Frequently Asked Questions

Interior work such as painting, paneling, tiling, replacement fixtures and / or cabinets do not require a permit. Replacing electrical wiring, plumbing, constructing or removing walls does require a permit. Permits are also required for decks, fences, and shed. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information. The staff will guide you through the permit process and requirements. If your questions are of a technical nature, you will be asked to speak with the sub code officials.

Uniform Construction Code applications are available from the State of New Jersey Web Site. Some permits applications are available on our

Permits are required to ensure that all work being performed is in compliance with the proper codes, and being constructed in a safe manner. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

First you should contact the Construction Department for a list of criteria required for each specific type of work. Once you have all of the information / paperwork required, you can complete a construction permit application. Once this process has been completed, the department staff will review your permit for the proper criteria, and process for approvals. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

Both basement work and a pool require a construction permit. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

A certificate of "approval" is issued on all permits / types of work once all the proper finals have been approved. A "certificate of occupancy" is issued on all new construction. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

In the Township certain land uses are allowed in areas where such use is appropriate. Depending on the area and the use a zoning permit may be necessary. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

The code states that a homeowner may draw their own plans. Homeowners who draw their own plans take full responsibility for the design. Plans must be signed by the owner "Personally prepared by John / Jane Doe" It is strongly suggested that if a homeowner is unfamiliar with the codes and construction, they have an architect or engineer draw the plans.

Please contact the Zoning / Planning Department to learn about setback requirements, a representative can be reached at 609-737-0605, ext. 6430.

The zoning officer can help you determine what zone your property is in. A representative can be reached at 609-737-0605, ext. 6430.

Contact the Township Health Department Department 609-737-0605.

Septic system installation and requirements are handled through the Health Department. They can be reached at 609-737-0605.

A permit is kept in the Construction Department archives for the life of the dwelling. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

The municipal court is a local court created by state law, whose jurisdiction is confined to the city or community in which it is located. Practices and procedures are governed by New Jersey Court Rules. The municipal court judge is responsible for overseeing the administration of the municipal court. The Assignment Judge of the Superior Court of Mercer County (whose office is located in Trenton) is responsible for overseeing the administration of all of the municipal courts in the county.

There are 13 municipal courts in Mercer County. Each municipality appoints its own municipal court judge or judges. Other court personnel may include the court administrator, deputy court administrator, violations clerk and sound recorder.

Cases heard in municipal courts are divided into four general categories:

- Violations of motor vehicle and traffic laws

- Violations of disorderly and petty disorderly persons offenses, (criminal matters which may result in fines or jail)

- Violations of Fish and Game laws, Parks and Forests, Weights and Measures, SPCA and Boating Regulations

- Violations of municipal ordinances (local laws)

More serious offenses, known as indictable offenses, are sent to the county prosecutors office. The County Prosecutor decides whether to present the case to a grand jury or to return the case to the municipal court as a less serious offense (a downgrade).

A court appearance is required in criminal matters, such as an assault, shoplifting, harassment or drug charges. If "court appearance required" is checked on a traffic summons, you must appear in court at the time and place indicated, even if you wish to plead guilty. If "court appearance required" is not checked on the traffic ticket, you must still appear in court if:

- You wish to have a trial

- The charge is not listed on the Statewide Violations Bureau Schedule or Local Supplemental Violations Bureay Schedule (it cannot be paid by mail or in the court office)

- Personal injury is involved

Please notify the court of disability accommodation needs.

If you intend to plead not guilty to the offense charged on the summons and you want to have a trial, you must notify the court at least seven days before your scheduled court date (address and other instructions can be found on your summons). If you fail to notify the court, it may be necessary for you to make two court appearances.

It is imperative that the person directly involved with the case, not a friend or relative, contact the court. This will help speed inquiries. It is also imperative that you have your summons/complaint number when calling or writing so that we may be better able to assist you.

It is very important that you arrive in court on the day and time stated on your ticket, summons, subpoena or court notice. Before the session starts, or once court begins, roll call is generally taken. If you arrive late, or if your name is not called, you should notify court personnel immediately.

