Millburn Township is proposing to overhaul the paperwork required for exterior work on properties covered by its historic preservation rules, introducing a revised checklist that separates minor projects from those requiring a full commission hearing, along with new fees tied to each track. The Millburn Township Committee introduced Ordinance 2780-26 on October 20, and a public hearing is scheduled for November 10.
The ordinance, titled “Adopt Updated Checklist. Instructions and Application,” would replace the Historic Preservation Commission's existing certificate-of-appropriateness application and its corresponding checklist, according to TAPinto Millburn/Short Hills. The hearing date and ordinance title are confirmed in township records listed on the Millburn Township website, which shows the measure set for consideration on November 10.
Under Millburn's existing historic preservation ordinance, property owners already need a Certificate of Appropriateness before starting work on a designated historic landmark or a property inside a historic district, per the township's municipal code. The township's own FAQ page notes that residents within the Historic District “may need approval” from the commission for work on their properties, though the available guidance stops short of saying every project triggers that requirement.
What the New Checklist Would Require
The proposed checklist would distinguish minor applications from regulatory applications that go before the full commission, TAPinto's report indicates. For any application, owners would need to supply property and contact information, photographs of current conditions, a survey showing the proposed changes, and a written description of the work and materials involved.
Projects touching additions, new construction, demolition, relocation, windows, doors, porches, lighting, fences, mechanical equipment, paving, storefronts, signs, or solar panels could require additional documentation beyond that baseline. Applications involving façade changes, additions, or new construction would specifically need scaled construction drawings and three-dimensional renderings, per the same account.
Added Scrutiny for Demolition Requests
Proposed demolitions would face the steepest documentation bar under the new checklist. Applicants would need to submit a statement explaining the need for demolition, documentation of the structure's history and architectural features, and, where applicable, evidence that alternatives to demolition were explored.
On fees, the proposed checklist sets a $200 charge for minor applications, while cases reviewed by the full commission would carry a $1,500 escrow, according to TAPinto's reporting. That escrow would not apply to minor applications. For comparison, the current application form — adopted by the Millburn Historic Preservation Commission on July 2, 2017, and still posted on the township's document center — lists a $200 application fee alongside a $750 escrow fee for full-commission applications, a notably lower figure than what's being proposed.
That 2017 form also calls for photographs of each building elevation and 15 copies of a property survey or site plan where applicable, giving a sense of the paperwork load the new checklist is meant to update. The existing form further states that the commission must decide a complete application within 45 days of submission.
Next Steps for the Ordinance
Before it can move forward, Ordinance 2780-26 must be referred to the Planning Board for review of its consistency with the township's master plan. The measure's path through that review, and any changes stemming from the November 10 public hearing, had not been reported as of publication.
