Meeting of Environmental Commission (EC), 5 April
Present: O’Keefe, Cotton, Kovacs, Dietz, Bartlett, Schindler, Allyn

Major items of discussion included (a) proposed phosphate ordinance mandated by NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), (b) establishment of baseline conditions and monitoring of environmental easements acquired by the Township, (c) lighting conditions and a potential ordinance proposal.

The NJ DEP has mandated that Harding (and similar towns) institute an ordinance that regulates the applications of fertilizers including the permitted concentration level of phosphate.   Discussion at the Commission meeting centered on a draft ordinance developed by the Environmental Commission, the process for its adoption,  and the township body that would be responsible for the enforcement.  The draft ordinance was also being reviewed by a subcommittee of the Planning Board.  The Commission had proposed that the Board of Health be the responsible body and it was planned that the Board of Health would introduce the ordinance at its meeting on April 8.   After considerable discussion by the Commission and by the public in attendance it was concluded that the process for this initiative was inconsistent with prior processes for developing Harding land use policies and that any ordinance on this topic should proceed by the route of the Planning Board and the Township Committee.

The Commission discussed the possibility of developing a lighting ordinance for Harding.   Such a proposal has been under discussion at various times over the past decade.   It was noted that light pollution affects viewing of the night sky, that excess lighting uses energy needlessly, and that at times lighting at property boundaries can exceed current township limits, affecting neighboring property owners.   The Commission noted that Harding recently was successful in having Jersey Central Power change a street light from a “high crime area light” (that had been installed when the previous light at that location was broken) to one in keeping with other street lights in town.  This topic will be pursued further at a future meeting.

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