Zoning Board of Adjustment — February 10, 2026
The Board heard Rockland APV Bridgewater Energy's application for a 20-megawatt, 80-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system on county-owned land at 760 East Main Street. Its attorney said that as a private company it needs a D-1 use variance. No members of the public were sworn, and the hearing was continued to April 14. The Board also appointed an acoustical engineer, 7-0.
- Development
Meeting recording
Recording plays on the township archive
This meeting does not play on this page. The township's recording is complete and plays in full on the township's own channel.
What happened
What the record shows
Present: Chairman John Kulak, James Weideli, Pushpavati Amin, James Franco, Andrew Fresco, Christine Henderson-Rose, John Gayeski, Johanna Wiseman, John Colucci and Anthony Mignella; Claudio Vescio was absent. Board Attorney Richard Oller, conflict engineer Jason A. Cline and Board Planner Katherine Sarmad attended.
Acoustical engineer
The Board appointed Ostergaard Acoustical Associates as its acoustical engineer, 7-0 (ayes Weideli, Amin, Franco, Fresco, Henderson-Rose, Gayeski and Chairman Kulak; Wiseman, Colucci and Mignella ineligible; Vescio absent).
Rockland APV battery storage, 760 East Main Street
App. #24-029-ZB, Rockland APV Bridgewater Energy LLC, Block 338 Lot 9, 760 East Main Street: preliminary and final major site plan and minor subdivision. The minutes call this the second hearing and attach the transcript.
- Attorney Glenn Pantel said the battery energy storage system would be an “essential service,” a permitted use, only if run by a government authority or public utility; the applicant is a private entity, so it has “acknowledged that we do need the D-1 Use Variance.” The site is owned by the Somerset County Improvement Authority; the applicant holds an option coupled with a ground lease it would enter if approved, with the county as landlord.
- John Seker, who described himself as CEO of American Power Ventures, which develops projects in partnership with the private equity firm Rockland Capital, said the subdivision is for a 20-megawatt, 80-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system. Joseph Brown also testified; exhibits included a Trina battery cell and container. Engineer Craig Stires was present but not sworn. The applicant began with operations testimony to give Mr. Cline more time to review the site plans.
- Chairman Kulak said the fact that the applicant is not a public utility is a technicality “on which partially your application hangs.”
- No members of the public were sworn.
- Continued to April 14, 2026 at 7 p.m. with no further notice.
See battery storage.
Public comment
The minutes record that the Chairman opened and closed the public portion for items not on the agenda; they name no speaker.
Records
- Minutes (township document page; adopted May 12, 2026, with the Rockland APV transcript attached)
- Agenda (township document page)
- Video on the township’s YouTube channel (3:10:06). This page follows the Board’s minutes and the attached transcript.