News-pourri

Architect W. Michael Campbell displays an artist’s rendering of the proposed new St. Sharbel’s Church, targeted for Easton Avenue and Franklin Boulevard. Update: The Zoning Board of Adjustment approved St. Sharbel’s application at its August 4 meeting. In a brief hearing, the Board was told that any concerns held by the Township’s professional staff had been alleviated. The project’s planner …

Township Manager Robert Vornlocker wrote a letter in February concerning the state Comptroller’s Office report on abuse in municipal sick leave policies. (File photo.) The Township has made no payments under sick leave and vacation accrual policies found by a state agency to be in violation of state law, according to a Township official. In a report issued on July …

Architect Michael Testa describes the proposed three-story apartment building targeted for Hamilton Street. A three-story apartment building targeted for the “gateway” to Hamilton Street from New Brunswick was approved July 7 by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The 15-unit building will be constructed at the corner of Hamilton Street and Hawthorne Drive. The building will consist of 10 1-bedroom apartments …

Update: The proposed zoning changes included in the ordinance do not conflict with the Township Master Plan, the Planning Board decided at a special July 13 meeting. The Board made the unanimous decision to favorably return the proposed ordinance for Township Council action after a presentation by Township Planner mark Healey. Healey told the Board that all of the proposed …

Cannabis cultivation operations, similar to this file photo, may soon be located in Franklin. More than a dozen applicants for state Cannabis Business Licenses who want to locate in the township received support from the Township Council at its June 14 meeting. A resolution of support for the applicants is required by the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which will decide …

Gayle Nelson and Township Councilmember Ed Potosnak after Potosnak presented a commendation to the FHS PACE club, for which Nelson is the advisor. A Franklin High School student group geared to LGBTQ youth received a commendation at the June 28 Township Council meeting. Going by the acronym P.A.C.E. – which stands for “protect, accept, care and educate” – the club …

Mark Healey, the township’s Director of Planning, explains the proposed warehouse ordinance at the June 28 Council meeting. Spurred by residents of Canal Walk who are opposed to a proposed warehouse abutting their community, the Township Council on June 28 introduced new zoning requirements for future warehouse projects. The new regulations would increase the distance between a residential property and …

Township Councilmember Ed Potosnak describes the “genderless bathroom” ordinance at the June 28 Council meeting. An ordinance that would require the establishment of single-occupancy, all-gender bathrooms in some public places within Franklin was introduced June 28 by the Township Council. The ordinance is championed by Councilmember Ed Potosnak (D-Ward 1), the Council’s first openly gay member. Potosnak said the ordinance …

The township Republican Party leadership is, left to right, Robert Petersen, 2nd Vice Chair; Bob Lacorte, Chair; Lori Van Dyke-McGregor, Secretary; Vice Chair Beverly Lawson and Secretary Pat Stanley. (Photo: Franklin GOP.) Bob Lacorte was returned to the leadership of township Republicans on June 28. Lacorte was re-elected Chairman by acclimation. Also re-elected were Vice Chair Beverly Lawson and Treasurer …

Contracts worth more than $3 million in goods and services were approved by the Township Council in June. The Council authorized contracts totaling $913,281.60 at the June 14 meeting, and $2,274,154.55 at the June 28 meeting. At the June 14 meeting, the Council approved contracts for: extending a recreation and enrichment program from various vendors, worth $400,000eight land surveyors, worth …