Township council revisits lease of Bethany Community Center lot for temporary DPW yard as ordinance is reintroduced

The Township of Washington council debated a proposed lease of the Bethany Community Center rear lot to temporarily house Department of Public Works equipment and vehicles as the township constructs a new DPW facility.

Administrator Sarin Sterling summarized the search for temporary and permanent sites, saying township-owned parcels were unsuitable — "either too small, in a flood zone, or restricted by wetlands" — and that purchasing private land proved prohibitively expensive. He told residents the town had explored shared services with neighboring municipalities but those sites were "either not big enough, in a flood zone, or exceeded the reasonable proximity to our town." (Sarin Sterling, first identified in the transcript at SEG 596.)

Sterling outlined the proposed lease terms and operations: an 18-month lease for 1.25 acres at about $5,800 per month with up to three two-month extensions; DPW pick-up between roughly 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. and drop-off near 3 p.m.; no storage of road salt, brine or other hazardous materials; no public access to the leased area; and gates locked when not in use. He said not all 25 DPW-related vehicles in the township's fleet would be stored there and that small mechanical work would continue at the old ambulance building. "There will be no storage of salt, brine, hazardous materials, changing of oil, or mechanical work involving hazardous materials in the leased area," Sterling said.

Township engineer Glenn Beckmeier (letter read into the record) and consulting engineers (Beckmeyer/Boswell) reviewed environmental constraints near the Meskwap Singh Brook, describing a 300-foot riparian buffer and a 25-foot wetlands area. Beckmeier said the temporary driveway and security fencing fall under permit-by-rule provisions of the New Jersey Administrative Code governing flood hazard area work and that activities would take place outside regulated wetlands. The administration said a stormwater pollution prevention plan would be updated if the lease is authorized and that erosion and sediment controls (hay bales, filter fabric, fabric socks) would be installed.

Sterling said site improvements already completed included installation of fencing (installed under a state contract via Bergen Fence) and a rear access driveway; costs cited included approximately $18,000 for the fence and $38,000 for the driveway. He said the township followed purchasing laws, obtained required certificates of insurance and encumbered funds appropriately. Sterling also noted certified letters were mailed to 37 property owners within 200 feet on Sept. 26, 2025, and that administrators conducted door-to-door outreach to 17 homes.

History of council action on the lease was reviewed. The council passed Resolution 25-327 on Oct. 6, 2025, authorizing entry into a lease with Bethany Community Center. Ordinance 25-23 was introduced Oct. 20, 2025, but failed on second reading Nov. 10, 2025 when only three council members were present. The ordinance was reintroduced as Ordinance 25-25 and presented again for second reading at this meeting.

During the meeting the council moved to adopt Ordinance 25-25 at second reading by title. The roll call recorded Milton Quijacion as recused; Councilman Sears, Councilman Ullman and Councilwoman Velez as voting yes; and Council President DeSantis (also cited as DeSena in the record) as voting no. The transcript does not include an explicit statement in the record that the ordinance was finally passed or failed at the conclusion of the roll call sequence.

Speakers emphasized mitigation measures if the lease proceeds, including restricted operating hours (Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–3:30 p.m.), signage requiring DPW drivers to stop for pedestrians, routing requirements to avoid Woodfield and Devon roads as cut-throughs, and a requirement that any disturbed areas be restored after the lease ends. Sterling said the township would take before-and-after photos and confirmed insurance coverage would extend to the leased area.

The council also presented a nonexclusive revocable license (Resolution 25-356) with Valley National Bank to allow employees to park personal passenger vehicles in the bank's rear row of spaces during construction; the license expressly prohibited parking or storing construction vehicles in that lot.

What’s next: Ordinance 25-25 had been reintroduced for a second reading at this meeting; the transcript records the roll call but does not include an explicit recorded final outcome. If authorized, administration said site-improvement work and a lease start date would follow and the stormwater pollution prevention plan would be updated.

(Reporting note: direct quotes and procedural votes are drawn from the council meeting transcript.)