If the defendant does not appear, the judge will advise all witness when they may leave. Witnesses will be notified through the mail when they are to return. A warrant may be issued for the defendant who fails to appear, and his or her driving privileges may be suspended.

All municipal court proceedings are tape recorded. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone in the courtroom to remain quiet until it is their turn to speak. The length of time you will be in court depends on many things. Some cases take longer than others. Please be patient so that the court may give each case the time and attention it deserves.

At the beginning of the court session, the judge will give an opening statement, explaining court procedures, Defendants' rights, and penalties. As each case is called, the judge will individually advise each defendant of his or her rights. A case may be postponed to permit the defendant to hire a lawyer. If the defendant wishes to go ahead without a lawyer, the judge will ask for his or her plea. If the defendant pleads guilty, the judge will ask questions regarding the offense charged to make sure there is a basis for the guilty plea.

If the defendant pleads not guilty and all involved parties are present and prepared, the case will proceed to trial. Once the judge has heard the testimony, he or she will decide if the defendant is guilty, not guilty, or if the case should be dismissed. If the defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty after a trial, the judge will impose a sentence.

The order in which cases are called is controlled by the New Jersey Court Rules. Cases are generally called in the following order:

1. Requests for postponements

2. Unlitigated motions

3. Arraignments (Advising defendants of rights and penalties)

4. Guilty pleas
a. Where defendant is represented by an attorney
b. Where defendant is not represented by an attorney

5. Litigated motions

6. Not guilty pleas
a. Where defendant is represented by an attorney
b. Where defendant is not represented by an attorney

The more serious Criminal offenses, called indictable offenses, are scheduled for an "arraignment or first appearance" in the Municipal Court. The charges will be explained and your right to an attorney will be discussed. These charges are forwarded to the Mercer County Prosecutor. An application for public defender representation in Superior Court will be completed at the municipal court and forwarded to the Superior Court.

The first time the defendant will appear before the judge to be advised of the charges against him or her and what the possible penalties can be is called an arraignment or first appearance. In some instances, only the defendant will be required to appear at that date. If this is the case, an opportunity to present both defendants' and complainants' case will be scheduled for a future date.

In other instances both the defendant and the complainant are noticed to appear on that first date. If this is the case, the judge may proceed with a plea or trial. At this appearance, the judge may also order all parties to mediation.

Complainant:
The complainant is the person who signed the complaint. This can be a private citizen or police officer. The State's representation in municipal court is the municipal prosecutor. Once a complaint has been filed, it cannot be withdrawn and it cannot be dismissed without the consent of the municipal prosecutor. The complainant may be called as a witness for the state.

Defendant:
The defendant is the person formally accused of the violation. The defendant will be informed of the charges, possible penalties, and his or her right to an attorney. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The burden of proof is always on the state. The prosecutor must prove that the defendant committed each part of the offense charged. The defendant has the right to testify or not testify.

Victim:
If there is a trial, the victim may be called as a witness. If the defendant pleads guilty, no trial is needed but the victim has the right to address the court before the judge decides what sentence to impose.

Prosecutor:
The prosecutor is the lawyer hired by the municipality to represent the state.

Public Defender:
The public defender is the lawyer hired by the municipality to represent those defendants who cannot afford an attorney.

Defense Attorney:
The defense attorney is the lawyer hired by the defendant.

Witness:
The witness is someone who testifies or offers evidence in court.

A defendant is entitled to be represented by the public defender when:

- The charge presents a risk of the defendant going to jail, losing driving privileges, or receiving a substantial fine, and

- The court determines that the defendant is unable to afford an attorney

The defendant will be required to complete an application form that can be obtained from the court. The judge will review the application and based on eligibility guidelines established, decide if the defendant qualifies for a public defender. If the town has established an ordinance, a fee of up to $200 may be imposed on the defendant for services of the public defender. Hopewell Township has adopted such an ordinance.

Before trial, a defendant may speak with the prosecutor to try to settle his or her case through a plea agreement.

