Home Care In Rocky Hill, NJ

(Renard Management postponed its meeting before the Montgomery Township Zoning Board. It was scheduled for Thursday, February 22. It is now scheduled for Thursday, March 28, at 7 pm.)

Renard Management appeared before the Montgomery Township Zoning Board of Adjustment on January 23, seeking preliminary and final site plan approval, and asking for multiple variances, to construct a massive self-storage building on a 3-acre site at 1026 County Route 518.

Renard Management’s architect’s rendering of the proposed self-storage facility for Route 518 in Montgomery, by the Rocky Hill border.

Many Rocky Hill residents in the audience asked tough questions during a public comment session, but were not allowed to express their opinions. They will be able to do so once the applicant presents the entire project to the zoning board. The meeting will continue on March 28 because the applicant ran out of time. The zoning board meetings end at 10 pm, and only the civil engineer had provided lengthy testimony on the project.

The property near the corner of routes 206 and 518sold for $2.6 million recently to Yonkers 300 LLC, with an address in Red Bank, according tonjpropertyrecords.com. The LLC is owned by Brooklyn developer Dino Tomasetti, Jr. of Asset Realty & Construction, according to a search on opencorporates.com. Tomasetti’s company recently demolished the building (formerly Princeton Gamma Tech and then an office building), and installed a chain-link fence around the property.

The property at one time was assessed at $3.177 million for tax purposes. Things changed during a winter storm, when heavy snow caused the roof to collapse in 2012. The office building had been empty ever since.

Neighbor Joanna Leonardo, who lives just next door to the site of the proposed self-storage warehouse, shared her impression of the proposal with The Montgomery News during a five-minute break in the meeting. “It’s going to be an eyesore and it will lower our property values,” she said. “But, the Montgomery Zoning Board seems to be asking a lot of good hard questions.” Leonardo is concerned that a three-story building would block the afternoon sun from her family’s property—amongst other things.

Joanna Leonardo and Marvin Conover, her grandfather, live next door to the proposed facility.

The applicant Renard Management of Mahopac, NY and Yonkers 300 LLC of Red Bank, NJ owned by Tomassetti, have made an application to the Montgomery Zoning Board for multiple variances needed in order to construct the project. It is bordered by single-family homes in Rocky Hill Borough to the east, a Wawa convenience store to the west, the ShopRite shopping center to the north, and Route 518 to the south.

Renard’s self-storage facility would consist of two separate buildings. Variances are required for both the building height and floor area ratio. The first building is a 123,259 sf self-storage building, three stories in height. The second building is a “drive-up self-storage building” that is 9,907 sf and one story in height. A parking lot with 16 spaces is proposed between the buildings. Two curb cuts and one driveway is proposed. The driveway forms a “U” shape in the property’s rear, a portion of which is a one-way drive that goes through the center of the three story self-storage building from north to south with access to Route 518.

Rocky Hill Borough Council President Trey Delaney, who attended the meeting, had a prepared statement, but did not have a chance to express his opinion at the meeting. Delaney told The Montgomery News: “Renard Management is asking for a license to build a non conforming building that is exceedingly contrary to the usual rules for Montgomery’s highway commercial zoning. He wanted to ask the Montgomery Zoning Board to reject the request and require Renard to develop plans for a smaller building and footprint that reflect the current zoning requirements for building use, height, square footage, and runoff.

Additionally, Delaney said he would ask the zoning board to stipulate that the six mature hardwood trees along the street be saved so the property would be maturely landscaped along the street to soften the exterior appearance of the industrial building. He also asks that a pedestrian path be included to allow walking access along one side of the site to accommodate the many walkers who use a current pathway through the site to get to the grocery store in the adjacent Montgomery Shopping Center.

Article continues after ad.

The civil engineer for Renard said three of the mature Pin Oak trees along Route 518/Washington Street would be saved. Two would be cut down to accommodate two new driveways into the site. And the sixth oak tree is dying, and will be removed. Renard was also open to installing a pedestrian pathway through the self-storage site, perhaps along the border with Wawa. The developer would need to install steps so that pedestrians could get down a steep hill leading to the Montgomery Shopping Center.

A lawyer for Hilton Realty, owners of the shopping center, took to the podium and asked who would maintain the steps and who would be liable for keeping them clear of snow and ice during inclement weather. Renard suggested the steps are still in a “conceptual” stage and that those things would have to be worked out.

The bigger issue, though, according to Rocky Hill Mayor Bob Uhrik, is whether the old septic system remains under the current site. It is a Superfund site under remediation by the US EPA. A previous owner dumped trichlorobenzenes down the drain into the septic system and polluted the ground water in Montgomery and Rocky Hill. “Was the septic system properly removed,” Uhrik asked at the Zoning Board meeting. No one knew the answer. To be continued at the Feb. 22 Zoning Board meeting.

