Township Notices

Recent Notices | Standing Notices | Events and Deadlines

Full Text of Recent Notices
(Due to space constraints, we do not publish the entire text of multi-paragraph notices on our home page. For those such notices, they are printed here in their complete form.)

•Town Center Presentation - For Vernon residents, a trip to run errands, do some shopping and get a bite to eat usually consists of three or four separate stops at various businesses throughout the township. What a luxury it would be to park the car and take care of everything in one fell swoop, followed by a delicious meal at an outdoor café.

That dream, which first captured the public’s eye more than a decade ago, is now several steps closer to becoming a reality.

To learn how far we’ve come, Vernon residents and other interested parties are encouraged to attend a special meeting of the Township Council on Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 21 Church Street, Vernon, NJ.The topic for the evening is an overview of the Town Center project. Lou Kneip, Director of Planning and Development, will give a presentation on the history of the Town Center, which dates back to 1995.

“This project has been developed through the hard work of several township managers, mayors, and administrations, as well as from the efforts of township staff and various consultants,” Mr. Kneip said. “This presentation will be similar to a refresher course, providing historical data as well as summarizing the outstanding issues that need to be addressed as the project comes to fruition.”

The topics of discussion will include:

• The original visions and goals of the Vernon Town Center.
• The township’s obligations pursuant to the Town Center designation by the New Jersey State Planning Commission.
• The project’s sewer facilities and water lines.
• A breakdown of how much has been spent to date on the Town Center.
• A summary of future cost considerations, including sidewalks, gas and electric lines, shade trees, and street lights.
• An “action plan,” detailing what still needs to be done, who needs to accomplish it, and a target date for the completion of each task.

“After multiple public meetings and discussions, we’re now poised to see this dream come true,” said Vernon Mayor Austin Carew. “This will be the glue to bring the many different parts of Vernon together.”

Councilmember Rich Carson agreed, adding, “We need to see the Town Center project come together while at the same time ensuring creative methods to include the existing businesses in the area, which have been the backbone of our town for many years.”

• Male Cancer Screening - The Vernon Township Health Department in conjunction with Newton Memorial Hospital will conduct Male Cancer Screening Clinic on Tuesday, June 3, 2007 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, at the Health Department on Church Street. The screening includes a manual examination for prostate and testicular cancer by a Urologist, James R Matteson, M.D., a PSA blood test, blood pressure and information and counseling on health. This clinic is by appointment only.

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men in New Jersey and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, after lung cancer. About 2 out of every 3 prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65. The American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association recommend that all men aged 40 years and older have an annual digital rectal exam (DRE) of the prostate. Men aged 50 years and older should have an annual DRE and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. If you are African American or there is a family history of prostate cancer, both tests should begin at age 45 years of age. The PSA blood test measures a special protein in the blood. An elevated PSA may indicate prostate cancer or a benign (non-cancerous) condition of the prostate.

Often there are no early symptoms. By the time symptoms appear, the cancer may have already spread beyond the prostate. When they occur they may include:

• trouble having or keeping an erection (impotence)
• blood in the urine
• pain in the spine, hips, ribs, or other bones
• weakness or numbness in the legs or feet
• loss of bladder or bowel control

Although these symptoms can be associated with prostate cancer, they may be related to other prostate disease and do not necessarily mean cancer.

For more information or to make an appointment please call the Vernon Township Health Department at 973-764-4055, ext. 2268.

Standing Notices
(These notices were previously published on our home page. Time has passed since they were first issued, but as they are still applicable, they are presented here.)

• Vernon Paratransit Service- Sussex County Transit provides paratransit service for Vernon residents. View this printable flyer for more details. (PDF)

• Employment Transportation- Sussex County Transit has announced that begining April 3, 2006, it will be supplying in demand response bus service as an transportation alternative for county residents to and from their jobs. See printable flyer for more information on this service. (PDF)

• A Redevelopment Plan…what’s it all about? - You’ve probably been hearing a lot about “Redevelopment Plans” lately. Under Chapter 12A of the NJ Redevelopment and Housing Law, a municipality is given the authority to establish a Redevelopment Plan within their community. At this time, the Township is simply investigating the issue in order to determine if we wish to proceed with such a plan. In simple terms, a Redevelopment Plan is essentially a “tool” that a municipality can utilize which allows them the authority to designate an area in need of redevelopment or rehabilitation and then set forth a plan to redevelop that area under very specific terms and specifications set forth in an Ordinance adopted by the Governing Body.

How does a Redevelopment Plan work?

