Township of Franklin - Historic Preservation Commission

A: Historic designation can occur on three levels.

► Properties may be designated locally as historic sites or within local historic districts in Franklin Township, as set forth in the Township’s Development Ordinance.

► Sites or districts may be listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, administered by the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, and

► Sites or districts may also be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, administered by the United States Department of the Interior.
(For more information on the National Register please see this web page).

A: A property currently may receive local historic designation by recommendation of the Franklin Township Planning Board to the Franklin Township Council. To be placed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places as a site or district, an application must be submitted to the New Jersey Office of Historic Preservation for review. Once it has been entered on the State Register, the Office of Historic Preservation will forward the application to United States Department of the Interior for National Register consideration.

A: Listing on the National and State Registers does not restrict the property owner in any way. National listing provides a degree of protection from public encroachment because all federally and some state funded or licensed projects require formal Section 106 review. Section 106 review even protects a property considered as eligible for the National Register, but not yet listed. National listing also allows owners to take advantage of two financial incentives; a 20% investment tax credit for qualified rehabilitations to income producing properties and eligibility for conservation easements, where permanent restrictions on demolition or alterations are donated to qualified non-profit organization in return for federal tax deductions.

State listing provides protection similar to Section 106 review under New Jersey Register Encroachment Review (NJAC 7:4) for all state, county, or municipally funded or licensed projects. The State has made Historic Preservation Bond Fund matching grants and low interest loans for rehabilitation and restoration available to state, county, and local agencies and non-profit organizations with properties listed on the Register.

Local designation offers the strongest protection of historic sites and districts. It requires the owner of a property designated a historic site or within a local historic district to obtain approval from the Franklin Township Historic Preservation Commission before undertaking any exterior addition or alteration to the property that requires a building permit.

A: Section 106 review determines the significance that government funded encroachment will have on a structure identified as historic. Section 106 review may or may not alter plans that encroach on a historic structure.
(For more information see this web page).

A: It is a board established by Township Ordinance made up of eleven citizen volunteers appointed by Township Council and charged with protecting Franklin Township’s historic resources and its villages’ characters. The Commission generally holds open public meetings once a month at the Franklin Township Municipal Building, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ.

A: The property owner must get approval from the Commission whenever they propose an exterior addition or alteration to a designated historic site or a property within a local historic district that requires a building permit (construction and zoning). They may be referred to the Commission by the Code Enforcement, Planning, or Zoning Divisions of the Community Development Department when they seek permits from these departments. The Commission bases its recommendations on the effect the project will have on the historic site or on the historic district. The approval of the project by the Commission is independent of and in addition to approvals required by other departments.

A: For more information on when and how to obtain permits please see the Department of Community Development page

A: No, the owner may attend but is not required to be present. They may, but are not required to, send a representative. If no one attends the meeting and is available to answer questions, the Commission will base its decision on the documentation presented. If the Commission does not have enough information to reach a decision, the review may be postponed to a meeting when the information is available.

A: Following the review hearing, the Commission will notify the referring department of its decision. If the application receives approval or approval with conditions and does not require other approvals, it will be forwarded to the Code Enforcement Department for permit issuance. If the application requires approval by other departments, Commission approval may be a condition of final approval. For applications being reviewed by the Planning Board or the Board of Adjustment, the Commission's recommendations are advisory.

A: More information on related pages on this web site or by contacting the Franklin Township Community Development Department or the staff in the Municipal Building. Details on the Commission can be found in the Township's Code Book while information on Historic Districts and properties can be found on the FTHPC Historic Districts page as well as in the Township's Master Plan. Since most local historic districts are also on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, refer to the nomination documents for detailed information on individual districts and properties.