The New Jersey Supreme Court allows plea agreements to be made within the municipal courts, except in drunk driving and certain drug-related cases. A plea agreement is an agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor about how the case will be resolved. In exchange for a guilty plea, the prosecutor may amend the charge to one that is less serious or that may result in fewer points on one's license. Certain charges may be dismissed or a specific sentence may be recommended. The judge must approve all plea agreements.

There are no jury trials in the municipal court. On the trial date, the judge will take testimony from all witnesses under oath. The defendant and his or her lawyer, if represented, will sit at one table. The prosecutor will sit at the other table. Witnesses may be asked to stay outside the courtroom until it is their turn to testify. The prosecutor will go first and will present any witnesses or evidence needed to prove the charge against the defendant. Each witness will either swear or affirm to tell the truth. As each witness for the prosecution testifies, the defendant or his or her lawyer, if represented, will have an opportunity to ask questions about the testimony. This is called cross-examination.

Once the prosecution is finished, it will be the defendant's turn. The defendant may present witnesses or other evidence to disprove the prosecutor's case. The defendant does not have to provide any information and does not have to testify. It is up to the prosecution to prove the case "beyond a reasonable doubt."

When all the witnesses have testified, the defendant or his or her lawyer may tell the judge why the case was not proven against the defendant.

The judge, after hearing all the testimony and witnesses, will make the decision whether the case has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If the judge finds the defendant "not guilty," the case is over.

If the judge finds the defendant "guilty," the judge will sentence the defendant.

Fines:
The judge must follow the law in deciding the amount of any fine imposed. Sometimes there are minimum penalties and mandatory assessments that must be imposed by the law. Fines are generally expected to be paid at the time they are imposed.

The judge may allow the fine to be paid in installments if the he/she is satisfied that payment cannot be made in full. You may apply for partial payments by filling out a form. The judge will then make a decision about your payment arrangements. You will sign a court order that will explain the terms of your payments. Failure to comply with this order may result in a warrant for your arrest and/or suspension of your driving privileges.

Jail:
The maximum jail term that can be imposed for offenses heard in municipal court is six months. The sentence is served at the Mercer County Correction Center. Work release or SLAP is coordinated through the Mercer County Correction Center Work Release Administrator.

License Suspension:
Some offenses require suspension of your driving privileges for a minimum period. You cannot drive for any reason until the period of suspension ends, you have paid your restoration fee to the Motor Vehicle Commission, and have received written notification from the Motor Vehicle Commission that your driving privileges have been restored. If your license has been suspended for failure to appear, pay fines or comply with a condition of your sentence, it generally will not be restored until your case is completed.

Community Service:
By law, the judge must order community service for certain traffic and criminal offenses. The Mercer County Probation Division is responsible for the placement and monitoring of defendants who have been sentence to community service. Failure to perform community service may result in the case being returned to court.

Points/Surcharges:
In addition to penalties imposed by the court for moving traffic violations, the Motor Vehicle Commission may also assess points on your driving record. Most violations result in two points, but it can be as high as eight for a single offense. The New Jersey Department of Insurance may also assess surcharges on insurance payments.

The judge or court administrator may suggest that the parties try to settle their differences through mediation. This is a confidential process which allows the parties to meet with mediators who will aid them in resolving their dispute. You may request mediation before your court date and the court will decide if your case is eligible. Often mediation takes place on the same day as court. If this is not possible, a future date will be assigned. You may request mediation instead of filing a formal complaint.

This procedure allows defendants charged with certain drug offenses to be monitored for a period of time determined by the court. The judge may require the defendant to attend drug counseling and have random drug tests. To be eligible, a defendant must have:

- Never been convicted of a drug offense in any state or federal court, and

- Never been granted a conditional discharge before, and

- Never received pre-trial intervention or pre-trial diversion in any state or federal court

If granted a conditional discharge, the defendant must pay mandatory assessments and the judge may suspend their driving privileges. If during the monitoring period no additional offenses have been committed, and there is compliance with all conditions (including satisfying all financial obligations), the original charge(s) will be dismissed.

