Timeline

Repeat appellants include SHI International Corp. and Verizon-New Jersey (8 dockets each), and RH 100 Franklin Square Drive, Rukh Somerset Warehouse Properties and L’Oreal USA (4 each). One township-filed appeal is against RDG at Franklin, LLC (entered August 24, 2026). The list shows only open cases and gives no amounts in dispute; it changes daily.

The phases are Franklin Townhouses (37 market-rate townhouses, Planning Board approval December 15, 2021) and Franklin Forklift (87 market-rate units, approval August 16, 2023). The ordinance says the first four phases, with 443 affordable units and more than 30,000 sq ft of commercial space, were built without tax abatement; that the vacant sites now pay about $280,000 a year in taxes; and that the township estimates “more than $16.4 million in total annual service charges over the 30-year term.” The packet gives the service charge two ways: the ordinance’s summary says 10% of annual gross revenue (p. 70), while the attached financial agreement form sets 10% in years 1–10, 11% in years 11–20 and 12% in years 21–30 (p. 82).

No minutes or resolution for this meeting had been posted as of October 29, 2026. Any approval or denial would be memorialized in a written resolution at a later meeting.

Canal Road runs from Bunker Hill Road to Blackwells Mills Road in this phase; New Brunswick Road from Willow to Cedar Grove.

The ordinance’s summary says about 30 parcels totalling over 1,000 acres have been preserved through clustering. It was introduced August 11, 2026, 6–0 (Singh, Vassanella and Wright absent); the August 11 minutes print a cannabis-chapter title above it, while the agenda and later minutes give its cluster-subdivision title. On September 8 the Council moved the hearing to October 13, 9–0. The Planning Board reviewed it on October 7. Moved by Wright, seconded by Kharazi.

He also “Requested acknowledgement of a July complaint.” The Manager “committed to speaking with the resident regarding the Bennington Parkway drainage issues on Thursday morning.” No township record of the July complaint was found, and the minutes do not say whether the pipes are township-owned or private.

The abstract gives an effective rate of 1.743 and net taxable value of $17,366,428,200. Fire district rates (0.048 to 0.071, by district) are added on the bills of properties in each district.

From October 15 the hearing was set for 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 475 DeMott Lane. Minutes of these sessions have not been posted, so what was said is not on the written record.

Both passed with five members voting: ayes Anbarasan, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Vassanella; Francois, Singh, Uddin and Wright absent. The minutes are short action notes. Res. 26-415’s resolving clause names “the Township Council of the Township of Marlboro,” as does the heading of its attachment; its title, recitals and the clerk’s certification name Franklin.

Record	Date	Deed restriction for The Haven
Res. 26-092, Haven developer agreement	February 10, 2026	40-year affordability deed restriction
Res. 26-415, CWP-ASR development agreement	September 22, 2026	”at least thirty (30) years”

Vote: 6-0, mover Anbarasan, seconder Uddin. Ayes: Anbarasan, Kharazi, Kramer, Uddin, Onyejiaka, Vassanella. Absent: Francois, Singh, Wright.

In March the township had proposed bonding for a shortfall of about $1.2 million. No new bond ordinance for the park was found through October 27, 2026.

The speakers were Warren Nevins (King Road), Paulette Ritterson (South Dover Avenue), Heidi Hanson (King Road), Donald Bennett (Cedar Brook Drive) and Christian Kohler (Cedar Brook Drive), as the full minutes in the October 13, 2026 packet give them. Those minutes record plumbing leaks and pressure-relief-valve discharge after the main work, high water pressure and water heater problems, and rocks in the street; Mr. Bennett “argued that check valves created ‘closed systems’ leading to leaks,” and Mr. Kohler “supported check valves for system integrity but criticized the failure to notify homeowners of necessary plumbing modifications.” The Township Manager “accepted responsibility for failing to include information about potential plumbing impacts on residential flyers, noting it had only been posted on the website,” said the Township Attorney is apprised, and confirmed a street sweeper for King Road. The action notes list his paving answer as “3-6 months after a water main installed - street on list to be paved.”

The township’s Water Main Replacement page says “the roadway will be resurfacing in approximately one year after the work is completed.” Both statements are given as recorded.

The speakers were Gary Primo, Leslie Primo, Javahn Walker, Teresa Cordero, Frank Sciara, Linda Powell and Sanjhi Sharma. Mr. Sciara’s written comments were filed with the minutes as Attachment B. Ms. Francois, Mr. Singh and Mr. Wright were absent.

