Business View Civil and Municipal | September 2022

63 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 up of farmland and woodlots, also attracts locals and tourists who come to walk its scenic grounds. James Buchanan Duke, founder of Duke Power (now Duke Energy) and the American Tobacco Company, originally established the sprawling estate. For Kois, however, it represents much more than recreation. “It’s a beautiful open space, highlighting the importance of preservation in our town. It’s a reminder we need to be smart about commercial development. We can’t allow it to take over our agricultural properties. Maintaining and sustaining our farming community will help guarantee a future for our farmers. Their industry was a vital part of our past but needs to be part of our future as well.” Innovation in sustainability has always been a big focus for Hillsborough. This past August, the township unveiled its first electric vehicle (EV) charging station. The two-port Level 2 ChargePoint EV charging station, located at the Hillsborough Township Municipal Building, was funded by It Pay$ to Plug In; New Jersey’s Electric Vehicle Charging Grant Program. Solar energy is also encouraged, especially with local homeowners who want to invest in their own panels. The town is even planning to install a 20KW solar farm on 80-acres of land acquired from the former Belle Mead GSA Depot. Initiatives like these have helped the Hillsborough earn its silver certification from the Sustainable Jersey program. As a silver municipality, the town has proven itself to be a leader in sustainability throughout the county, state, and nation. Over the next three to five years, Mayor Lipani will be focused on further developing the town’s downtown vision and maintaining its rural open spaces. He also wants to devise a long- term infrastructure plan to help manage the constant road upkeep. Kois shares many of these same goals. Especially moving forward with the downtown district. He notes, “We’ll need to work closely alongside developers to help them understand our vision and comply with local HI LLSBOROUGH TOWNSHI P , NEW JERSEY