Millburn shifts downtown parking back to parallel spaces
Township leaders say a final parking layout is close, with temporary striping expected within about a week and a fuller street redesign targeted for August.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — business administrator report, public comments raise minutes, survey, and, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
The township is backing away from reverse angle parking and preparing drivers for a two-lane, parallel-parking setup before permanent sidewalk work begins.
Downtown parking is about to change again. In a report delivered through the Business Administrator, the township said it was nearing a final decision on the parking experiment in Millburn’s business district. After trying angle parking and reverse angle parking, the township now expects to return to parallel parking, with changes beginning within about a week.
The plan described to the Explore Millburn-Short Hills board keeps the bumpouts in place and reduces part of the roadway from three lanes to two. Officials said that shift, along with the curb width, creates extra room that will later become sidewalk space. Before construction starts, the township plans to use temporary paint and striping and add poles like the ones around the bumpouts so drivers can get used to the new layout.
The discussion pointed to areas including Millburn Avenue and Lackawanna, where some stretches would stay at three lanes while others would narrow. The biggest change, the report said, comes where bumpouts alter the amount of usable road space. The township is aiming for the final arrangement in August, a month it described as relatively quiet. The message relayed to the board and public was clear: Millburn is moving away from reverse angle parking and toward a parallel-parking configuration with interim markings first.
Public comments raise minutes, survey, and governance concerns
Public comment turned to the board’s own record. Speakers questioned prior meeting minutes, wording tied to litigation, the board’s structure, and a merchant survey that had gone out without advance notice to Explore.
Board members answered several of those points on the record. They said requested corrections to the minutes would be reviewed and rejected an allegation involving political solicitation. They also addressed concerns about downtown cleanliness and the survey process.
The exchange widened into a discussion about how Explore communicates and how it plans for staffing. That left the board with a familiar local-government task: not just deciding policy, but explaining how decisions are recorded, shared, and carried out.
Board reviews Bear Properties court matters
Counsel briefed the board on several Bear Properties cases, including a pending attorney-fee motion of about $66,000 and July arguments in related matters. The board later went into executive session to discuss a legal issue and took no action when it returned.
The litigation could affect public money and future decisions, with court dates arriving in July.
Explore previews events and downtown promotions
Explore staff and board leaders ran through recent and upcoming programming, from Girls Night Out and Soccer Skills Day to the summer music series, a World Cup final viewing party, and holiday décor. They also pointed to new business openings, a ribbon cutting, staffing support, and sponsorship and grant revenue helping pay for downtown activity.
These events and sponsorships affect downtown foot traffic, business sales, and how public-facing programming is paid for.
Paper Mill seeks Explore marketing match
Kate O’Keefe asked Explore to contribute $1,875 toward a state tourism grant partnership tied to marketing the renovated FM Kirby Carriage House and its programming. Board members pressed for clearer measures of success and stronger links to nearby businesses, while signaling interest in treating 2027 as a pilot year.
Paper Mill sought Explore's $1,875 match for a $15,000 tourism marketing grant partnership.
Board closes session and adjourns
The board approved motions to end public business, close executive session, and adjourn the June 25, 2026 meeting. No opposition was recorded in the transcript.
procedural
- Millburn Special Improvement District (Explore Millburn-Short Hills Business Organization). During public comment, speakers raised concerns about inaccuracies and omissions in prior minutes, requested corrections regarding litigation status and terminology, asked for board email addresses, questioned board election/appointment structure, and criticized a township survey sent to merchants without Explore’s advance notice.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Millburn had 18 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
SHARED THIS WEEK BY · Stephanie Mallios/Compass REExperience is Key →
- GOVERNANCEApplication hearing and approval: retaining walls and steep slope disturbance; technical variance to memorialize prior setback condition (Calendar 408626). The board heard an application involving four retaining walls to stabilize steep slopes after storm-related erosion at a recently constructed corner-lot home. The applicant sought variances for steep slope disturbance (about 2,000 sq ft over the threshold), retaining wall height (about 1 ft over the limit), and a technical variance to address a previously granted front-yard setback condition. The board approved unanimously.
- GOVERNANCEApplication hearing and approval: driveway/garage access, front-yard impervious coverage, retaining walls, and steep slope disturbance (Calendar 407126). The board heard a continued application (Calendar 407126, previously carried from 4/13/26) involving driveway configuration, front-yard impervious coverage, and retaining walls/steep slope disturbance. The applicant presented new renderings and revised engineering exhibits (including A2 and A3) and the board approved the application with the revised plan eliminating a central driveway connection to reduce impervious coverage.
- GOVERNANCEInterim executive director appointed after staff departure. The board thanked a departing marketing director and then appointed Michelle Lemieux as interim executive director through December 31, 2026. Members discussed that the agreement would be with her company, Radiancy Communications, and might need scope clarification or amendments.
- GOVERNANCEApplication hearing and approval: front-yard setback variance for expanded entry porch and side-yard setback variance for second-story reconfiguration (51 Sagamore). The board heard an application for a modest expansion of a front entry porch that slightly encroached into the front-yard setback and for side-yard setback relief related to a second-story reconfiguration. A neighbor raised questions about side windows and screening. The board approved the application unanimously.
- GOVERNANCEApplication hearing and approval: covered pavilion/pool-side shade structure (Calendar 407726). The board heard an application for a covered pavilion/shade structure in the rear yard near a pool at 10 Farmstead Road. The applicant and architect testified the structure would be bolted to the ground over an existing patio and required a small building coverage variance. The board approved the application unanimously.
- GOVERNANCEApplication hearing opened: 19 Randle Drive (third-car garage addition); matter carried to July 20, 2026 due to board member attendance/voting threshold. The board opened a hearing for a proposed one-story third-car garage addition at 19 Randle Drive, requiring variances for floor area ratio and building coverage. After testimony from the applicant, architect, and planner, the board discussed that only five eligible members were present and that any 4–1 vote would be a statutory denial. The applicant agreed to carry the matter to July 20, 2026 at the library (200 Glen Avenue) with notice required.
- GOVERNANCETwo zoning applications carried to October 5. The board carried two pending matters—521 Millburn Avenue and 31 Talla Court—to October 5. Both were continued without further notice, with the hearing location stated as the Millburn Township Public Library at 7:00 p.m.
- GOVERNANCEApproval of May 28, 2026 public session minutes. The board considered approval of the May 28, 2026 public session minutes. During the roll call, a concern was raised that the minutes had not been read; the vote proceeded and the minutes were approved.
- GOVERNANCEOpen Public Meetings Act notice, roll call, and pledge of allegiance. The chair announced that notice of the meeting was provided pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, led the pledge of allegiance, stated the SID purpose, and conducted roll call establishing attendance.
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