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Bernardsville sets bid schedule for dam removal and park redevelopment; DEP permit renewal required
Summary
Council reported an updated timeline for dam removal and connected park redevelopment: staff must renew an expired DEP trail/bridge permit, plans will go to bid in August, and construction is expected to start in November with completion targeted by March (weather permitting).
Bernardsville staff told the council on July 13 that the borough must renew an expired Department of Environmental Protection trail and bridge permit tied to a dam‑removal and park redevelopment project and that they will seek to move the project to procurement this fall.
Nancy (speaker 7) said staff were informed the permit expired in 2023 and that she would meet with DEP to renew it before the end of the month. She described a consolidated project approach that would combine dam removal with park development, and laid out a timeline: council will review the bid package and, at the Aug. 10 meeting, formally authorize going out to bid; the bid opening is planned for Oct. 6, with award on Oct. 19 and construction beginning in November and continuing through the end of March, weather permitting.
Council members discussed the potential for post‑construction additions to the park — such as interpretive plantings, rain gardens and donor opportunities — and confirmed the project includes a reconfigured trail and replacement bridge. Nancy noted some landscaping and planting plans had been prepared for DEP submittal and said later enhancements would likely be possible after the core construction phase.
What happens next: Staff will meet with DEP to renew the trail and bridge permit, finalize the bid package and return to council on Aug. 10 to request authorization to advertise for bids.
