Great Swamp and Passaic River Towns

Credit: Kristina Necovska

Want to help the Passaic River? Get involved with your local community.

The best way to participate is to attend your town’s municipal meetings. Many towns have a Planning Board,  Zoning Board, and an Environmental Commission, as well as other committee meetings that are open to the public. The law requires a schedule of regular meetings to be posted on the public body’s website.

Below are links to the towns in the Great Swamp watershed, as well as the towns surrounding the Passaic River watershed. Confirm the times and dates listed below as they may have changed. The towns health or water utility department should provide an annual water quality report with important information about the quality of your drinking water.

Towns of the Great Swamp watershed

Bernardsville: (908) 766-3000

  •  Mayor and Council: 2nd and 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
  •  Planning Board: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Board of Adjustment: 1st & 3rd Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 2nd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Bernards Township: (908) 766-2510

  •  Township Committee: 2nd and 4th Tuesday (after first Monday of each month) at 8:00 p.m.
  •  Planning Board: 1st and 3rd Tuesday (after first Monday) at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Board of Adjustment: 1st Wednesday and 2nd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 2nd Monday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Chatham Township: (973)-635-4600

  •  Township Committee: 2nd and 4th Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Planning Board: 1st and 3rd Mondays at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Zoning Board of Adjustment: 3rd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 1st Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.

 

Harding Township: (973) 267-8000

  •  Township Committee: 2nd Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Planning Board: 4th Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Board of Adjustment: 3rd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 1st Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Historic Preservation Commission: 1st Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
  •  Open Space Trust Committee: 2nd Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

 

Long Hill Township: (908) 647-8000

  •  Township Committee: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Planning Board: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Zoning Board of Adjustment: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 3rd Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  •  Open Space Advisory Committee: 1st Monday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Madison: (973) 593-3042

  •  Mayor and Council: 2nd and 4th Monday at 8:00 p.m.
  •  Planning Board: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Zoning Board of Adjustment: 2nd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 4th Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Advisory Committee: 2nd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Mendham: (973) 543-7152

  •  Borough Council: 1st Monday and 3rd Tuesday at 8:00 p.m
  •  Planning Board: 2nd Monday at 8:00 p.m.
  •  Board of Adjustment/Zoning: 1st Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 3rd Thursday at 8 p.m.

 

Mendham Township: (973) 543-4555

  •  Township Committee: 2nd Monday & 4th Tuesday at 7:30 p.m
  •  Planning Board: 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Board of Adjustment/Zoning: 2nd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 3rd Monday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Morristown: (973) 292-6600

  •  Town Council: 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 7:30 p.m
  •  Planning Board: 4th Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Board of Adjustment/Zoning: 1st & 3rd Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: 1st Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Morris Township: (973) 326-7400

  •  Township Committee: 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  •  Planning Board: 1st & 3rd Mondays at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Board of Adjustment: 4th Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  •  Environmental Commission: bimonthly, 2nd Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

Towns of the Passaic River watershed

Belleville (973) 759-1631

  • Town Council: 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
  • Zoning Board of Adjustment: 1st Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Berkeley Heights (908) 464-2700

  • Town Council: 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 2nd Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 2nd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Chatham (973) 635-067-4

  • Town Council: 4th Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 2nd Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Zoning Board of Adjustment: 4th Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Clifton (973) 470-5800

  • Town Council: 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 2nd Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

 

East Hanover (973) 428-3000

  • Mayor and Council: 1st Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 2nd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Tuesday and 4th Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

East Newark (973) 481-2902

  • Mayor and Council: 1st Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st Thursday at 6:15 p.m.

 

East Rutherford (201) 933-3444

  • Mayor and Council: 3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Health: 1st Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 1st Friday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Elmwood Park (201) 796-1457

  • Mayor and Council: 3rd Thursday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 4th Friday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Fair Lawn (201) 796-1700

  • Town Council: 3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 1st Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Zoning Board of Adjustment: 4th Monday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Fairfield Township (973) 882 2700

  • Mayor and Council: 4th Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st Friday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission

 

Florham Park

  • Town Council: 3rd Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Monday at 6:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 1st Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

 

Harrison

 

Hawthorne  (973) 427-5555

  • Town Council: 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 2nd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 3rd Monday at 6:45 p.m.

 

Kearny (201) 955-7400

  • Mayor and Council: 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 1st Tuesday at 8: 00 p.m.

 

Lincoln Park

  • Planning Board: 3rd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 2nd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Council Meeting: 1st Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Little Falls Township 973-256-0170

  • Town Council: 2nd and 4th Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Livingston Township

  • Town Council: 1st and 3rd Monday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 1st Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

 

Lyndhurst Township (201) 804-2457

  • Board of Commissioners: 2nd Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 4th Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Millburn Township (973) 564-7000

  • Township Meeting:  3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 4th Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 2nd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

Montville Township (973) 331-3300

  • Town Council: 1st day of the month at 3:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st Wednesday
  • Environmental Commission: 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

 

New Providence  (908) 665-1400

  • Town Council: 2nd Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st and 2nd Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment:  3rd Monday at 8:00 p.m.

 

Newark (973) 733-6400

  • Town Council: 1st Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

 

North Arlington (201) 991-6060

  • Town Council: 2nd Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Monday at 7:00 p.m.

 

North Caldwell (973) 228-6410

  • Mayor and Council: 4th Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 3rd Monday at 8:00 p.m.

 

Nutley Township (973) 284-4955

  • Board of Commissioners: 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board:  1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 3rd Monday 7:30 p.m.

 

Passaic (973) 881-4000

  • Mayor and City Council: 2nd and 4th Tuesday 5:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 1st Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 1st and 2nd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Paterson  (973) 321-1600

  • Mayor and City Council: 2nd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 2nd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission:

 

Prospect Park (973) 790-0394

  • Mayor and Council: 4th Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 4th Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

 

Roseland (973) 226-8080

  • Mayor and Council: 3rd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 3rd Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 2nd Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 4th Monday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Rutherford  (201) 460-3001

  • Mayor and Council: 2nd and 4th Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 3rd Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 3rd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Summit  (908) 277-9400

 

Totowa (973) 956-1000

  • Mayor and Council: 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd and 4th Thursday at 8:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 2nd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Wallington (973) 777-0318

  • Mayor and Council: Visit the website for a schedule
  • Planning Board: 3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: Last Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

 

Warren Township (908) 753-8000

 

Wayne Township (973) 649-1800

  • Mayor and Council: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd and 4th Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 1st and 3rd Mondays at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

 

West Caldwell Township (973) 226-2300

  • Mayor and Council: 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd and 4th Monday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 1st Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Environmental Commission: 2nd Thursday 7:30 p.m.

 

Woodland Park  (973) 345-8100

  • Mayor and Council: 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
  • Planning Board: 2nd Monday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Board of Adjustment: 4th Monday at 7:30 p.m.