Tentative Opening Dates For Bed, Bath & Beyond, JoAnn Fabrics Announced

According to Planning Director Sean O'Neil, Bed, Bath & Beyond has told the township . JoAnn Fabric is targeting an opening date of July 27, with an official grand opening Aug. 9.

The news was part of an update from O'Neil during the township board of trustees meeting Tuesday night.

Townships moves ahead with several ordinances

During Tuesday's meeting the township board voted to move ahead to a second reading on three township ordinances that Supervisor Greg Baroni said the township had had on the table since 2005.

"They were originally proposed to the board years ago and have been sitting in limbo," Baroni said. "We are trying now to clean these up and get rid of all the extra baggage."

The new ordinances are cleaned up, simplified versions of the ordinances first proposed in 2005. They include an amendment to the outside stored vehicle ordinance, an ordinance that update the outdated regulations for public shows and exhibitions, and an amendment to the utility ordinance that would prevent private utility companies, like AT&T, from coming into the township and placing large utility boxes in front of residential homes and other areas where it would be aesthetically unpleasing.

All three ordinances must be reviewed and read a second time before the board before they can be adopted.

Township tables solicitation ordinance

The was tabled Tuesday so township attorney Greg Need can gather additional information and change the language to address some of the township board's concerns. Most of the discussion at the meeting centered around what type of background checks would be required in order to solicit in the township.

Some of the trustees, including Mike Powell, said they wanted to have the presidents or CEO's of the companies undergo a background check in addition to some sort of check on the legitimacy of the business. This would be in addition to the background checks on the people actually going door to door in the township. These types of checks would not be required of local sports teams, churches or groups like the Girls Scouts who often go door-to-door to sell cookies or fundraise.

The board is expected to bring the ordinance back at the May meeting for it's second reading. At that time, Need said he will have a proposed fee schedule and examples of the forms the solicitors would have to fill out at the township. Once the board approves the second reading, the ordinance can be adopted.