No action against Franklin

HARDYSTON — Despite their indignation over the potential inclusion of the Hardyston Township Elementary School's property in a redevelopment district, the school board took no action after last Tuesday's meeting. The board met with its legal counsel for over an hour in closed session to discuss their options, but in the end, Christine Clavin, School Board President, said that no moves would be made at this time. She couldn't comment on what specifically was discussed, but did say that the board could take legal action later on.

Over the last several years, the borough of Franklin has been exploring the possibility of setting up a redevelopment zone in the area along Route 23 that includes the Harydston Elementary School.

A redevelopment area is defined as an area that contains commercial or industrial structures that have been abandoned or have become obsolete to the point that they can no longer be rented or buildings that have deteriorated to the point where they are no longer safe. According to the investigative study done by The Nelson Consulting Group of Wantage Township, however, case law has also allowed local governments to include buildings and properties that while they may not be hazards in themselves, they have to be included to make the redevelopment district contiguous. This is where the elementary school comes in.

The fear is that once the school property is designated part of a redevelopment district, the borough may try to force the district to make changes to the property. And some at last Tuesday's meeting feared that the borough will try to seize the property through use of eminent domain law.

Representatives from the district have spoken up at Franklin's municipal meetings over the course of the process, but to no avail, leading them to consider legal action.

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