If you do not agree with the Court's decision, you may appeal to the Mercer County Superior Court. The appeal does not involve a new trial. No new testimony or new witnesses may be considered. The Superior Court reviews the transcript of the municipal court trial and the decision of the municipal court judge, and will reverse the decision only if there has been a mistake regarding the facts of the law.

An appeal must be filed within 20 days of the municipal court judge's decision. A filing fee and transcript deposit is due at that time. Upon request, the court administrator will supply the defendant with all of the necessary forms to be filed with the court office to appeal the decision. The defendant may request that his or her penalty be stayed pending the appeal. The municipal court judge will decide whether or not to do so.

Taxes are due on the first day of February, May, August and November.

Tax bills are mailed in July. Each bill contains 4 tear off stubs for the 3rd and 4th quarters of the current year, and the 1st and 2nd quarters of the next year. Original bills are mailed to those who pay their own taxes, banks and mortgage companies.
Property owners who pay their taxes through their mortgage company receive advice copies of the tax bill. This advice copy can be used to make tax payments if a mortgage has been paid off by the property owner. Please read both the front and back of the bill.
If improvements to the property have been completed prior to October 1st of the tax year, a second tax billing will be made to the owners of that property. The Assessor will notify you of the additional assessed value and what time period it covers. The amount of taxes due for November, February and May will be the sum of the two bills. For questions,

Taxes can be paid with cash, personal or certified checks, and money orders. You may bring in your payment, use the drop box, or mail the payment. If you are using the drop box, be aware that the payment will not be considered received until the next business day. If you are mailing, please give it at least 3-5 days to reach us. Postmarks are not accepted. If you use your bank’s in-line payment feature, be aware that a check is cut and mailed to us by the bank. Give at least 7-10 days for this process.
Once the tax sale process has begun, only cash, certified checks, or money orders will be accepted. If you require a receipt, please send the entire bill back with your payment, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Your bill will be receipted and returned to you.
Effective on or about May 15, 2010, on-line payments will be accepted for ACH and credit cards. The fees associated with using this feature do not go to the Township; they are paid to the site provider. If you are listed for tax sale, you may not use this system after the 50th day preceding the tax sale date. (NJSA 5:30-9.2)

You must request in writing to the Collector a statement of redemption. At no time should you approach the lien holder. The request must include the date that you anticipate making payment and a statement of your legal interest in the property. The Collector will provide you with a payoff figure that is computed to the next Committee meeting date. You may be required to provide proof of identity: New Jersey Tax Sale Law only allows "interested parties" the right to redeem.
Upon receipt of the redemption figure, payment must be made at least one week prior to the scheduled Committee meeting. The only accepted forms of payment are cash, certified check, or money order. The Collector will notify the Lien Holder that payment has been received, and request the lien certificate from the holder. This certificate will be forwarded to you; you will then have the lien removed at the County.
For more information, view

Taxes are determined by applying the Township tax rate to the assessed value of your property. Every property in the Township pays the same tax rate. Property values, however, are unique to each property. To lower your tax exposure, you need to lower the assessed value. In order to appeal, you must file by April 1, and taxes must be current through the first quarter of the year. The Office of the Tax Assessor can help you file your appeal.

The State of New Jersey offers two deductions at the local level; one for Seniors and Disabled citizens, and one for Veterans. Each deduction reduces taxes by $250.00 per year. There is also an exemption for disabled Veterans, where the disability was caused by their service in the Armed Forces.
For more information,

The total tax levy to be collected is the sum of the local budget and the budgets of the School board, County, Fire Districts, and Open Space programs. This figure is divided by the total assessments in the Township to produce the tax rate. That tax rate is then applied to individual assessments.
The first half of your tax bill is estimated, and equal to one-half of the total prior year taxes. It is estimated because the rate cannot be computed until all budgets have been approved; that occurs in June. The second half tax bill is computed by applying the new tax rate to the current year assessment, then deducting the amount billed in the first half.