The resolution says the plan was modified “to address the contribution to be made to The Haven.” The plan also lists $7,200,000 for 315 Davidson Avenue and $2,500,000 for 347 Elizabeth Avenue. Township records give different contributions to The Haven:

Record	Date	Contribution to The Haven
Spending plan, Exhibit E to Res. 25-287	June 2025	$1,200,000
Res. 26-092, Haven developer agreement	February 10, 2026	$1,700,000, in four tranches
Res. 26-388, amended spending plan	September 8, 2026	$3,500,000
Ord. 4520-26, PILOT	October 13, 2026	$3,500,000

The same night the Council approved an affirmative marketing plan (Res. 26-389).

The Mayor also said “township taxes have grown at roughly half the rate of inflation”; LocalWhy has not checked that statement against figures. The township’s user-friendly budget gives the 2025 municipal share of all levies as 13.41%, the school district’s as 61.11% and the county’s as 15.54%.

The speakers were Jim Johnston, Jacqueline McCafferty, Bill Bowman, Javhan Walker, Danielle Williams, Frank Sciara, Kyle Aspen and Sanjhi Sharma (names as the minutes give them). Mr. Bowman, editor of the Franklin Reporter, said the paper had “published an editorial opposing the system and suggesting contract nullification.”

Officials also said “counting discrepancies were reporting errors, not intentional deception,” that hit rates fall under 1% when filtered for serious crimes, and that the data is hosted on AWS. The contract was awarded October 14, 2025 for four years; the record does not give its start date.

Two earlier Main Street area main replacement contracts were closed out below their awards on May 26, 2026: Phase 2 from $2,835,910 to $2,746,844.75, and the first phase from $2,834,893 to $2,769,217.43.

The same consent agenda awarded the emergency guiderail repair to J. Fletcher Creamer & Son at $325,000 (Res. 26-328), after two earlier bidders withdrew. On September 22, Res. 26-404 changed that amount to $455,000, saying the first figure “was incorrect.” Mr. Vassanella was absent.

On July 14, 2026 Res. 26-308 rejected both bids opened May 28 because they “substantially exceed the Engineer’s Estimate and the funds appropriated.” The meter contract runs August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027, with one optional one-year extension. Mr. Vassanella was absent.

Vote on Ord. 4514-26: 8-0, mover Vassanella, seconder Kharazi. Ayes: Anbarasan, Francois, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Uddin, Vassanella, Wright. Absent: Singh.

The Council had discussed the property in executive session on May 26, 2026 (Res. #26-238). No closing has been found in the record.

Ordinance 4509-26 removes golf courses (except in the A zone), hospitals, philanthropic uses, membership swim clubs (except in R-40) and kennels from residential zones, and treats community residences as the Municipal Land Use Law provides, among other items. Both ordinances were introduced on June 9, 2026, 9–0, and reviewed by the Planning Board on June 17. 4509-26 was moved by Francois and seconded by Anbarasan; 4510-26 by Anbarasan and Uddin.

Service charges break down as residential $10,338,000, business and commercial $3,883,000 and industrial $3,247,000. The budget’s adoption page in the posted copy is blank, and the outcome of the connection-fee hearing was not found in the FTSA minutes posted to date.

Collins property (Block 5.02, Lot 70Q). Ord. 4511-26 buys 26.09 of 31.29 acres; 5.20 acres are subdivided out and kept by the seller. Ord. 4512-26 appropriates $426,721.40: $371,721.40 for the land ($14,247.66 an acre) and about $55,000 for due diligence. Both adopted 9-0, all members present.

Kerani property (Block 5.02, Lots 61.01–61.09). Res. #26-287, on the consent agenda, approves a Conservation Partnership Agreement with the Land Conservancy of New Jersey, which is negotiating to buy the land “for $2,700,000.00 and ultimately deeding the Property to the Township for Open Space with the Township providing 50% of all costs and expenses.”

The same night the Council introduced Ords. 4513-26 and 4514-26 for 287 Cedar Grove Lane, 9-0.

Route 27 is a state highway. That night John McCracken asked for updates on Amwell Road rumble strips and the JFK Boulevard–Winston Drive light study; the reply was that the township would ask Somerset County Engineering to review the rumble strips and that the light study “is expected to take several months.”

