Union County Town Hall: Week of Oct. 19, 2026

Good morning, Union County. Last week's meetings were busy: Union Township hired outside help to review the CoreWeave data center going up in Kenilworth, Elizabeth held a hearing on extending rent control, Hillside moved to rename a park for the late Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., and Plainfield took a first step toward a downtown hotel. Here's what's ahead this week, and what towns decided last week.

Meetings ahead

Berkeley Heights Township Council: Tuesday, Oct. 20

The posted agenda includes:

A bill list totaling $1,554,482.19.
Closing Hamilton Avenue west of Roosevelt Avenue on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. so the Fire Department can test hoses.
Permission for Garden State Fireworks to put on a midnight New Year's Eve display at Mount Carmel Field.
A grant application to the Community Development Block Grant program's senior social services and health program.

Coming up later this month

Roselle holds a public hearing Oct. 28 on Ordinance 2821-26, which adopts the Woodland Drive Redevelopment Plan (details).
Hillside's next council meetings are Oct. 27 and Nov. 10 (details).

No other town has posted an agenda for this week yet. Check your town's page on the Union County government page as the week goes on.

Decisions behind

Union Township Committee: Oct. 13

Residents packed the meeting over the CoreWeave data center being built in neighboring Kenilworth. The committee approved:

Professional services contracts with planner Peter G. Steck and the Turteltaub Law Firm, up to $15,000 each, to review the data center's approvals.
Adoption of the Jeanette Avenue Redevelopment Plan.
A $71,000 state grant against distracted driving and speeding, added to the 2026 budget.
Up to $315,000 to Colliers Engineering and Design for construction oversight of the Weber Park improvements, and emergency repairs to a drainage wall on Tampa Terrace.
Conditional adoption of an Energy Savings Improvement Plan, pending a third-party review.

Introduced for a later vote: new construction permit fees, permit parking on part of Sheridan Street, and an Emerson Avenue residential permit exemption. TAPinto Union has more on the data center discussion.

Elizabeth City Council: Oct. 13

The council held a public hearing on Ordinance 6328, which would extend the city's Rent Control and Stabilization chapter through Dec. 31, 2027. Also on the agenda: a security guard contract with Iron Rock Security, a lower fee for Coronis Health RCM's EMS billing work, and a tax abatement for a new warehouse project.

Plainfield City Council: Oct. 13

The council voted unanimously for a memorandum of understanding with BEA Hospitality Group on a 90-room boutique hotel on city land near Park Avenue and Seventh Street, next to the Plainfield Performing Arts Center. The city would sell the site for $500,000. A redevelopment agreement, a sale agreement, a PILOT agreement and site plan approval are all still to come. (TAPinto Plainfield)

Hillside Township Council: Oct. 13

From the caucus agenda:

Ordinance O-26-25, introduced, would rename Central Avenue Park as Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. Park.
Resolution R-26-156 amends the 2026 budget.
Ordinance O-26-24, up for second reading, raises the annual fee for registering a vacant property.
Contracts for the Burnett Street and Ramsey Avenue storm sewer and roadway work (PM Construction), plus Pennoni Associates for engineering on Burnett Street storm sewer Phase II.
A new system for tracking resident and business service requests, with response-time standards.

New Providence Borough Council: Oct. 13

Resolution 2026-320, an agreement with the county on leaf disposal at the Conservation Center. Leaf permits are paused for now, but bagged leaf pickup continues (TAPinto).
Resolution 2026-316 draws up to $300,000 through the Union County Improvement Authority for the police department renovation. The borough also landed a $1 million county grant for its Public Safety Building.
The council authorized bids for the state-funded Union Avenue improvements; that work and the Maple Street project are set for construction in 2027.
The borough will apply for AARP Age-Friendly certification.

Roselle Borough Council: Oct. 14

At its workshop the council introduced Ordinance 2821-26, adopting the Woodland Drive Redevelopment Plan (hearing Oct. 28). It also took up retroactive approval of a local cannabis manufacturing license and applications for community development block grants.

Roselle Park Borough Council: Oct. 15

The council approved change orders adding $196,018.50 to the Firehouse No. 3 project, bringing it to $2,134,419.50, and $13,397.50 to the Acker Park improvements, bringing them to $418,789.25.

Union County Board of County Commissioners: Oct. 15

At their agenda-setting session, the commissioners honored Nancy Starzynski of the National Federation of the Blind of NJ for Blind Equality Awareness Day. They also moved budget changes for alcohol and drug abuse programs and stormwater infrastructure grants, along with contracts for county facilities.

Agendas, minutes and recaps for every town we track are on the Union County government page.