NJSA 54:4-67 states that if payment is not received by the end of business hours on the 10th day of the grace period, interest is to be charged. Interest is 8% per annum on the first $1,500.00 of delinquency; balances in excess of $1,500.00 have an interest rate of 18% per annum. This 18% rate remains in place until the taxes are brought current. Interest is charged from the 1st of the month that the payment is due, or the date of last payment.
In addition, if the total balance (tax and interest) exceeds $10,000.00 on December 31, a 6% penalty shall be added to the amount due the Township.
Under this statute, the collector must have physical possession of the payment; no postmarks are accepted. Also, any payment placed in the Township drop box is considered as received the next business day. For questions,

NJSA 54:4-64 states that failure to receive a bill does not invalidate the tax due; it is the property owner’s responsibility to ascertain from the proper official (Tax Collector) the amount due. If you have recently purchased the property, or lost your bill, you should call the Tax Collector to obtain the amount due, and request a copy of the bill.

Delinquent prior year taxes, utility charges and other Township charges will be sold to the highest bidder in the form of liens. The Township holds an annual tax sale for those properties delinquent for the prior year.
The State requires that any property listed for tax sale be publicly published and posted in the Township. The costs of publication and sale are added to the amount to be sold. Upon the sale of these liens, the purchasers (Lien Holders) may pay current year delinquencies, and add those balances to the lien. Lien Holders must wait two years before they can begin to foreclose a property. The property owner may redeem the lien at any time prior to foreclosure, through the Office of the Tax Collector.
The Township does not sell properties for unpaid taxes. To obtain more information on the tax sale process, view

There are three reasons why the Township Committee is considering buying Pennytown:

- First, because it is available.

- Second, because it is a unique site in the township in that it has its own sewage treatment plant and is part of a sewer service area.

- Third, because it can help the Township meet its pressing need to build affordable housing.

Yes, we are paying fair market value for the property. Three appraisals have been done on the property, each by a state-certified appraiser. Two of the appraisals were commissioned by the Township and one was commissioned by the seller. The two Township appraisals valued the property at $6,100,000 and $6,000,000, while the seller's appraisal valued the property at $5,825,000. All three appraisals were consistent with the assessed value of the property for tax purposes, which is $6,100,000, a number that was affirmed by the Tax Court in 2007 after the owner filed a tax appeal. The price the Township would pay is $6.1 million.

The property has not been maintained by its current owner, and is in foreclosure. The holder of the mortgage anticipates taking title and has shopped the property to different commercial buyers. He also approached the Township and asked whether we would be interested in purchasing the property.

The property is in the SC-1 shopping center zone. This zoning permits retail sales, personal services, offices, clinics, theaters, banks, night clubs, bars, restaurants, motels, and other uses. Given the limits on development imposed by the size of the treatment plant, a commercial development could be between 112,000 and 140,000 square feet, depending on the use. By way of contrast, the existing development – two houses, an office, two restaurants, a motel and retail stores -- fill approximately 60,000 square feet, which is just half of what could be built at the site.

Hopewell Township has limited sewage treatment capacity. There is no large-scale treatment plant in the Township, and the Township is not a full member of a regional treatment authority like the Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Authority (SBRSA) or the Ewing-Lawrence Sewage Authority (ELSA). In fact, the EPA has said that Hopewell cannot build a treatment plant because of concerns about water quality in the Delaware River. In the southern portion of the township some neighborhoods, such as Brandon Farms, have tied into the ELSA system, but approximately 90% of the land in the Township still has no access to sewer service and must rely on septic systems for waste treatment. Other than Princeton Farms, which was forced to tie into the SBRSA system in 1989 after its small treatment plant failed, and the BPG site on Carter Road, which has its own limited treatment potential, the only area north of the Pennington Circle that has sewage treatment capacity is Pennytown. Without sewers, the township is unable to develop at the density needed to meet its affordable housing requirement.

