Township Committee — October 26, 2026

The Township Committee’s agenda and agenda packet for this regular meeting are on the Township’s Documents-On-Demand portal, linked from its Agendas/Minutes page, in the Township Committee and Board of Health folder. The minutes of this meeting were not yet on the portal when LocalWhy checked on October 31, 2026, so this page reports what the agenda and packet contain. The meeting was set for 7:00 p.m.

The floodplain ordinance: hearing to be carried

The agenda listed the second reading and public hearing of Ordinance No. 2026-1519, “An Ordinance amending the Municipal Code of the Township of Branchburg … Article VIII ‘Flood Plain Management’ of Chapter LDO ‘Land Development Ordinance’ to revise the Township’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance to continue participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP),” introduced October 12. The agenda states: “The Public Hearing will be carried to the meeting on November 9, 2026, to allow the Planning Board additional time to complete its consistency review,” and lists a motion to carry the hearing to that date. The Planning Board’s October 27 agenda lists that review.

The packet contains the ordinance’s full text, with new language underlined and deletions struck through. Among its provisions:

• Why. Its recitals say the Township joined the National Flood Insurance Program on June 1, 1978, and wants to keep meeting the federal requirements for participation, and that state law requires rules for development in the flood fringe that at least meet NJDEP standards.
• Maps. It adopts by reference FEMA’s Flood Insurance Study for Somerset County (revised November 4, 2016) and the Flood Insurance Rate Map panels listed in its table; for eight of the panels the effective date is changed from September 28, 2007 to November 13, 2026. It also directs use of FEMA’s preliminary panels of March 26, 2021 and other best available data where they are more restrictive, and says “best available information” may not be used to produce less restrictive elevations or smaller flood hazard areas.
• State flood hazard areas. For state-regulated waters, the flood hazard area is measured to the NJDEP’s “Climate-adjusted Flood Elevation,” replacing the earlier “Flood Hazard Area Control Act Design Flood Elevation.” The ordinance lists the state-studied waters in the Township: the Raritan River, the South and North Branches of the Raritan, Holland Brook, Chambers Brook, the Lamington River and Pleasant Run, and says the state-regulated area may extend beyond FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Areas.
• Building elevations. The Local Design Flood Elevation is generally the best-available flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard, or the ASCE 24 design elevation, whichever is greater.
• Administration. The Township Zoning Officer is designated the Floodplain Administrator, who issues floodplain development permits, makes substantial-damage and substantial-improvement determinations and keeps the records.
• Penalties. A violation carries a fine of up to $2,000, up to 90 days’ imprisonment or up to 90 days of community service, with each day a separate violation after a 30-day opportunity to cure; unlawful disposal of solid waste in a floodway or floodplain carries a fine of up to $2,500, or up to $10,000 under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5. Where these rules conflict with another ordinance or code, the more restrictive governs.
• Referral and effect. After introduction the Clerk is to refer the ordinance to the Planning Board, which is to report within 35 days on any inconsistency with the master plan. The ordinance takes effect on adoption, publication and filing with the Somerset County Planning Board.

The packet’s copy records the ordinance as introduced and passed on first reading on October 12, 2026 (Yes: Young, Beatrice, Schworn; Absent: Columbus, Owens) and published October 13, 2026; its adoption block is blank.

Consent agenda

The agenda listed a motion to approve Resolutions No. 2026-180 through 2026-184:

• 2026-180: Public Works winter seasonal temporary labor, Tomas Stromsky, at $30.00 an hour.
• 2026-181: Police Department grade elevations under the PBA Local No. 397 contract, effective November 3, 2026: Daniel Soffer (6th grade, pro-rated salary $79,653.60) and Owen Booker (7th grade, $75,348.00).
• 2026-182: part-time school crossing guards for the 2026–2027 school year at $22.00 an hour: Norman Bishop, Maria Delgado, Gail Gallico, Phyllis Zeban and Ray Zimmerman.
• 2026-183: recreation refunds, nine in all, including Harvest and Hops vendor and sponsor refunds.
• 2026-184: refunds of 2026 third-quarter tax overpayments to three fully exempt veterans, totaling $973.13.

Other business

The agenda also listed public comment on agenda items, approval of the minutes of the October 12 regular session, claims for payment, the Administrator’s report, general public comment and Committee liaison reports.

See flooding and stormwater.

Records

• Agenda and packet: Agendas/Minutes page of the Township’s website, which links its Documents-On-Demand portal (Township Committee and Board of Health folder)
• Meeting video on the Township’s Granicus archive