Alvarado
The township has taken the first step in developing a plan that could ultimately extend sewer coverage to both the Claremont neighborhood on River Road and Millstone Borough.
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Millstone officials mulling options Members of Millstone Borough’s Planning Board and Council will hold an executive work session today (Thursday) to discuss a Council on Affordable Housing Act lawsuit against the borough that, once settled, could include extending sewers to Millstone. The borough’s current COAH obligation is to provide 22 affordable units. By law, builders can use the state’s affordable housing requirements to bring lawsuits against communities that don’t have their "fair share" of housing for low- and moderate-income residents. Currently, the borough is in the midst of trying to reach a settlement with the Van Cleef family to build up to 80 age-restricted units on a tract of property it owns. The borough is also looking to use grant funds to purchase land owned by the family of Hillsborough Municipal Judge Henry Rzemieniewski to build 62 single units on the borough’s northwest edge. Under such a plan, the borough would fulfill its COAH obligation as well as place itself in position to apply to the state Department of Environmental Protection jointly with Hillsborough for inclusion in the township’s wastewater management plan. Township officials are in the midst of formalizing an application to the DEP that, if accepted, would extend the sewer coverage area to include the Claremont section of town and Millstone. Millstone has not formally entered into any formal accord with the township, but Borough Council President William Poch said Wednesday he anticipated an agreement to be worked out during the council’s March 21 meeting. |
Township Administrator Kevin Davis said Wednesday that earlier this year the Township Committee approved a $52,000 professional services contract with Maser Consulting to modify the township’s current wastewater management plan to include Claremont and Millstone Borough.
"They will be doing the amendment to the plan and it will be submitted to the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection)," Mr. Davis said. "What it is, is a full blown study of the impact of permitting sewers on the environment."
Mr. Davis said the township is awaiting word from Millstone Borough to see if it would like to be formally included on the plan.
"We feel it would be cost effective," Mr. Davis said.
Millstone Borough Council President William Poch said he fully expects that the borough’s answer will be in the affirmative.
"We’ve discussed that and our intention is to join in Hillsborough in it," Mr. Poch said.
He added he "personally hoped" such a plan would be approved during the council’s March 21 meeting.
Mr. Davis said he believes the entire process of developing an application and submitting it to DEP could take up to a year.
He also said it’s not a "foregone conclusion" that the amendments to the current plan will be approved.
"Trenton does not like extending wastewater management plans because it tends to lead to development and growth," he said. "We believe that Claremont is developed, so it’s not a threat to further development."
Mr. Davis said that if the wastewater management plan is approved, the process of extending sewers to the respective areas would commence.