Politics & Government

Highland Park Council Declares Support for EB Council Hatikvah Decision

The Highland Park Borough Council passed a resolution on April 16 in support of the East Brunswick Township Council's overturning of a zoning variance that would have permitted the school to open on Lexington Avenue.

The Highland Park Borough Council has publicly voiced its support for the East Brunswick's council's decision to overturn a variance that would have allowed a township charter school to move to a new location in an industrial section of East Brunswick.

Highland Park's governing body unanimously passed a resolution on April 16 that voiced support for the council's decision to reverse the zoning decision that would have permitted Hatikvah International Academy Charter School to open a new and expanded location in an industrial section of East Brunswick.

"An industrial zone does not provide the safe and adequate learning environment in accordance with the high standards that East Brunswick, Highland Park, and the other fine school districts that comprise Hatikvah enrollment are known to provide," the resolution said, "and whereas, a variance would have deviated from the Township's Master Plan, would have set a precedent not favoring future industrial use, and causing potential difficulty for permitted uses to move in or expand in the future."

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In January, the East Brunswick council overturned a variance granted by the township zoning board for Hatikvah to open in an expanded space at 7 Lexington Ave.

The council said their decision was rooted in the zoning of the area, which was not designed to accommodate a school.

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Hatikvah has filed a complaint with the state and the owners of the Lexington Avenue property, the Eisenreich Family Foundation, have filed a lawsuit against the township as well. 

Highland Park Borough council member Susan Welkovits said the resolution was the product of council discussion, and not brought before them by anyone outside the council.

"We're concerned about the safety of the Highland Park kids who attend the charter," she said of which there are about 20. "We expect that all of our children that attend should be attending a facility that is safe and one that promotes a good learning environment."

East Brunswick council member Michael Hughes said that he was unaware of the resolution and has not met anyone on the Highland Park council.

He declined to comment further, citing the current lawsuit.

East Brunswick council president James Wendell did not return a request requesting comment.

Julie Roginsky, spokesperson for Hatikvah, said the school does not have a comment on the resolution.


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