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Residents press committee on proposed towers, park upkeep and permit delays
Summary
A resident raised concerns about a proposed 44-tower infrastructure upgrade and urged the committee to coordinate regionally; other commenters pressed for improved park maintenance and help resolving long-running building-permit and wetlands disputes. Committee members said they are meeting neighboring towns and will follow up.
Dan Murphy told the committee he was concerned about a proposed infrastructure project — described in the meeting as a series of tall towers installed by an investor/utility (referred to in the record as 'JCPNL') — saying the inferred plan would place dozens of towers through town, raise visual and environmental concerns and provide little redundancy benefit.
"I was here last month on the towers...I was not a fan of it," Murphy said, urging the committee to coordinate with neighboring municipalities and the Board of Public Utilities process and to take a proactive, regional approach.
Other residents raised separate but related service concerns. Several speakers described deteriorating conditions at Charleston Springs Park (dead trees, cracked walking paths and unsanitary bathrooms) and said repeated requests to DPW had not produced timely repairs. One resident said a stroller wheel flipped last summer on uneven pavement and described the park's condition as an ongoing safety and quality-of-life issue.
Brian Demo outlined a multi-year permitting dispute tied to retaining walls, wetlands delineation and construction approvals; he said engineering work cost roughly $15,000 and that outstanding code violations had accumulated to about $12,000–$13,000. Demo asked the committee to help resolve permitting bottlenecks and to ensure interdepartmental coordination between construction and zoning staff.
Committee response: Members said they have begun outreach to neighboring towns and will continue those discussions; one member said they have met with nearby municipal officials and planned further outreach. On parks, the committee noted ongoing road and pothole work and promised to follow up with DPW on cleanup and safety items. For permitting disputes, staff told residents the township will contact them and try to clear outstanding administrative steps.
What’s next: Committee members indicated they will continue outreach to neighboring towns on the tower proposals, task DPW to address park hazards, and ask Code Enforcement and construction officials to contact residents with outstanding permit or violation issues.
