Clinton Township Newsletter

3 j a n u a r y 2 0 2 5 It is amazing how quickly a year goes by. By any measure, 2024 has been an eventful year and 2025 promises to be just as much so. The most impactful issue that the Township has been addressing in 2024 and that will carry over into 2025 is reviewing, and preparing to comply with, the new affordable housing legislation passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Murphy in March. Towns throughout the State started receiving guidance from the Department of Community Affairs this Fall. Like every other municipality, our Planner, Affordable Housing Counsel and a subset of members of the Planning Board have been analyzing all the variables that will impact the affordable housing obligation for the period of 2025-2035 that the Township must declare in January 2025. How the Township meets that obligation will be discussed in subsequent months. Please keep an eye out for meeting notifications to stay informed. In an effort to keep residents better informed, including on issues like affordable housing, the Township has launched the CodeRED emergency alert high-speed notification system. This system will allow the Township to quickly deliver pre-recorded telephone notifications and informational messages to residents and businesses, and can be targeted to individual areas as necessary. Please visit the Township's website (www.clintontwpnj.gov) for additional information and for instructions to register. We encourage you to not only register, but to "opt-in" to receive General Notifications, which will provide non- emergency alerts (e.g. road closures, leaf pickup, recreation events, etc.). Preparation and planning for a new playground on the parkland south of North Hunterdon High School received a boost when the Township was awarded a $750,000 matching Green Acres grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Garden State Preservation Trust for the construction of a Completely Inclusive Playground that meets the standards of Jake's Law. Per the NJDEP, Completely Inclusive Playgrounds "ensure that all children have access to playgrounds and recreational amenities, regardless of their physical abilities or neurodiversity." The playground, anticipated to have a surface area of approximately 20,000 square feet, will include quiet play areas and at least 20% of the total area will be shaded. The Council authorized bonding to facilitate the project, as the grant funds will be reimbursed to the Township once the project is complete, and we expect to pay off any borrowing quickly. In 2024, the Township completed a mill and pave project on Stacey Drive, Grace Drive, Judy Court and John Drive; an overlay project on Michael Lane; and a micro-paving project on Lilac Drive that will extend the life of the roadway and allow us to stretch our capital funding further. The New Jersey Department of Transportation recently approved the bid documents for Glen Eagles Drive, Muirfield Lane, and Heather Hill Way, as well as an extension to the Regional Road project due to ongoing construction of the new Polytech building and extension of gas mains. We will put both projects out to bid in Spring 2025. The Township also received a grant of $142,604 for Bennington Road, which will allow us to begin planning a pavement project in this neighborhood. The lifeblood of our Township is the volunteerism of those who give their time and effort to make Clinton Township a fantastic place to live. The Township has a variety of boards and commissions that contribute to the fabric of our community, including Open Space, Environmental, Historic Preservation, Planning and Zoning, many of which are looking for volunteers, particularly the Recreation Advisory Committee. Our emergency service volunteer organizations, the Annandale Hose Company and South Branch Emergency Services, are also in need of volunteers to ensure they can continue to serve us all. If you have an from CarolBeder ' s "DAYS TO KEEP IN MIND" may be found on page 10 of this issue. continued on page 4 ...

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