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Katalpa bids delayed as council favors pavement; Shade Tree committee seeks higher replacement-tree fee
Summary
Bids for the Katalpa trail remain pending while bid specs are revised; council previously directed the interior park trail be paved for ADA and maintenance reasons. Separately, Shade Tree presented data supporting an increase to the replacement-tree fee (currently $300), with comparative pricing around $500 per tree; the matter will move to a land-use subcommittee for review.
Committee members received updates on trails projects, Katalpa bid timing and Shade Tree recommendations during the June 16 meeting.
Staff reported that bid specifications for Katalpa have required significant revisions, so the project is not yet out to bid. Members reiterated that the governing body previously decided the interior pathway in Katalpa should be paved (asphalt) for maintenance and ADA accessibility; one committee member pressed why crushed stone (used for an ADA-compliant loop at Negri) was allowed there but not at Katalpa, and staff responded that the council made the pavement decision for Katalpa.
On the Somerset County Trails Grant, staff said a redesign will avoid wetland permitting and move a loop to the purple trail, reducing potential costs; estimated grant request amounts were discussed in the roughly $25,000–$40,000 range for crush stone, ramp improvements and related work.
Shade Tree reported a recommendation to amend the township tree ordinance to change the replacement-tree minimum size and update the fee charged to developers who cannot replace cut trees. The chair said the current fee of $300 per tree appears low compared with recent bids and sample data from 14 New Jersey towns and three quotations for the Bara Woods (Castleton Park) project; a working average of about $500 per tree was mentioned. Committee members noted complexity—tree caliper sizes and enforcement challenges—and referred the proposal to the municipal land-use committee for further review.
No formal council-level ordinances were adopted at the open-space meeting; the committee's direction was to finalize grant narratives, clarify bid specs, and forward the Shade Tree fee recommendation through the appropriate land-use committee process.
