Council introduced an ordinance to prohibit data centers town‑wide and scheduled a July 21 public hearing; several residents urged the council to obtain planning‑board, planner and utility input before final action, citing uncertainties about water, power, noise and local benefits and risks.

Councilors introduced an ordinance to prohibit data centers across township zones and set a July public hearing; public commenters were sharply divided—some urged a preemptive ban citing local water, noise and air concerns, while others urged a measured, planner‑led review and independent engineering for any proposal.

Councilmember Susan Pogue presented a draft ordinance to prohibit data centers in Berkeley Heights, citing concerns about water use, energy demand, noise and long-term infrastructure costs. More than a dozen residents and experts urged the council to adopt a ban; some council members asked for further fiscal analysis before final action.

The council recognized the police department’s reaccreditation by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police; the chief and the accreditation assessor highlighted leadership, training and long-term commitment to professional standards.

A proposed Complete & Green Streets policy was presented to guide future roadway projects toward multimodal safety, stormwater mitigation and pedestrian improvements; the committee will audit existing policies and report, and residents asked about bioswales, sidewalks and downtown lighting.

After lengthy public comment and council debate about justification and cost, the Township Council adopted Ordinance 2026-19 to add a deputy chief, one lieutenant and four patrol officers (six positions total); critics called for published staffing studies and budget impacts while supporters cited rising call volumes.

Berkeley Heights adopted Ordinance 2026-19 to add a deputy chief, an additional lieutenant and four patrol officers after council debate and public comments requesting data; supporters cited rising daytime population and doubled calls for service.

The council adopted Ordinance 2026-18, appropriating $2,505,000 and authorizing $2,399,000 in bonds for sewer improvements. Residents raised odor and mitigation questions; staff noted an $8 million plant upgrade and said wall construction was judged ineffective and cost-prohibitive.

During the public hearing on multiple ordinances, dozens of residents debated a proposed townwide ban on data centers. Speakers raised grid, environmental, economic and procedural concerns; some urged tabling, others urged immediate protection.

Council set Aug. 11 for public hearings after first reading of an ordinance creating a deputy chief position and adding patrol and supervisory positions; residents urged the council to publish staffing analyses and workload data before expanding authorized headcount.

The Township Council adopted Ordinance 20-26-13 to make data centers a prohibited use in every zone. The decision followed a long public hearing in which residents and technical speakers debated grid, environmental, and legal impacts.

Residents from the Woodcrest senior community reported rent increases ranging from 3% to 10% and urged the council to explore rent-stabilization options; council noted state law limits where municipalities can impose rent caps and that any local ordinance likely would not apply to existing leases or buildings under 30 years old.

Several residents reported recurring July outages and urged Berkeley Heights leaders to press JCP&L and the Board of Public Utilities for faster infrastructure fixes; council members said they are coordinating with state representatives and will attend upcoming BPU meetings.

The Township Council adopted an ordinance declaring data centers a prohibited use in all zones, approved clarifying amendments to accessory‑use rules and moved forward on road and sewer funding and a police staffing ordinance to be considered at first reading.

Town Attorney Scott Simon described audit findings that prompted a proposal to dissolve the volunteer Recreation Commission and create a Recreation Department while protecting the recreation trust fund. After hours of public testimony and concerns about transparency and stewardship, the council voted to remove the ordinance from tonight’s agenda for additional review.

JCPNL officials described a multi‑year infrastructure program (Energize NJ) and said Berkeley Heights is scheduled for transmission and distribution improvements; residents and council members pressed the utility for clearer local timelines, outage data and faster remedies for chronic power interruptions.

A packed conference session and extended public comment session followed a town‑attorney presentation proposing to replace the volunteer Recreation Commission with a municipal Recreation Department and advisory committee. Residents, volunteers and commissioners urged the council to pause introduction; the council voted unanimously to remove the ordinance from tonight’s agenda.

JCP&L officials described a multi‑year infrastructure plan—Energize NJ—after the BPU trimmed the company’s ask from roughly $930 million to $212 million; the utility estimated costs at about $0.86 per customer per month and described targeted circuit and substation work. Residents pressed for town‑level timelines and outage data.

Township presenter Alvaro outlined a draft Community Energy Plan focused on transportation electrification, renewable energy and facility efficiency. The plan is aspirational, will be considered for resolution on June 30 and may be submitted to the Board of Public Utilities for grant funding.