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Residents call for transparency in redevelopment process as council advances related ordinance
Summary
Public commenters urged restoring prior practice of submitting redevelopment applications directly to the planning board and posting applications publicly; the ordinance under consideration would require electronic submissions and quarterly reports from staff.
Public comment during the hearing on Ordinance 2026-15 focused on redevelopment transparency and timely public disclosure of applications. Ken Pringle told the council that the 2011 process (as posted then) sent redevelopment applications immediately to the planning board and made them public on filing; he said changes in 2012 altered that process and that current practices allow applications to be held from public view until later in the review process.
Pringle urged the council to restore public visibility, create a transparency inventory and consider an advisory committee so residents can more easily find major developments. “Transparency is about the people understanding and learning about what’s happening,” he said, and added that smaller applications can overwhelm a public list but that major redevelopment projects should be clearly flagged. Council members acknowledged the concern and said the ordinance is a first step; they also discussed further measures to expand public access and reporting.
The ordinance under consideration would require electronic submission of development applications to the borough clerk and mandate quarterly reports from the zoning officer, borough attorney and borough engineer about permits, claims and activity; the council invited additional public input as the ordinance moves through the process.