The application was heard on November 6, 2025 (at the Board of Education campus), March 5 and May 7, 2026. The church’s related subdivision and D(2) applications (ZBA-25-00007 and -00008) were approved on the same dates. Objectors were represented by attorney Peter MacArthur, for Svitanok NYC and others; their issue was the church’s authority to sell the land. The approval came nine days after Ordinance 4507-26 was adopted. The June 18 minutes, with the vote count and the Board’s reasoning, are not yet posted.

The minutes record the Manager saying “speed bumps are not permitted on public roads in New Jersey, but speed humps are,” with a policy on the Police Department website, and that flashing beacons are “a budgetary decision based on engineering studies.” Mr. Singh said “a similar request was previously denied, recent incidents require a revisit.” The record found does not show what became of the petition.

The price is $28,824 an acre, the statewide formula value, which the owners accepted; the SADC had certified the easement value at $24,200 an acre. A 1.51-acre exception area is kept for a future house. Because no county money is used, the SADC holds the easement. Adopted on the consent agenda, 9-0. No closing has been found in the record.

New Jersey’s Municipal Land Use Law has the Planning Board review zoning ordinances for consistency with the master plan before the governing body adopts them. The Council adopted 4507-26 six days later, 6–3.

As the minutes record: Dave Robinson supported it. Anthony Riccio opposed more warehousing and asked for a capacity analysis. Kiki Anatasakos commended the study and asked about an “interior access road” and 16 failing intersections. Jan Brant opposed it as premature and urged keeping conditional-use protections. Skip Richards raised traffic and the 4-ton limit on Schoolhouse Road. Councilman Vassanella said it “doesn’t go far enough” and that he did not support it; the roll call lists him among the ayes. Councilman Singh called it “a positive step.”

The same consent agenda awarded water system emergency repair services to J. Fletcher Creamer & Sons, up to $450,000 a year from August 2026 to July 2028 (Res. 26-207). Anbarasan, Francois and Uddin were absent.

The introduced budget’s notice gives approval on April 28 and a public hearing on May 26. The introduced total compares with $74,631,121.48 final for 2025.

Mr. Ardman said 150 attendees at the most need 50 to 75 spaces, so 97 built is enough. The applicant’s engineer agreed that the ordinance standard gives 532 for the worship area; Ms. Bailey called the relief “an over 80% variance from the required parking” and asked that building the banked spaces require the Board’s approval.

Douglas Polyniak of Dolan & Dean testified from a study using October 2024 counts: 1,550 vehicles on South Middlebush Road in the 5:00–6:00 p.m. peak, and 30 cars in and 30 out for a typical service. Chairman Thomas said the earlier approval contemplated use five days a month against five times a day now, “a big difference in intensity of use,” and asked for independent verification of attendance.

The township sent the resolution to the court with its March 25, 2026 letter. The addendum is dated February 4, 2026; the Planning Board adopted it 9–0.

The revised hard cost was about $8.6 million, with $400,000 to $425,000 more for construction management. As the minutes record it, “Just under $5.4 million” was available in open-space cash and “just over $2.4 million” in unfunded bond capital from a 2016 bond ordinance; the recommendation was “to bond for” a shortfall of about $1.2 million. “All funding comes from open space money and will not increase taxes. The open space trust fund currently holds over $14 million.”

Vote (Res. #26-124): 8-0, mover Francois, seconder Uddin. Ayes: Anbarasan, Francois, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Uddin, Singh, Vassanella. Absent: Wright.

The letter is dated March 13, 2026 on page 1, while the header on pages 2–3 reads March 14; the court’s system marked it filed March 16. A second letter on March 25 delivered the Council’s resolution endorsing the amended plan and renewed the request for a hearing. Ordinances 4496-26 (development fees) and 4497-26 (the affordable housing ordinance, Chapter 81) were adopted on March 10, 2026, according to the letter.

March 9 covered the court, administration, the assessor and collector, land use, engineering, recreation, the clerk, purchasing, the manager and finance. March 17 covered public safety, Public Works, the Water Utility, open space and IT; the Roads request asked for $3,000,000 for resurfacing. The March 9 packet shows the tax appeal refund reserve at $2,690,553.46 at the end of 2025.

Items on the matrix not yet acted on, as far as the record shows, include loading-dock depth, sidewalks with a payment in lieu, drive-aisle width, building height, rezoning the ISL zone at 1135 Hamilton Street to R-15, place-of-worship parking (one space per 15 sq ft, which the matrix calls “too high/ likely in error”), the B-I zone on Hamilton Street near the armory, R-40 land north of Skillmans Lane, signage and conditional-use standards.