The Pacific Southern (PS) Model Railroad Show in Rocky Hill will once again be open to the public on October 14 and 15.

The display, which is the size of a basketball court, is a labor of love for the PS members who have hand laid its 10 miles of HO-gauge track, built most of the scenery and many of the buildings, and even written software to help with operations during the club’s six decades.

The HO model railroad display in Rocky Hill.

The abbreviation “HO” stands for “half-O.” The smaller trains were less expensive and took up less space than their larger O-scale cousins, which became popular with people who were moving into small homes and apartments in the 1940s

Member Jim Agallaco says, “There’s a lot of creativity. People who visit the show are amazed by the artistry.”

One example of this is the saw mill that Rocky Hill resident Carl Pate built. He visited saw mills and factories in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine to come up with its design. Its frame, with timbers the size of matchsticks, was constructed from one six-foot by five-inch by three-inch piece of basswood.

Pate used a miniature table saw to cut the width of each board. He says, “Half of the wood was lost in the sawdust during the first cut to create the thickness of miniature lumber board needed to build the building.”

The HO model railroad display in Rocky Hill.

The artistry applies to most of the trains as well. Agallaco states, “Some trains are purchased, but a lot of them are scratch built, or hand made.”

Pate’s circus train took two years to build. Initially 23 cars, the train was later expanded to 35 cars. Pate’s wife Anne recalls, “He’d build things while watching television. Our children knew, ‘Don’t touch Daddy’s stuff!’” The longest train in the show is 75 cars.

The Pate Brothers Circus Tent is modeled after the Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus that Pate saw in Greenwich, Connecticut 50 years ago. Watching the tent as it was raised and later taken down allowed Pate to build his tent like the real thing. After Pate and his family collected sand from a playground in Cos Cob, Connecticut, he sifted it many times before carefully spreading it on the circus floor.

In the last few years, PS members have been constructing a large modular freight yard. It is modeled after New York City’s 28th Street railyard in the 1940’s, and includes a wharf and a container dock area. Agallaco notes, “Before there were interstate highways, this is how New York City was fed.”

Article continues after ad.

Some of the buildings are kits but others are scratch built. Agallaco explains, “The backdrops are photos that were purchased. But the mountains, bridges, and rivers were all hand built.” Some scenes in the PS display are true to life, such as the Port of Montreal and the Tunkhannock Viaduct with the mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania as a backdrop. Others combine the builder’s imagination with actual places. These include Harper’s Ferry, with a ferry boat built by PS founder, Bob Latham; Spike’s Peak; and a small town with a court house, town hall, diner, and hotel.

There is a model of the Rocky Hill train depot, circa 1915. Latham built it from a picture he received from the daughter of a man who worked at the depot. A plaque in front of it explains, “Inside the station is a waiting room, ticket window, and trainmaster office. To the right of the station is a water tower to fill passing steam engines. If you listen carefully, you may hear the water fill ups of some steam engine tenders and workers talking in the background.”

The PS members are currently constructing a train connection that runs below the existing tracks. Agallaco points out, “It’s a simple idea, but a massive amount of work. They’re working from below the display.”

Front and center: Carl Pate of Rocky Hill with members of The Pacific Southern (PS) Model Railroad club.

Recent software updates include those by member Jeff Bernardis to the dispatcher software. The code was originally written by member Geoff Green over several decades. It assists in assigning train routes and controlling their speed and setting switches and signals. It also allows members to see where the trains are via a monitor.

Agallaco says people love finding the “Easter egg” surprises in the display including zip liners, mountain climbers, art students painting inside a building, campers with their tent and campfire, and a forest fire that lights up.

The members of the PS invite the public to come and enjoy this unique 4,000 square foot display which showcases their artistic skills in combination with their electronic and software expertise.

The PS railroad train shows will be held October 14 and 15 at 10 am, 11 am, noon, 2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm at 26 Washington Street in Rocky Hill.

Admission is $10 per person (age 5 and under are free), paid via cash, credit card, or personal check, at the door. Parking is on the street, so arrive early. Each 45-minute show is limited to 50 guests.

Please note that masks are required for all visitors.

Do people often ask you why you live in New Jersey?

For me, the answer is always the same.

Get our free mobile app

You get a little bit of everything all within driving distance.

Beaches, mountains, pinelands, we've got it all.

Plus, we're a short trip to New York City and Philadelphia.

It's often hard to kick the stereotypes for those who love The Garden State.

