DOVER __ The Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Dover approved Ordinance No. 54-2025, a measure that would formally establish a Special Improvement District (SID) aimed at strengthening the town’s downtown and surrounding commercial corridors.
According to the ordinance, the proposed Special Improvement District is intended to promote economic growth, revitalization, and long-term sustainability by coordinating programs that enhance safety, cleanliness, landscaping, marketing, lighting, parking, special events, and business recruitment within the designated area.
Town officials note that the SID is authorized under New Jersey’s Special Improvement District Act and would allow Dover to designate a defined area where supplemental services are funded through a special assessment on certain properties within the district. The ordinance emphasizes that these services would supplement, not replace, the standard municipal services already provided by the town.
District Management and Oversight
Under the ordinance, a nonprofit District Management Corporation (DMC) — the Dover Improvement District — would be designated to manage the Special Improvement District. The DMC would be responsible for planning and overseeing improvements, applying for grants, coordinating marketing and promotional efforts, and providing enhanced services such as supplemental cleaning, security, and maintenance, subject to coordination with town departments.
The DMC would operate under public accountability standards, including compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act and Open Public Records Act, and would be required to submit meeting minutes, annual reports, budgets, and audits to the town.
Assessments and Funding
Properties within the Special Improvement District — including commercial properties, other non-residential properties, and residential properties with four or more units — would be subject to a special assessment. The ordinance sets the assessment at 0.70% of the municipal tax levy, to be collected by the town and transferred to the DMC for approved district purposes such as beautification, maintenance, marketing, and district management.
The Town Council would review the proposed annual budget for the district at a public hearing, with notice provided to affected property owners in advance. Properties currently under tax abatements or PILOT agreements would also be included in the SID assessment, based on the amount they would otherwise contribute if not exempt.
Board Structure and Next Steps
The District Management Corporation would be governed by a nine-member board, consisting of one Town Council member and eight representatives of property owners, business owners, residents, or businesses within the district. Board members would serve staggered terms to ensure continuity and regular oversight TOWN OF DOVER SID.
The ordinance also provides that the Town Council may, by future ordinance, amend the district’s boundaries, modify the assessment formula, or terminate the Special Improvement District if warranted.
Ordinance No. 54-2025 will take effect in accordance with state law following a public hearing, filing requirements, and final adoption by the governing body.