Debra Hingman said the township “should rethink their snow removal contractors.” Mr. Wright said enforcement of removing cars from streets “more than doubled during this storm”; Mr. Singh said more passes and drivers “would cost more money”; Mr. Vassanella suggested reviewing the sidewalk snow-removal timeline in the ordinance. Ms. Francois was absent.

The Council renewed the RJM contract for the 2026–27 season at up to $450,000 on August 11, 2026 (Res. 26-329).

Mr. Schwartz said the applicant seeks relief from two conditions: the hours and days of operation, and parking, because the worship area is larger than in the earlier approval. The site engineer, F. Mitchell Ardman, went through the earlier resolution’s conditions and said the plan meets them; he said the objectors’ report “missed several of the points” in the applicant’s stormwater report.

The architect, Yogesh Mistry, gave the worship area as 7,981 square feet. Mr. Healey said the ordinance requires one parking space per 15 square feet of open worship area. Ms. Bailey asked about the septic design, stormwater rules, runoff from the new driveway and basin overflow.

The ordinance was introduced January 13, 2026, 9–0, and reviewed by the Planning Board on January 21. The settlement with Fair Share Housing Center requires a redeveloper to be designated within a year of the plan; none appears in the record read. On May 12, 2026 Councilman Wright reported that the Redevelopment Agency had reviewed RPM’s revised plans for buildings on Franklin Boulevard and Route 27.

Ayes on each ordinance: Anbarasan, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Uddin, Singh, Vassanella, Wright. Edward Anselmi (Anselmi & Carvelli), for the owners of The Palace at Somerset Park, asked the Council to carry 4489-26 for two weeks; the township attorney advised that a delay would violate a court-ordered deadline. No one else spoke. Res. 26-092 provides for 142 affordable units with a 40-year affordability deed restriction and a $1,700,000 trust-fund contribution in four tranches; later township records give $3,500,000 and “at least thirty (30) years” (see September 8 and 22, 2026).

The snow speakers were Joyce Lee, Debra Hingman, Javahn Walker and a Treetops Circle resident. The minutes record the reply that “the recent storm’s extreme cold rendered salt ineffective” and that “Acquiring specialized equipment for driveway entrances was deemed financially impractical.”

Kunal Lakhia raised a $75,000 request for a light at Route 27 and Princeton Highlands, and Ted Chase also asked; the “cost for a Route 27 light is unknown due to right-of-way issues and the need to be equitable across multiple community requests.” John Litrakis asked for a light at JFK Boulevard and Winston Drive, and Tracy Wynn for a study at Arden and Girard, where an earlier study “did not meet warrants for a four-way stop.”

The fee is the CY2024 water system cost of $81,768,991 divided by 30,849 equivalent units; one unit is 206 gallons a day. Township and public school buildings pay no fee. The ordinance was introduced January 13, 2026, 9–0.

FSHC (Adam M. Gordon, Esq.) signed on December 31, 2025; the township’s signature date is illegible in the posted scan. The settlement required all implementing ordinances by March 15, 2026, and requires the Davidson and Elizabeth Avenue projects to file land-use applications within a year of compliance certification and to pull building permits within two years. The Dunbar site is Block 85 Lot 59.04, Hempstead Drive and Route 27: 55 apartments, 20% affordable.

As the minutes record it, Carol Kuhn, Linda Powell and Robert Scarapene “raised concerns about NJDEP approvals for air and water permits related to the NESE Project,” and asked for “township assistance in identifying local ordinances/zoning that could affect or slow construction.”

Mr. Rainone “stated the township continues to explore legal avenues. He emphasized constraints due to preemption and limited municipal authority.”

Executive session vote (Res. #26-036): 9-0, mover Vassanella, seconder Francois.

On October 28, 2025 Mr. Potosnak announced the “NESE Project Public Hearing on Air Quality Permit” for November 13, held virtually. The permit number was not found, and no appeal of the permit has been found.

The plan also calls for an annual cap-bank ordinance and Council review of vendor spending over $17,500. The current fund balance was $21,501,333.20 at December 31, 2025.

The case is Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co., LLC v. 1.451 Acres of Permanent Easement and 0.460 Acres of Temporary Easement in the Township of Franklin, No. 3:26-cv-00018. Under a deed of easement dated October 2, 2017, owners Clifford G. Higgins, Jr. and Julie Higgins conveyed the farm’s non-agricultural development rights to the township.

