Red Bank Council adopts historic-preservation guidelines and construction-fee update; introduces cap bank ordinance

The Red Bank Borough Council approved two ordinances at final reading and introduced a third during its public meeting.

Ordinance 2026-01, which adds historic preservation guidelines as an attachment to the borough's planning and development regulations, received a roll-call vote in favor and was approved. Council members and the planning commission told the meeting they expect the new guidelines to standardize reviews by the Historic Preservation Commission and to help property owners and downtown businesses plan projects.

Ordinance 2026-02, amending chapter 300 (construction codes) to update municipal construction fees, was also approved at final reading by roll call.

The council introduced Ordinance 2026-03 to exceed the calendar-year municipal tax-levy cap and establish a cap bank under state statute (discussed in the meeting as NJSA 48-4 / statute of 4A4-4514); the ordinance will have a public hearing on Feb. 12.

Council approved resolutions 26-25 through 26-36 as a consent agenda. Manager Gant reported the council also authorized a short-term extension of the municipal waste contract with Delissa Waste Management Services while bids are solicited; a competitive bid opening is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Gant also read a set of retroactive salary adjustments and routine increases for several nonunion municipal employees and said those changes will be recorded in the next meeting minutes and submitted to the state as required. The manager said union increases are applied on Jan. 1 per contract, while salaried (nonunion) increases are applied retroactively as budgets allow.

All votes reported at the meeting were recorded by roll call; the ordinances and consent agenda items were approved in the public session.

The council then moved to other business and a public comment period before adjourning to executive session.