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Dear Neighbors,
2008 is off to a fast start. There are a
lot of new, interesting items to update you
on. So without wasting any more time, here
they are.
Landlord
Registration Ordinance: On
March 4th, the Township Committee plans to
introduce a Landlord Registration Ordinance
that will require all landlords who rent
residential property in Lumberton to register
with the township, maintain their rental
properties to the building code, and hold
landlords accountable for renting to tenants
who are convicted of repetitive violations of
the peace and crimes against people and property in the neighborhood. Under the
ordinance, landlords who do not maintain their
rental properties to code or continue to rent
to tenants with repetitive convictions for
violating the peace or crimes against people
or property, can be fined and have their
rental license revoked.
Feral Cat
Ordinance: On February 6th,
the Township Committee amended the Township's
Animal Control ordinances to allow for a Trap,
Neuter and Release (TNR) management program
for feral and stray cats. The new
ordinance decriminalizes feeding and assisting
feral and stray cats for care providers who
register with the Burlington County Feral Cat
Initiative. The ordinance also provides assistance to enable
the Burlington County Feral Cat Initiative
staff to trap, vaccinate, neuter and then
release the cats. Feral cat populations
have been growing in South Jersey for several
years. The TNR program is expected to
help reduce the rate of growth and reduce the
risk associated with unvaccinated feral
cats. The Township Committee agreed to
participate in the program after the
Burlington County Feral Cat Initiative and a
Lumberton resident agreed to cover the
additional costs associated with the
program. This spring, the Burlington
County Feral Cat Initiative is expected to
launch a community outreach program to
identify and provide training to feral cat
care givers.
Super
Wal-Mart: On February 21st, the Land
Development Board provided preliminary
approval for Wal-Mart's expansion to a Super
Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart will have to appear
before the Land Development Board to get final
approval for their expansion plan that shows
the minor changes that the Land Development
Board insisted upon.
Low Income
Housing: The New Jersey
Department of Community Affairs proposed new
low income housing mandates on
municipalities. The proposed new
requirements mandates Lumberton build
several hundred more low income housing than
the 2005 mandates. The state arrives at
these numbers by projecting housing and
business growth over the next 10 years using
historical growth figures. The rules are
also retroactive to all development since
January 1, 2004. The Township Committee
plans to challenge the underlying assumptions
used to calculate Lumberton's obligation and
fight the entire mandate.
Community
Forestry Grant: Lumberton Township
has received a $3,000 grant to conduct a
community forestry study and develop a
Forestry Plan. By completing the study,
and adopting a forestry plan, Lumberton will
become eligible for a wider range of state and
federal grants.
Gypsy Moth
Spraying: Lumberton applied for
state Gypsy Moth spraying for 48 acres in the
Bella Road area. The State will spray
one application of the chemical BT to help kill the Gypsy
Moth caterpillars. One spray is quoted to
be 60% effective. BT usually
requires two applications to be most
effective, but the NJ Forestry Division will
only provide one application this year because of the
large area that they have to cover
statewide. Last year, many of the trees
in this area were completely defoliated by the
Gypsy Moth caterpillars. The anticipated
spray date for Lumberton is May 5th.
Crispin Road
Bridge: The Burlington County
Road Department applied to the State
Department of Environmental Protection for
wetland encroachment permits to replace the
Crispin Road Bridge. The new bridge will
reduce some of the bend in Crispin Road
improving visibility and it will also have a
separate pedestrian/bike lane. No date
has been set on when construction will begin.
CASA Comes
to Burlington County: A new chapter
of CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates for
Children, has been formed in a local chapter
in Burlington County. CASA's mission is
to advocate for children in the public welfare
system including foster care and group
homes. CASA is made up of volunteers who
work for courts in the child's best interest
to cut through the bureaucracy to help
children in the system. The new group is
looking for volunteers. If you are
interested in learning more, contact Elizabeth
Palmese at epalmese@comcast.net.
FIOS Coming
in 2008: In the next few weeks,
Verizon will be applying for permits to start
wiring Lumberton with fiber optic cable to
carry their cable TV and high speed internet
service. Verizon expects to start
offering service in Lumberton later this year.
Community
Calendar: Here are some upcoming
events in Lumberton. More events can be found
on the Lumberton E-News Community
Calendar.
You
can also add your own events to the Community
Calendar - no middleman!
-
Blarney
Bash Benefit: The 6th
Annual Blarney Benefit to support Early
Intervention Scholarships for Children
with Autism will be on March 1st from
7-11 PM at the Elks Lodge in
Bordentown. Tickets are $45 and
include an Irish feast, open bar, DJ and
dancing. There will be a bus from
Lumberton to the event. To
purchase tickets or reserve a spot on
the bus, contact Kathy Gee at tkgee@comcast.net.
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Mulch
Sale: Boy Scout Troop 5 is
holding its annual much sale.
There are three pick up and delivery
dates set: March 15, April 12 and
April 26. Click
here to learn more and print an
order from.
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GLRBA
Scholarship Dinner: The
Greater Lumberton Regional Business
Association will hold its 2nd Annual
Scholarship Dinner Dance on April 4th
from 7-11 PM at the Ramblewood County
Club in Mount Laurel. The proceeds
from the event support college
scholarships to local high school
students. To learn more or
purchase tickets, contact info@glrba.org.
-
Arbor
Day: The Township will be
holding a small Arbor Day celebration on
Saturday, April 26th at 1:30 PM at the
municipal playground. There will
be refreshment and other
entertainment. Small tree saplings
will be given out to the first 100
people. For more information,
contact Stephanie Yurko at 267-3217.
As always, thanks for reading and thanks
for your continued support.
Pat Delany
122 Kingsbridge
Drive
Lumberton, NJ
08048
(609)
560-8045
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