Here are some of my favorites:

There's nothing to see in New Jersey but highways and factories.The entire state smells like pollution.The Jersey Shore is just like the show "Jersey Shore."All New Jerseyans are rude and aggressive.Everyone in New Jersey is Italian-American.The traffic in New Jersey is always terrible.New Jerseyans only eat pizza and bagels.The entire state is just one big highway.New Jersey is a dangerous state to live in.New Jersey is full of toxic waste dumps.

There's one aspect of the Garden State that many forget. History.

Many centuries' worth of history has shaped our state over time.

As you'll see, several towns are stuck in time.

But that's okay because these places' quirkiness really adds to the charm.

Most of these towns you will likely have never heard of.

Maybe these spots should stay our "secret hidden gems?"

With Spring quickly approaching, many of these tiny towns in New Jersey would make excellent day trips.

30 Special and Unique New Jersey Towns Everyone Must Visit

LOOK: Here are the 25 best places to live in New Jersey

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in New Jersey using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

Mary Jacobs Library — the crown jewel of Rocky Hill according to the mayor — is expected to close in May. Books and staff will be transferred to the new library a mile away in Montgomery, leaving a void in the small town that has hosted the library for almost 50 years.

Mary Jacobs is expected to re-open in September as a mini library, consuming what is now the children’s wing. It would operate on a pilot basis for two years with one staff member, reduced hours, and limited books.

Rocky Hill Borough Council members are encouraging library supporters to attend a “Rally for the Future of MJML Library” on Sunday, April 3, from 2 pm to 4 pm. The event, at the Rocky Hill Community Center next to the library, will include a live band, food, and special guests — particularly NJ State Senator Andrew Zwicker; and NJ State Assembly members Roy Freiman and Sadaf Jaffer.

“We encourage people to use the library now, before it closes and again when it reopens as a smaller footprint,” Borough Council Member Susan Bristol says. “Service beyond the two-year period will depend on us, on demand for services, and community participation.”

Plans for the Library Building

Stakeholders — borough council members, library users, and donors and volunteers — were surprised with the 2020 appearance of a real-estate sign on the library’s front lawn. Some say they are anxious the library will disappear if the building is sold.

The owner of the building, the MJML Foundation, has amassed a $3 million endowment over 50 years (according to 2020 tax returns), with the mission to provide a library in Rocky Hill.

The foundation has listed the building for sale for $3.5 million, which could double its endowment to more than $6 million. However, whether the building is “sellable” remains to be seen. The parking lot is shared with the Rocky Hill Community Group, and it is zoned for “community use.”

“One of the things that made the library special was people loved it. They volunteered and generously donated, because they felt it belonged to them.”

– Former MJML Foundation Brenda Fallon

Rocky Hill resident Brenda Fallon, who led the foundation as president and as a trustee for about 26 years, is credited with growing the endowment. She stepped down in 2021.

Clearly, the future of the building depends heavily on coordination between the six Rocky Hill Borough Council members, the mayor, and the four members of the MJML Foundation.

Cary Dawson of Rocky Hill, who became president of the foundation in 2018, did not return phone calls for this article. Last month, she told The Montgomery News that it was “premature” to do an article.

In 2019, the foundation had 11 trustees — seven have resigned by 2022.

The Little Pilot Library

The Somerset County Library System is expected to move its books and library staff from the Rocky Hill library building to the new Montgomery Township municipal complex in May.

Plans for the Rocky Hill library include: selling or leasing the building; which will have a mini library attached.

Philip Kartsonis, a foundation trustee and previous mayor of Rocky Hill who now lives in Ocean City, says the foundation had not leased or sold the building as of March 24. Plans call for, “A beautiful smaller library for Rocky Hill. We are hoping to move forward with support from borough council.”

A 17-page plan commissioned by the foundation calls for alterations of the existing library, beginning in May. (The Montgomery News had to submit an OPRA request to view the plan.) The foundation would pay about $300,000 to wall-off the children’s library from the main building and install an outside entrance to it.

The plan, completed by Cornerstone Architectural Group in South Plainfield, also separates the heating/ventilation/air-conditioning system; water; and electric from the main building. The work would take place over the summer, with a September opening date.

“We want to do the right thing for the Rocky Hill community, to meet the agreement,” he said.

The Agreement

Under an agreement signed in 2020, Somerset County will continue to provide small-scale library services in Rocky Hill for two years. Rocky Hill Borough will continue to make an annual contribution to the library of $10,000. The agreement specifies the temporary mini library should be about a third of current library’s size. One full-time staff member would work 35 to 37.5 hours per week. Programming for children and adults would be offered, and library patrons would still be able to check out books.

Article continues after ad from our sponsor.

Mary Jacobs Library Beyond 2024

Newly appointed Borough Council President Edgar “Trey” Delaney, says the library “provides critical social infrastructure,” to the community of Rocky Hill.

