Highlands council approves bond housekeeping, parking limits, fees and several programs in consent votes

The Borough of Highlands Mayor and Council adopted multiple ordinances and resolutions on Sept. 3, 2025 during a largely procedural portion of the meeting. Items approved on second and final reading or by resolution included:

- O-25-17 (bond ordinance amendment): Approved as housekeeping to close out a completed Bayside Drive/Marie Street project; transcript contains unclear numeric amounts for appropriations and bond issuance as spoken during the meeting (amounts not specified in the recording).

- O-25-18 (parking limits on Bay Avenue): Adopted to establish a one-hour parking limit from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for the stretch roughly identified in the transcript as 208–216 Bay Avenue.

- O-25-20 (building and housing fee updates): Approved to update building department fees to align with neighboring municipalities.

- O-25-21 (zoning and land use fees): Approved to raise escrow and technical review fees to bring the borough in line with neighboring towns.

- O-25-22 (CCA financing template): Adopted a Community Choice Aggregation program template; council noted the posted ordinance used a template with blanks that would be filled in (official names and municipality), and members concluded re-advertising was not necessary.

Resolutions adopted included R-25-168, authorizing release of developer guarantees for a CVS property (matters dating to 2015), and R-25-169, authorizing a settlement to resolve litigation with AGOT Construction and related entities for a walkway/bulkhead repair dispute (staff said the original claim was about $100,000 and the settlement amount is $50,000). The consent agenda (R-25-170 through R-25-172) covering a tax overpayment refund, payment of bills and an award for website services also passed.

Mayor's report noted ongoing negotiations with a potential redeveloper for Captain's Cove Marina, a developers agreement for a property at 289 Bay Avenue, joint meetings with neighboring mayors about emergency services, department activity counts (first aid 49 calls, fire 27, police 101), recent paving and sidewalk work, and upcoming park and water-main work.

During public comment, resident James Green raised lighting concerns about very bright exterior 'stadium' lights on private properties and businesses and asked the council to consider uniform standards; council members invited him to identify examples for follow-up.

The meeting concluded with adoption of a resolution to enter executive session for litigation; the open meeting adjourned into private session at 7:47 p.m.