Two reasons. First, the New Jersey Supreme Court's Mt. Laurel decisions in 1975 and 1983 established that municipalities have a constitutional obligation to provide real housing opportunities for low and moderate income households, and that towns cannot enact exclusionary zoning that prevents affordable housing from being built. The Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) was created in 1985 to help towns meet this constitutional obligation. As a state agency, COAH develops formulas for determining what a municipality's "fair share" of affordable housing will be, and if a municipality complies with COAH rules, it is immune from lawsuits from developers who claim that the town has not meet its affordable housing obligation.

Second, since 1985, COAH has enacted three separate sets of fair share calculations for each of three separate rounds of review. The most recent, known as the "Round Three" rules, were adopted in June, 2008. However, COAH's third round actually began in January, 2004. The town's fair share obligation that accumulated from 2004 until this year, when the new rules were finally adopted, must be filled within two years of COAH certifying the township's affordable housing plan. As a result, Hopewell must plan to meet this "retroactive" need immediately.

The guidelines for qualifying for affordable housing are set by the Council on Affordable Housing. "Low income housing" is housing that can be afforded by a household earning up to on half of the median income for a household of that size in the region. At present, a family of four with a gross income of $42,283 would qualify for low income housing. "Moderate income housing" is housing that can be afforded by a household earning between 50 and 80% of the median income for a household of that size in the region. At present, a family of four with a gross income of $67,653 would qualify for moderate income housing.

The COAH rules are complex, but we have calculated Hopewell's current affordable housing requirement to be 419 units. Of that, approximately 130 units are required to meet Hopewell's retroactive need.

We must submit a Round Three compliance plan by December 31, 2008. The compliance plan provides for phasing the construction of affordable housing over the next 10 years, through 2018.

If a town does not meet its affordable housing requirement, it looses its immunity from lawsuit, and a developer would then be permitted to sue the town and ask the court to allow the developer to build the affordable housing. These lawsuits, known as "builder's remedy" lawsuits, are costly to defend, but more importantly, they can cause the town to lose control of its zoning and planning process. In a builder's remedy lawsuit, the planning process takes place in the courtroom, rather than at the Planning Board and Township Committee. Furthermore, developers that build affordable housing are entitled to build market-rate housing as well. By including these market rate units in the development, a developer could be permitted to build five times the amount of housing that would otherwise be required. Finally, if we fail to meet COAH's deadlines, COAH can seize the funds that the township has been collecting from developers for its affordable housing trust fund under the theory that if the town won't use the money to provide affordable housing, the state will.

Yes. As residents, we know Hopewell to be a wonderful place to live. We take pride in our beautiful landscape and our unique rural-suburban mix. Hopewell is appealing to developers for these very same reasons. Right now, developers and their attorneys are looking closely at towns like Hopewell. One prominent law firm's website says, "Towns that are subject to this [December 1, 2008] deadline and who fail to file with COAH by that date loose their immunity from exclusionary zoning until they do file. Because these towns have an urgent need to prepare and adopt new housing plans over the next ten weeks, this is an opportune time for property owners and builders to propose projects that include both residential and mixed use low and moderate income housing."

Developers understand that the best way to force towns to accept development is to claim that they are meeting an unmet affordable housing need. For Hopewell, risking a developers-remedy lawsuit is the ultimate gamble: the town has spent ten years and hundreds of thousands of dollars formulating and defending its 6 and 14 acre zoning, all of which could be overturned by a developer who successfully argues that the township has not met its constitutional obligation to provide for affordable housing. Such a lawsuit could easily result in high density development throughout the Township.

Development of affordable housing at Pennytown would have no adverse impact on firefighting in the area. Currently, the pond at the site provides water that can be used for firefighting, and that would not change. On the contrary, if the pond is dredged as part of the development, it will become a better fire protection resource.

We have asked Matt Mulhall, the hydrogeologist whose research formed the basis for the Township's current zoning, to look at the groundwater resources at the site. Mr. Mulhall reported that "the Pennytown site has unique attributes with respect to water supply and wastewater treatment that make the property favorable for converting from existing commercial operations to affordable housing." He noted that the reported yields from the existing wells at the site were more than enough to meet anticipated residential demands; and that in addition, the site is located near a fault zone that is a significant groundwater resource, and is above a rock formation that is the best water supply aquifer in the township.

