New Providence meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

New Providence council set to act on $1M HVAC contract, police chief appointment; boards weigh senior housing and restaurant plans

The New Providence Borough Council was scheduled July 14 to vote on a $1,027,560 contract for HVAC upgrades to the municipal building and to appoint Donald Sretenovic as police chief, according to the meeting agenda. Minutes from the four recent public meetings covered here have not yet been published, so outcomes listed below reflect what was on each agenda, not confirmed decisions.

Borough Council — July 14

The council agenda included several resolutions and ordinances:

• **Resolution 2026-253**: HVAC upgrades to the Municipal Building for up to $1,027,560.
• **Resolution 2026-263**: Appointment of Donald Sretenovic as Police Chief.
• **Resolution 2026-242**: Amended mediation agreement resolving affordable housing plan challenges.
• **Resolution 2026-266**: Road paving contract with Schifano Construction for $477,116.73.
• **Ordinance 2026-06**: Introduction of a zoning code amendment to Chapter 310.
• Additional introduced ordinances covered traffic, police department structure, and employee compensation rates.

Because minutes are not yet available, the council's actual votes on these items are not confirmed in the record provided.

Board of Adjustment — July 6

The Board of Adjustment was scheduled to hold a public hearing on a request from Lantern Hill New Providence, LLC for an extension of time and amended site plan approval at 535 and 603 Mountain Avenue. The proposal would reduce independent living units from 554 to 444 and convert 45 units to 85 health care units, for a proposed total of 401 independent living and 170 health care units.

Other scheduled items:

• **Ranbir Thakur** (carried hearing): site plan, conditional use, and bulk variance to demolish an existing carwash and build a 1,831 sq ft convenience store with gas station at 1778 Springfield Avenue.
• **21 Sterling, LLC**: multiple variances for front-, rear-, and side-yard setbacks and driveway placement at 31 Commonwealth Avenue.
• **Nicholas and Catherine Alessi**: variances for rear- and side-yard setbacks and building coverage at 141 Maple Street.
• **Jessica and Scott Pocaro**: variances for front-yard setback and impervious coverage for a front porch at 30 Fairmount Road.

Planning Board — July 7

The Planning Board was set to hold a public hearing on Application #2026-02, an amended site plan by New Providence Wings LLC to change the use of a unit at 1275 Springfield Avenue (Block 60, Lot 16) to a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. The premises were previously occupied by a Max Challenge gym. The agenda also included approval of minutes from the April 21, 2026 meeting.

Board of Health — July 8

The Board of Health agenda included discussion of a proposed ordinance to ban pet stores from selling animals sourced from out-of-state puppy mills. The board was also scheduled to receive:

• Animal Control Solutions monthly reports for April, May, and June 2026.
• Health Inspector's reports for April, May, and June.
• Secretary's financial reports for May and June.
• A recap of the Health Fair held May 13.

Coming up

• **Board of Adjustment — July 20**: Public hearings on the Lantern Hill site plan changes at 535 and 603 Mountain Avenue, including a requested building-length variance of 311 feet for Building 2.2 and a design waiver for 1.8 footcandles of illumination at the Southgate Road driveway property line. The Pocaro front-porch application at 30 Fairmount Road, with a proposed 35-foot front-yard setback, is also scheduled.
• **Planning Board — July 21**: Scheduled vote on the Buffalo Wild Wings amended site plan (Application #2026-02) at 1275 Springfield Avenue, plus a public hearing on amendments to the Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan.

All recent meetings listed above are marked "agenda only" in the source record; minutes have not yet been published. Residents seeking confirmed outcomes should consult the official borough minutes once posted.

New Providence Boards Tackle Senior Housing Extension, Restaurant Site Plan, and Pet Store Ordinance

Three New Providence boards held meetings in the past week, but minutes have not yet been published for any of them. Based on the agendas, the most consequential item scheduled was the Board of Adjustment's public hearing on a 571-unit senior living development on Mountain Avenue.

Board of Adjustment — Senior Development and Gas Station Hearings

The Board of Adjustment met July 6 with a full agenda. The largest item was a request from Lantern Hill New Providence, LLC for an extension of time and an amended site plan at 535 and 603 Mountain Avenue. The amendment would reduce independent living units from 554 to 444 and convert 45 units to 85 health care units, resulting in a total of 401 independent living units and 170 health care units.

The board was also scheduled to hear a carried-over application from Ranbir Thakur to demolish an existing carwash and build a 1,831-square-foot convenience store with a gas station at 1778 Springfield Avenue. That public hearing was carried from April and June meetings.

Three residential variance applications were also on the agenda:

• **21 Sterling, LLC** — multiple variances for front-, rear-, and side-yard setbacks and driveway placement at 31 Commonwealth Avenue.
• **Nicholas and Catherine Alessi** — variances for rear- and side-yard setbacks and building coverage at 141 Maple Street.
• **Jessica and Scott Pocaro** — variances for front-yard setback and impervious coverage for a front porch at 30 Fairmount Road.

Because minutes are not yet published, no outcomes or vote tallies are available for any of these items.

Planning Board — Buffalo Wild Wings Site Plan

The Planning Board met July 7 to hold a public hearing on application #2026-02, an amended site plan by New Providence Wings LLC to change the use of a unit at 1275 Springfield Avenue (Block 60, Lot 16, Central Commercial District) to a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. The premises were previously occupied by a Max Challenge gym. The agenda also included routine planning review and approval of minutes from the April 21, 2026 meeting. No decision is recorded yet.

Board of Health — Pet Store Ordinance and Routine Reports

The Board of Health met July 8. The agenda listed a discussion of a proposed ordinance that would ban pet stores from selling animals sourced from out-of-state puppy mills. The board was also scheduled to receive several routine reports: Animal Control Solutions monthly reports for April, May, and June 2026; the Health Inspector's reports for the same months; and the Secretary's financial reports for May and June. Old business included a recap of the Health Fair held on May 13. No action is confirmed in the available records.

What This Means for Residents

The Lantern Hill amendment, if approved, would shift the mix of the Mountain Avenue senior development toward more health care units and fewer independent living units. The Springfield Avenue gas station application has now been carried over multiple times. The Buffalo Wild Wings proposal would bring a national restaurant chain to the Central Commercial District. The pet store ordinance discussion could lead to a local restriction on how area pet stores source animals.

None of these outcomes are confirmed, however, because minutes have not been published for any of the three meetings.

Coming Up

No public meetings are listed on the municipal calendar for the next 14 days. Residents should check the borough website for any special meeting notices or schedule updates.