Check before exterior work begins
Before ordering final plans, applying for related permits, or beginning work, ask the Commission Secretary whether the property is a locally designated landmark or lies within a locally designated historic district. Local designation is separate from listing in the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places.
Call the Borough at 201-327-2609, extension 225. Request written confirmation when a formal property-status determination is needed.
For a locally regulated property, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before a related permit is issued or, when no other permit is required, before covered work begins.
Demolition or relocation
Demolishing or relocating a landmark or an improvement within a historic district requires review.
Exterior changes
Additions, alterations, and replacements that change exterior appearance may require a certificate.
Construction or subdivision
New principal or accessory structures, and subdivisions that allow new structures, require review when Chapter 125 applies.
Signs or exterior lighting
New or changed signs and exterior lighting on a regulated property require review.
Repainting, repair, or exact replacement generally does not require a certificate. If the color or exterior surface material changes, the exception applies only when the proposed selection was previously approved under applicable Commission regulations. Confirm an exception before relying on it. Interior arrangement is not considered by the Commission.
Commission role and historic status
The Commission prepares and updates historic-resource information, makes recommendations concerning the Historic Preservation Plan Element, advises the Planning Board and Zoning Board on referred applications, decides local Certificate of Appropriateness matters, shares preservation information, and guides the Museum and Bishop House advisory committees as provided by Chapter 125.
Local designation controls local review
A survey entry, Commission recommendation, or State or National Register listing does not by itself establish local designation. Borough regulation is based on adopted local designation records and Chapter 125.
Request the adopted list and map
Ask the Secretary for the current adopted Landmarks Designation List and Landmarks Map. The 2010 Master Plan identifies resources for consideration but is not a substitute for the adopted designation records.
Application and review process
Chapter 125 uses a preapplication and classification process. Filing a form at least 10 days before a meeting does not by itself establish completeness or guarantee placement on that agenda.
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Confirm jurisdiction
Contact the Secretary to confirm local designation status and the municipal reviews that may apply.
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Submit the preapplication
Submit the Commission’s required form not less than 10 calendar days before a meeting. Contact the Secretary before filing to confirm the current form, intake method, and required preliminary zoning documentation.
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Receive a minor or major classification
The Commission reviews the proposed work and classifies the matter. A major application requires a complete full application and formal notice.
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Complete the required materials and notice
Provide plans, photographs, drawings, ownership information, and any notice proofs required for the classification. The Secretary determines when a major application is complete.
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Attend review and receive written action
The Commission considers the historic-preservation issues at a public meeting and memorializes its action by resolution with findings and conclusions.
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Obtain every remaining approval before work
A Landmarks approval does not replace zoning, land use, construction, sign, or other approvals. Follow all conditions and approved plans.
Chapter 125 requires notice by certified mail to owners within 200 feet and published notice at least 10 days before the hearing. New Jersey’s legal-publication law changed on March 1, 2026. Obtain the current written notice form, eligible publication instructions, property-owner list procedure, and filing deadline from the Secretary before serving or publishing notice. Do not rely on an older newspaper name or packet.
How the Commission’s action works
When a land use board is also involved
The Commission’s historic-preservation action serves as a recommendation to the Planning Board or Zoning Board. The land use board decides the complete development application.
When only an administrative permit is involved
A denial requires the administrative officer to deny the related permit. Conditions imposed by the Commission must be included in the permit.
Decision period and validity
A major application is decided within 45 days after the Secretary declares it complete, unless the applicant and Commission agree to an extension. A certificate lapses if the work is not substantially completed within two years, unless extended.
Appeals
An applicant may appeal a denial or condition to the Mayor and Council under Chapter 125. Review the written decision and contact the Municipal Clerk promptly. Contacting staff does not extend or preserve a deadline.
Starting regulated work without the required certificate may result in restoration orders, penalties, or court action. See Chapter 125 for the controlling standards, procedures, and enforcement provisions.
Meetings and public information
2026 meeting information
The annual schedule lists Landmarks meetings at 7:00 p.m. and generally on the second Monday, with no regular meetings in July, August, November, or December. Dates have changed and special meetings have been added during 2026.
Remaining regular meeting dates listed for 2026
The annual notice lists these meetings as virtual. Always check the current agenda, Borough calendar, and Public Notices for the final date, format, access instructions, cancellation, or special-meeting notice. Formal action may be taken.
If you need a disability-related accommodation or alternate format to attend or participate, call 201-327-2609, extension 225, as early as possible. Requests received later will be considered to the extent feasible.
Agendas, minutes, and records
Current meeting records are available through Granicus. Older records remain in the Borough’s annual archives. An agenda is not a decision, and draft minutes should not be treated as approved until the record identifies them as approved.
Commission members
The roster below reflects the latest official 2026 appointment and meeting records located during this review. Check the most recent minutes for any later reorganization or appointment.
- Greg Boyajian Class A Member
- Mary Bello
- Ferne Lambert
- Maria Harper
- Lisa Lopiccolo
- Karen Williamson
- Gloria Blumenthal
- John May Vice Chair
- Jonathan Kurpis Chair, Class B Member, and Council Liaison
- Luis DePaz Commission Secretary