Hopatcong Considering Merging Land-Use Boards

Hopatcong hopes to streamline its land-use process.

It looks like the borough will ask borough residents if it should combine its zoning board and planning board to eliminate wasted time due to the small amount of cases each board sees.

The referendum will most likely read:

Should the Borough of Hopatcong disband the Hopatcong Borough Zoning Board of Adjustment and merge its land use functions into one board, which shall be known as the Hopatcong Borough Land Use Board?

The board would be able to exercise all of the powers of the planning board and the zoning board "because the number of land use applications has substantially declined in the borough since the adoption of the New Jersey Highlands Act, the Borough is seeking to reduce costs by having one board instead of two boards.," according to the initial ordinance draft.

The money Hopatcong hopes to save would mostly come from lawyer and engineer fees it pays each time either shows up to a meeting.

Municipalities with more than 15,000 residents—Hopatcong is about 100 over the mark, according to the 2010 census—must put this type of question on referendum, according to state law.

The referendum will be voted on at the Aug. 3 council meeting.