Well, let’s start with this excerpt from “The Redevelopment Handbook”:

"The redevelopment plan is a Master Plan with ‘teeth’ – a powerful planning document that combines the vision of a Master Plan with the authority of a zoning ordinance. The redevelopment plan’s special legal status provides municipalities with a more effective way to control the nature and type of development in a redevelopment area than is possible through standard zoning. If crafted correctly, with a clearly enunciated vision and an understanding of the practical realities of the real estate marketplace, the redevelopment plan can represent a turning point in efforts to redevelop a designated area."

To clearly understand the function of a Redevelopment Plan and its benefits to a municipality, you must note the difference between a Master Plan, a Zoning Ordinance, and a Redevelopment Plan. For example, the basic purpose of a municipality’s Master Plan and zoning ordinance is to set the parameters on what a developer may do in a particular section of the municipality. It is not the purpose of the Master Plan to require a property owner to take any action to improve their property or change its use to conform to the requirements of the Plan and, therefore, the municipality may or may not substantially obtain the objectives set forth in its Master Plan.

Conversely, a Redevelopment Plan enables a municipality to take affirmative action to motivate the redevelopment of properties and can impose conditions on the redevelopment that further the goals and interests of the community. For example, in addition to encouraging the redevelopment of specific properties considered to be essential to the revitalization of Vernon’s Town Center and Commercial Recreation zone, a Redevelopment Plan would compel Developers to adhere to specific conditions which are meant to ensure the preservation of Vernon’s sense of community and protect and enhance the future interests of Vernon’s residents, its businesses, and its environment.

As required, the Township Council has requested that the Planning Board undertake an investigation pursuant to the Local Development & Housing Law to determine whether the properties listed in the Study Areas (essentially, the Vernon Town Center area, portions of Mountain Creek Resort, and the general area of the Legends Hotel in McAfee) meet the statutory criteria to be designated as an "area in need of redevelopment." If the Planning Board determines that these areas meet the statutory criteria, the Township Council may then decide whether they wish to proceed with the implementation of a Redevelopment Plan. They may include any combination of the properties within the Study Area that are determined to meet the statutory criteria. However, preliminary discussions on the issue suggest that the actual delineation of the Redevelopment Area is likely to be significantly less in size than the Study Areas which are currently in question and that existing residential properties would be eliminated from any potential redevelopment areas, should the Township Council decide to proceed with a Redevelopment Plan. It is also important to note that a Redevelopment Plan can include a phasing plan that can be spread over a number of years and, therefore, immediate action may not be taken.

It is the Township’s intention and desire to work cooperatively with property owners in the Study Areas to explore ideas and alternatives which will fulfill the best interests of the Township and also protect the rights of individual property owners. My staff and I have already met with many of the land owners within the Study Areas and will continue to do so in order to communicate the needs and concerns of the Township, as well as the property owner’s plans and ideas for their property as we continue to explore our options and evaluate the potential benefits of a Redevelopment Plan in Vernon.

The bottom line is this. The Township is actively seeking to improve the quality of life for all its residents and property owners so that we can become a self-sustaining community. We would not be doing our due diligence if we did not explore all available options in order to do so. A Redevelopment Plan, if followed closely and managed properly, has the potential to be a great benefit to any growing municipality.

• Permitting Process Questions and Delay Information - As part of the Township of Vernon's on-going project to simplify the permit process and to spread a better understanding of the process the Department of Planning and Zoning and Township Engineer has prepared three documents which detail steps to the permit process and reasons for delays in obtaining a permit. The Building Department also provides such information as it relates to their department, as does the Health Department.

• Customer Service - In a continuing effort to improve the permitting process and customer service, Vernon Township has designated an employee to be available to assist the public and answer any questions that arise related to obtaining permits in the Health, Planning and Zoning, and Building Departments. If you feel that you need assistance, or have any questions relating to obtaining a permit from any of these departments, Irene Mills is available to help you at 973-764-4055 x 2250.

• Contractor Registration - As of December 31, 2005 a contractor cannot get any permits in the State of New Jersey without showing proof of Contractor Registration. More information can be found at the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs.

• Bear Country Reminders - New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection urges residents to be aware of bear presence in our area and in this press release provides reminders on how to reduce bear encounters near homes.

Events and Deadlines
(Some event notices are too long to print on our home page in their entirety, and are printed in full here. Other events are taking place more than a month away, but we still want to alert you of them now, here. As their date approaches, their announcement will move to the home page, but you can get a sneak preview of such events here.)