Delaney and former MJMLF Trustee Hank Bristol of Rocky Hill attended the March 2 meeting of the Somerset County Library Commission, where they pledged their support to keeping a library in Rocky Hill, and thanked Somerset County for providing excellent library services for the community.

Borough Council member Susan Bristol, who is married to Hank, is a member of the Rocky Hill Library Task Force.

Susan Bristol has been vocal in obtaining feedback on the library from stakeholders. She attended the Somerset County Commissioners meeting on March 8 and spoke to the commissioners about what she sees as a lack of opportunity for input from the Rocky Hill community, borough leaders, and general stakeholders about the plans for a future library in Rocky Hill.

“The Rocky Hill Borough Council has no choice but, on behalf of its citizens, to try to plan for the future library in Rocky Hill,” she said.

“From our perspective, we all should be celebrating the new library in Montgomery. It should be an expansion of the Somerset County library system. However, it is absolutely not a replacement for the Mary Jacobs Library in Rocky Hill.” ?

For many residents of Montgomery and Rocky Hill, the Mary Jacobs Memorial Library is where they took their children to morning storytime, spent Friday nights enjoying a movie screening, or a summer night outside listening to a local band play in the concert series.

At a recent meeting, Rocky Hill Mayor Robert Uhrik called the library the “crown jewel of the community.”

“We have a very small borough, and the building itself and the library is really is the heart of the community. It is a very big source of pride a lot of people,” Rocky Hill Councilwoman Amy Kirtland said.

But, thanks to a new library that’s going up less than two miles away, the future of the Mary Jacobs Memorial Library is in jeopardy.

As part of its new municipal complex, which officials say should begin construction this year, Montgomery is building a library that will be finished in 2021, Mayor Sadaf Jaffer said.

County library officials say the current plan is for the Mary Jacobs to shut down, and the contents of the library to be housed in the new one because about 90% of the current users of the Rocky Hill Library are from Montgomery.

“Everybody has the best intention. Everyone wants the best library services in the Montgomery and Rocky Hill area and motivated by the best of intentions,” Somerset County Library Director Brian Auger said.

The Mary Jacobs Library entered into a five-year shared service agreement with the county in 2016. The agreement allowed the county to take over maintenance responsibilities of the building for the length of the contract. Montgomery pays into the shared service agreement because its residents primarily use that library. The shared services contract will end in December, and it will not be renewed by the Mary Jacobs Library.

Though locals say they hope there’s a way to save the library, the building has been put up for sale, since maintenance will lapse after the deal with the county ends.

“It’s premature to know what our future holds,” said Cary Dawson, president of the nonprofit Mary Jacobs Memorial Library Foundation, which owns the building that houses the smaller library.

Montgomery councilman Marvin Schuldiner has proposed a controversial plan that would keep a library space in Rocky Hill – but it includes a big change. In the proposal, Montgomery and Rocky Hill would leave the county library system and create a joint municipality branch. The main branch would be located at the new Montgomery municipal complex, and an “alternative” branch would be located in Rocky Hill.

The alternative branch would be smaller and its use would be decided on by local community members. Possibilities include podcasting studio space, a makers space, practice space for musical instruments or a tutoring center.

“I’m trying to think outside of the box to create a win, win, win solution for everyone involved,” Schuldiner said.

Schuldiner says that creating a joint municipal branch will allow the two towns a greater amount of control and personalization of the libraries in their communities.

He also anticipates savings for Montgomery residents. They currently pay 4.8 cents per $100 of assessed home value. Schuldiner’s proposal aims to have residents pay 3.3 cents per $100 of assessed value, which would bring the average savings to about $100 per household, officials said.

“There is potential in this concept," Dawson said. “It has the potential to have shared services between the towns, and has the potential to mend some fences among the community.”

In order for Montgomery and Rocky Hill to leave the SCLS, both towns would have to agree to a referendum vote, and it would have to pass in both towns. Then, they would have two years until they could no longer use the county system.

It puts both towns on a short timeline to take formal action on the library issue in order to have the referendum on the November ballot.

Montgomery has yet to have any formal meetings about the possibility of leaving the county library system.

At a borough council meeting in Rocky Hill on Jan.15, council members and residents gathered to hear Schuldiner’s proposal. It was met with mixed reactions.

Kirtland said she was left with a lot of questions about the proposal and wanted to see more hard data and numbers.

“It’s not convincing and it raises way more questions than it answers. It also contains some disturbing information for residents,” Kirtland said in a phone call after the meeting. “That we would sell the building and use the money for Montgomery library cost, it is taking our money and using it for their library and a smaller system.”

Reporter’s Note: A previous version of this story reported that a state statute prohibits county library systems from having libraries within three miles of one another, currently no such statue exists.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.