The court’s opinion records Transco’s offers: $37,700 on August 29, 2025, and $39,900 on September 23, 2025 after a revised appraisal.

The program gives the purpose as “to reduce the crashes, vehicular turbulence, and congestion.” The construction money sits in the program’s unconstrained years, beyond the four years it funds.

The minutes do not record what the Mayor said. No runoff-fee or stormwater-utility ordinance or study appears in the township’s 2025–26 agendas.

The resolution cites N.J.S.A. 40A:5A-12.1, which limits such a transfer to 5% of the authority’s operating budget. The FTSA’s FY2027 budget includes a $200,000 “Municipality/County Appropriation,” while the same budget answers “N/A” when asked to identify funds transferred to the municipality. Whether and when the authority paid is not in the record found.

The minutes record the three named speakers “citing ICE activities impacting legal residents and raids at hospitals and schools; emphasized trust to ensure community cooperation with local police.” The fourth, not named in the minutes, cited Highland Park and New Brunswick. On November 10 Linda Powell had asked for a draft resolution. Anbarasan, Onyejiaka, Uddin and Wright were absent on November 25.

The application, due by December 15, 2025, lists the township’s preserved and targeted farms, its Agriculture Advisory Committee’s roster and meetings, and the status of the Open Space Trust Fund. The committee reviewed it in September and November 2025.

Consent vote: 5-0. Ayes: Francois, Kharazi, Kramer, Potosnak, Vassanella. Absent: Anbarasan, Onyejiaka, Uddin, Wright.

The later CY2025 audit lists one recommendation, the old-grant item again, marked as a prior-year recommendation.

NJDEP’s NESE page lists approvals of a Freshwater Wetlands Individual Permit, Coastal Wetlands, Flood Hazard Area Individual Permit and Verification, In-Water and Upland Waterfront Development permits, and the Water Quality Certificate.

At the November 10, 2025 Council meeting, the action notes record Linda Powell as “disappointed with NESE Project” and Mr. Potosnak noting “disappointment with approval by NY & NJ water quality permits.”

The authority, not the Township Council, sets sewer charges. Its commissioners are appointed by the Council.

The agendas noticed the project as 145,673 sq ft (June–July 2025) and 161,000 sq ft (October 2025). At the hearing, the minutes record, counsel said “139,000” and the engineer described two buildings of 69,252 sq ft, “approximately 130,000.” The resolution was adopted on December 3, 2025.

Ords. 4478-25 and 4479-25 cover 439 and 483 West Point Avenue (Block 348, Lots 1.02 and 16–27); Ords. 4480-25 and 4481-25 cover the Brenner property (Block 5.02, Lot 58); Ord. 4482-25 accepts a conservation easement from Jeffrey J. Carter (Block 507.38, Lot 18.01). They were introduced September 30, 2025.

Vote on each: 8-0. Ayes: Anbarasan, Francois, Kharazi, Onyejiaka, Potosnak, Uddin, Vassanella, Wright. Absent: Kramer.

At the hearings Alex Strauss asked for the tree count, the acreage and the Open Space Trust Fund balance; Mr. Vornlocker gave the balance “as of December 2024” as $14 million. On the Brenner property he said “the building is being set aside and the Township is only purchasing the open space,” as the minutes record it.

The lots are Block 165 Lots 1–21; Block 167 Lots 1–17 and 31–38; Block 171.02 Lots 5–11; and Block 172 Lots 24–28. Planning Director Mark Healey’s memo of July 9, 2025 says he believes the General Business zoning there “is a remnant of the pre-Redevelopment Plan zoning of this area.” The ordinance was introduced August 12, 2025, 9–0, and the Planning Board found it consistent on September 3.

According to the settlement agreement, FSHC filed on August 21 (processed September 2), EL-ION and EL at Franklin on August 21, and Dunbar Homes and MCS Franklin II and others on August 26. The township later settled with FSHC and Dunbar Homes. The court dismissed the other eight challengers’ challenges on February 9, 2026: El-Ion Franklin Development Group, LLC; El at Franklin, LLC; MCS Franklin II, LLC; PES Franklin, LLC; LLL 46, LLC; Home America Rental, LLC; RAR 287 Cedar Grove, LLC; and Franklin Associates II, LLC.