A detailed traffic study will be performed as part of the detailed site planning process. However, the estimate of the total trip load for a 70-unit residential development is significantly less than the trip load for a commercial development that could be built at the site under the current zoning. Seventy affordable units at the site would generate 474 total daily trips. This is 13% of the 3,612 total daily trips the site as it currently exists is calculated to generate, and 27% of the 1,728 total daily trips the site would generate if it were converted to a 140,000 square-foot office use.

Under the agreement of sale, the township has the right to perform Phase I and Phase II environmental audits and a groundwater assessment. If the results of the audit are unsatisfactory to the township, it has the right to declare the agreement null and void.

The seller must demolish the existing buildings before closing, with the exception of the office building on Route 654 and the HI Ribs restaurant. The restaurant lease runs through April 30, 2010, and therefore the restaurant property will be subdivided from the remainder and then deeded to the Township after the lease expires.

The Township would close on the property (with the exception of the HI Ribs parcel) by June 30, 2009. The site is slated for development between 2011 and 2012, according to the Township's proposed affordable housing implementation phasing plan.

Pennytown is actually next to residential zoning districts or land uses on all sides, except for a small portion on the southern end near the pond and across Pennington Hopewell Road (Route 654) at the Kootronics/Pennwell site. That adjacent Kooltronics/Pennwell site has been designated as a "hamlet" in the township's zoning ordinance, meaning that a small compact development with a mix of uses could be built there. The use of Pennytown for residential purposes fits well with this "hamlet" concept. Also, Pennytown's access to Route 31, its location between two traffic signals, and its proximity to Hopewell Borough (which is four minutes away) and commercial services to the south make it a reasonable site for affordable housing. We also anticipate that by the time the site is developed, it will be served by New Jersey Transit.

Building affordable housing at the Pennytown site also has the advantage of distributing the township's affordable housing obligation in a fair and equitable manner. The township's affordable housing should not be concentrated in any single area of the township.

It's too soon to tell. Affordable housing can take many different forms. The township would work with the selected developer to ensure that the end product is aesthetically pleasing, fits the character of the area, and enhances this stretch of Route 31.

Again, it's too soon to tell. We will work with the developer to come up with a product that makes the most economic sense and provides stability for the site.

We have proposed that the Pennytown property be purchased with a combination of affordable housing funds (which are only available if the property is used for affordable housing) and municipal borrowing. The down payment would be from the Township Affordable Housing Trust Fund, while the balance will be financed over40 years. It is anticipated that this financing will be reimbursed through the trust fund as that fund is replenished by developers paying development fees.

In the Township certain land uses are allowed in areas where such use is appropriate. Depending on the area and the use a zoning permit may be necessary. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

Interior work such as painting, paneling, tiling, replacement fixtures and / or cabinets do not require a permit. Replacing electrical wiring, plumbing, constructing or removing walls does require a permit. Permits are also required for decks, fences, and shed. Contact the Construction Department at 609-737-0612 for more information.

Taxes are due on the first day of February, May, August and November.

DOMESTIC ANIMAL BITES All domsestic animal (dogs / cats) bites must be reported to the local health department. If the bite occurs during normal business hours (Monday through Friday – 8:30-4:30) contact Animal Control at (609) 737-0120. Contact the Police Department at (609) 737-3100 at all other times. Be sure to obtain the name, address, phone number and description of the animal's owner at a minimum. If an involved party is leaving without providing information, write down a license plate or other information that would assist in locating the individual. Do not attempt to detain anyone. Domestic animal bites involving humans requires a 10 day quarantine of the biting animal for rabies observation. This will help the bitten person avoid post exposure rabies prophylaxis. WILDLIFE BITES If bitten by wildlife, it is critical to maintain sight of the animal until police or animal control arrive and capture the animal. If the animal cannot be tested for rabies, the bitten individual will require post exposure prophylaxis.