Highland Park municipal board appoints legal, planning and engineering professionals, sets 2025 dates and hears lot-split concern

Highland Park municipal board members on Jan. 23 approved a slate of appointments for the year, adopted rules of order, set the board's 2025 meeting dates and designated the Home News Tribune and The Star-Ledger as the municipality's official newspapers, and discussed a pending lot-split application for 220 South Fourth Avenue that staff will check for code compliance before the application returns to the board.

The meeting, held at Burrow Hall, opened with a statement that the annual notice was posted on the Burrow website and on the Burrow Hall bulletin board on Jan. 23, 2024, and had remained continuously posted "as required by law." Board members then conducted organizational business that included selecting officers and appointing professional consultants.

Why it matters: these routine organizational votes determine who will represent the board in legal, planning and engineering matters this year and set the publication outlets and calendar the board will use to provide public notice of its actions.

Appointees and staff Board members voted to retain Roger Thomas of Dolan & Dolan P.A. as the board's attorney; the board discussed that Thomas would be the principal attorney assigned by the firm. The board also retained LRK Inc. as the planning consultant and nominated a firm representative to serve as planner. The engineer for another year was reappointed (the transcript identifies the engineer as "Mr. Cox" or the firm's representative). The board also nominated a recording secretary, Maureen (last name not specified in the transcript), who was described as the person who assembles administrative materials and attends meetings.

Official newspapers and meeting dates Board members designated the Home News Tribune and The Star-Ledger as the board's official newspapers for 2025 and approved the calendar of meeting dates provided in the meeting packet. During discussion a board member asked whether the Star-Ledger's shift away from print would affect legal notice requirements; the board received no definitive change to its designation and voted to keep the papers listed as the official publications for now.

Rules of order and minutes The board adopted the rules of order included in the materials for the meeting and approved the minutes of its May 20, 2024, regular meeting. Several members indicated they were not present at the May meeting when the minutes were considered; the motion to approve carried by roll call.

220 South Fourth Avenue application — compliance check During the public portion a board member raised a pending application to split the double lot at 220 South Fourth Avenue. A board member who inspected the property said the existing structure appears to function as a multiple dwelling: it has four utility meters, four mailboxes, four garbage cans and a state inspection sticker indicating multiple-unit status. Board members agreed staff should verify whether the property is registered and in compliance with applicable local housing rules before the board formally reviews the lot-split application. No formal action on the application was taken at the meeting because the applicant was not present.

What board members said A board member asked about publication requirements as print newspapers reduce distribution, noting, "You're supposed to have it in print" but questioning whether electronic publication will suffice in the future. Another member who inspected 220 South Fourth said, "the existing house ... it's clearly a multiple dwelling unit. It's got 4 meters, 4 mailboxes, 4 garbage cans," and asked staff to check compliance prior to review.

Next steps Several administrative items adopted at the meeting will govern the board's operations through 2025. The lot-split application for 220 South Fourth will return to the board only after staff checks registration and code compliance and notifies the applicant of any outstanding requirements.

Ending With administrative business concluded and no public commenters presenting formal testimony, the board moved to adjourn after the roll-call votes on the organizational appointments and procedural items.