Public comment was allowed “as a courtesy,” the minutes record. The applicant’s attorney, Peter Lanfrit, objected to condition 11 (the Chapter 169 nuisance code) and condition 22 (no hazardous “H” uses). The intervenor, the Citizens Warehouse Action Group, represented by Michael Gan, sought a condition barring use of the site for access to an adjoining proposed 621,000 sq ft warehouse. The Board memorialized the conditions on October 15, 2025, 3–0.

The site is Block 469 Lots 1.03, 1.04 and 1.07. On September 8, 2026 the Council approved a stormwater maintenance agreement with IDIL Executive Drive, LLC for the site’s on-site detention basin (Res. 26-392, voted on separately, 9–0).

The 676 credits are 511 units plus 165 bonus credits, including 19 surplus credits from the Third Round. The plan was filed with the court on June 20, 2025. The Council endorsed it, with draft implementing ordinances and a spending plan, in Resolution 25-287 on June 24, 2025; the minutes list the resolution on the consent agenda but do not reproduce it.

Res. #25-266 recites the township’s earlier resolutions (Council 2016 and 2017, Board of Health and Environmental Commission 2017), New York’s and New Jersey’s earlier permit denials, and Transco’s May 29, 2025 petition to FERC for “Expedited Reissuance.”

Vote: 8-0. Mover Potosnak, seconder Uddin. Ayes: Anbarasan, Francois, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Potosnak, Uddin, Vassanella. Absent: Wright.

The study is dated about April 30, 2025. The Planning Board’s agenda of June 18, 2025 lists a resolution on the “Condemnation Redevelopment Area.”

The township then filed its case with the Affordable Housing Dispute Resolution Program, docket SOM-L-000169-25. The records give two filing dates: January 29, 2025 in the settlement agreement with Fair Share Housing Center, and January 30, 2025 in the housing plan and Resolution 25-160; the court’s page lists the resolution as filed January 30, 2025. The New Jersey Builders Association challenged the 623 figure on February 27, 2025.

The resolution cites N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(dd), which it says “permits the purchase of proprietary goods without competitive bidding,” and directs that the bid specifications name Flock. The bid was MC-0038-25-R1, advertised March 5, 2025.

The same night the Council met in executive session on “Potential Litigation – Redevelopment matters.” Res. 25-464 later recites that Res. 24-421 was adopted “on June 4, 2025”; the minutes show it adopted on December 10, 2024.

The cases were L-1365-23 and L-1385-23 in Somerset County, consolidated. The court did not reach the plaintiffs’ second argument, that state law preempts the ordinance. The trial judge is not named in the Appellate Division’s opinion.

Two weeks earlier, on October 8, 2024, Mr. Rainone had said that “ordinances are in litigation regarding warehouses.” The minutes do not identify the two zoning ordinances by number, or give the dockets of the consolidated suits. The stormwater challenge by B9 Schoolhouse Owner and Concore Realty became Appellate Division case A-1461-24; the outcome of the others has not been found.

The study was prepared by David Glynn Roberts, PP, AICP, with an ad-hoc steering committee that met on June 6, August 29, October 9 and December 12, 2024. A first community meeting was held on June 27, 2024 and a second on January 30, 2025. At the Council on October 8, 2024, residents including Marlon Quan cited a traffic study showing “ten (10) intersections … overwhelmed.”

The Superior Court reversed the denial on May 8, 2025 and sent the application back to the Board to set conditions. B9 had applied on May 5, 2022, and its application was deemed complete on August 4, 2022, according to the Appellate Division’s opinion in the separate stormwater case.

NJDEP had amended its stormwater management rules (N.J.A.C. 7:8) on July 17, 2023; the state rules exempt complete applications submitted before that date. Franklin’s ordinance did not. Two warehouse applicants whose applications were already complete, B9 Schoolhouse Owner and Concore Realty, sued in November 2023. The facts here are as the Appellate Division’s opinion states them; LocalWhy has not seen the ordinance text itself.

The grant is federal American Rescue Plan money distributed by the state (“2021 Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund Gunshot Detection Technology Initiative,” grant GDT-16-21). The Flock contract was awarded in October 2025, after the grant period printed in the resolution; the record found does not say whether the period was extended.

Franklin’s police transparency portal gives its retention period as 1,095 days, “3 years per Attorney General Directive 2022-12.” At the August 11, 2026 presentation, staff said Flock’s default is 30 days but the state guidelines “mandate a three-year retention.”