Code may offer protection to historic structures

MILLSTONE — Efforts are under way to protect historic structures in Millstone that are currently subject to demolition.

The Township Committee will likely introduce a "demolition by neglect" ordinance early next month to protect historic structures from falling into ruin, Committeeman Bill Kastning said.

Kastning said developers, when applying for subdivisions, often agree to preserve historic structures at the sites they own. But if the developers instead neglect the properties, they become dilapidated, eventually becoming eyesores that must be demolished.

"What has happened in the past, although the agreement is there, is that the developers don’t really honor it or maintain it," said Kastning, who introduced the item for discussion at the committee’s April 5 meeting.

The new ordinance would allow the township to enforce those agreements and would limit the circumstances under which aging properties could be demolished.

In addition, Township Attorney Duane Davison presented the committee with an ordinance from neighboring Freehold Township creating a local register for historic landmarks. The Millstone committee has discussed creating a similar register.

Davison is also the municipal attorney in Freehold Township.

Kastning said while all properties listed in such a register would be maintained, the Planning Board would have the right to preserve other structures as well.

"Certainly if they are on the inventory or the list, certainly we’d want to save those," he said. "The Planning Board would want to save those based on input from the historic preservation committee. However, the Planning Board would also be able to save sites it feels are worth saving as well."

Some local sites are already protected because they have been placed on either a state or national historic register.

Township officials began discussing the issue after the Planning Board was approached by the township historian, who was concerned about a decision allowing an aging barn and house on Forman Road to be demolished.

Committeeman Charles Abate said the Planning Board considered preserving the structures, but said they were in such poor condition that they could not be saved.