NORTH BRUNSWICK – The chairman of the North Brunswick Planning Board has stepped down.
“It’s been a real pleasure,” Daniel DiStefano, who has served on the board for 26 years, said during the April 9 meeting. “It’s been a real privilege and a heck of a ride. We’ve done some good things.”
DiStefano said he is most proud of the TOD Associates/MainStreetNB transit village development on Route 1. Going forward, he said the township still needs to work on securing market rate senior housing.
Councilman Bob Davis, whose first official appointment in town was to the Planning Board more than 18 years ago, noted that three mayors, both Republican and Democrat, reappointed DiStefano to the board over the years.
“He must have been doing a good job because in today’s world, that doesn’t happen,” Davis said.
“I think you’ve done a tremendous job. We’ve handled some very difficult, very large applications over the years,” said township planner Thomas Vigna. “I think North Brunswick is very much in debt to you for your years of service.”
Richard Zangara, the vice chairman who will temporarily serve as chairman until a new one is selected, thanked DiStefano for convincing him to move to North Brunswick years ago.
Amid questions regarding his residency status brought forth by members of the public, Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack said he spoke with DiStefano, and DiStefano “indicated that although he still maintained a residence in North Brunswick, he was spending more of his time in another town and had already made plans to submit his resignation from North Brunswick’s Planning Board.”
“During his time as chairman of the Planning Board, Dan DiStefano has been a strong guiding hand for smart, considered development in North Brunswick. His unique insights into planning and development perspectives have helped ensure that worthy applications have been approved only after their conformity to the best interests of our township has been assured. We will miss Dan’s leadership, wit and dedication to North Brunswick,” Womack said.
During the meeting, DiStefano said, “I’ll be around, no question about it. I’ll be watching.”
Once a few open positions on the Planning Board are filled, a new chairman will be selected, according to the mayor’s office.
