MANCHESTER – The Township Council recently introduced an ordinance appropriating $500,000 for its water treatment utility and tabled an ordinance that concerned tree removal during a recent township council meeting.
Ordinance 24-47 was introduced and will serve to appropriate half a million for various capital improvements and repairs for the water capital east improvement fund. The ordinance was unanimously approved for introduction by the governing body. A second hearing, when it would be voted into effect, is expected soon.
Earlier in the year, the governing body under the direction of the administration adopted a 10-year maintenance plan for its eastern and western water treatment facility.
Tree Ordinance
During the same meeting, Ordinance 24-17 was tabled, which means held off for another time. It was entitled “storm water management” but better known among the public as “the tree ordinance.” That ordinance will be reviewed, revised and reintroduced during the Council’s December 16 meeting according to Council President Roxy Conniff.
The ordinance as written notes that municipalities are required to adopt two new ordinances for privately owned salt storage and for replacing trees that were removed, in addition to the ordinances that have been required since the first, 2004 Tier A MS4 permit was issued. This was a rule governing stormwater for development.
This ordinance would establish requirements for tree preservation, removal and replacement within the township as necessary to reduce soil erosion and pollutant runoff, promote infiltration of rainwater into the soil and protect the environment, public health, safety and welfare.
A tree removal permit accompanied by a tree removal plan including services by a certified tree remover would have to be submitted to the Township Engineer with the Township Department of Inspections.
The tree permit removal plans are for existing single family residential lots, for existing residential developments such as planned communities, for new development applications, any property/properties that received major site plan or major subdivision approval and applications that receive approval from the Township Planning Board or Zoning Board.
All areas cleared of trees shall be stabilized in accordance with the most recent edition of the Standards for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control in New Jersey. The township engineer would have 30 business days to approve or deny a tree removal permit. An appeal process before the governing body can be applied for 10 days after the engineer’s decision.
Removal reforestation fees range could be $225 plus a $400 engineering review. Fees would be placed into a fund dedicated to tree planting and continued maintenance of township trees.
The Council unanimously tabled the ordinance. It will be reintroduced during the Council’s December 16 meeting. Residents later expressed relief during the public comment period that it was tabled and revised.
Karen Argenti of the Township’s Environmental Commission said, “I’m happy you took the tree ordinance off the agenda. I think we can work on it together. The Environmental Commission would like to work on a forestry plan.” The Commission met the following day for its monthly meeting and also discussed landfill issues.
Cable Service Contract Carried
Also carried over were ordinances 24-42 and 24-43 involving renewal of the municipal consent to Comcast of NJ LLC, to construct, connect, operate and maintain a cable television and communications system in Manchester and the same services to Crestwood Village in the township.
“We are still waiting for state approval from the BPU (Bureau of Public Utilities) so I am asking for a motion to carry this,” Council President Conniff said. Both were unanimously carried to December 16.
In other news, the Council voted to award a contract to Blaze Emergency Equipment through Houston Galveston Area Cooperative for emergency personnel protective equipment along with a contract to Moose Safety Supply through Sourcewell National Cooperative for structural firefighting equipment.
