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Hopatcong Land Use Board completes reorganization, approves escrow increase and procedural items; one application carried
Summary
The Hopatcong Land Use Board completed its annual reorganization and approved several procedural and administrative items during its Jan. 14 meeting.
The Hopatcong Land Use Board completed its annual reorganization and approved several procedural and administrative items during its Jan. 14 meeting.
The board voted to reappoint or elect officers for 2025, including the chair and vice chair. The board also designated the New Jersey Herald (including the Sunday Herald) as the official newspaper for board notices. A motion adopting required-disclosure contracts for professional services was approved as presented. The board appointed Amy Mejia as board secretary for 2025.
In a substantive fee change, the board discussed and then voted to increase escrow deposit minimums for land-use applications: regular applications will require $1,500 and new-construction applications will require $2,000. The board recorded a roll call with an affirmative majority; the increase will apply to new applications after the administrative process to publish and implement the change.
The board also moved to memorialize two resolutions based on hearings previously held on Dec. 17, 2024: the Anthony Markowski matter and a certification concerning a preexisting nonconforming residential expansion for a Lakeside Boulevard property (Darryl Norman). Both resolutions were approved by the members eligible to memorialize the hearings.
One application, for 303 Lakeside Boulevard (applicant Mike Paxos), was carried to the board’s Feb. 4 meeting after board staff and the applicant determined the application notice did not include a needed item—the expansion of a preexisting nonconforming use related to the boathouse/bedroom configuration—and must be renoticed. The board took a procedural motion to carry the matter and confirmed the applicant will submit updated paperwork to the board secretary for the February hearing.
Votes at a glance (selected actions from the Jan. 14 meeting):
- Chair and vice-chair nominations: elected by roll call (vote recorded in minutes). Outcome: approved. - Official newspaper: New Jersey Herald (and Sunday Herald). Outcome: approved. - Resolution authorizing required-disclosure contracts for professional services. Outcome: approved. - Appointment of Amy Mejia as board secretary for 2025. Outcome: approved. - Bills payment (Dolan and Dolan; Van Cleef; New Jersey Herald, etc.). Outcome: approved (one abstention noted for bills related to a specific realty firm by a board member who recused/abstained on those items). - Escrow deposits: increase to $1,500 (regular applications) and $2,000 (new construction). Outcome: approved. - Resolution memorializing hearing for Anthony Markowski (hearing date 12/17/2024). Outcome: approved by participating members. - Resolution memorializing preexisting nonconforming expansion (Darryl Norman, Lakeside Boulevard; hearing date 12/17/2024). Outcome: approved by participating members. - Application: Mike Paxos (303 Lakeside Boulevard) — carried to Feb. 4 for renotice to include expansion of preexisting nonconforming use. Outcome: carried.
Ending: The board closed the public portion of the meeting without public comments on the new applications and adjourned after completing the agenda. Staff will publish the new escrow schedule and the Paxos application will return on Feb. 4 following renotice and submission of missing materials.
