Virtual Board Meeting Information

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Executive Orders by the Governor and social distancing requirements and as authorized by recent statutory amendments by the New Jersey Legislature, the Livingston Township Council, Planning Board and Board of Adjustment have been and will continue to conduct public meetings online until further notice. These instructions are intended to inform interested parties about the online meeting format and how they can watch and/or participate in public hearings before the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Accessing a Virtual Meeting Online or by Phone

Planning Board and Zoning Board meetings will be conducted virtually through Zoom and live-streamed to the Township’s Facebook page.

Click on the appropriate event on the Planning Department Calendar to find the link or dial-in phone numbers and password for that meeting.

Attending or Participating in an Online Board Meeting

Meeting Format

Meetings are conducted using the online platform "Zoom" which must be used if you wish to participate in the meeting by asking questions or offering testimony or statements.   

Meetings are also “broadcast” on the Township’s Facebook page (with an approximate 20 second delay) which only allows you to view the meeting but not participate. If you only wish to “watch” the meeting simply go to facebook.com/LivingstonTownshipNJ, scroll down and click on the play arrow on the video once the meeting starts. (Please make sure your speakers are on to hear the meeting.)

Zoom meetings are conducted as "webinars" that include "Panelists" and "Attendees."

Panelists

Panelists are full participants in the meeting who appear on the video stream of the meeting. For Board meetings, the Panelists are the members of the Planning or Zoning Board, the Board professionals and (during their application hearing) the applicants and their professionals.

Panelists appear on the video and are able to speak and participate in discussions throughout the meeting. Members of the public are not Panelists.

Attendees

Attendees are the equivalent of the members of the public who would normally sit in the audience of a public meeting and watch and listen, until the specific time arises when they are recognized to speak or ask questions. 

To participate as an Attendee, you must download the Zoom app on your PC or other device. Instructions for downloading the PC app can be found here. For mobile devices simply search for the Zoom app in the Google Play store or Apple App store.

To participate in the meeting by watching the Zoom video of the meeting in real time, click on the Zoom attendee meeting link listed at the top of this page for the specific meeting date. You will be prompted to launch the Zoom app on your PC or device and asked whether you wish to use your computer audio or telephone call for audio. If you intend to participate it is important that you list your name when you sign on, as that will allow the meeting moderator to recognize you by name to speak or ask questions.

The webinar will open and you will see a video montage of all of the Panelists in the meeting and be able to listen to the meeting.

You can also participate by telephone by calling one of the numbers listed above and entering the meeting ID and Password information listed above.

Participating with Questions or Statements

During the course of the meeting, as with a typical “in person” hearing, an Applicant’s witness will complete their testimony and the answering of any questions from the Board. At that time, the Board Chairman will “open to the public” for anyone wishing to ask questions of that specific witness. If you want to ask a question of a witness you will need to “raise your hand.” If viewing through the Zoom app, you will see “webinar controls” and there you can select “raise your hand.” If you are participating by telephone, you can “raise your hand” by pressing *9.

The meeting moderator can view a list of attendees and see those who have raised their hands; who will appear in the order in which they raised their hand. The moderator will then announce members of the public one at a time in the order they raised their hand by stating the name listed (from when you originally sign on) or by telephone number for telephone only attendees. 

At that time, the moderator will “allow” that attendee to speak which will unmute them, and the person whose turn it is can speak, listen, ask questions and follow up questions. Once that person is finished with their questions, the moderator will end that person’s speaking “permission” which will mute them, and move on to the next attendee with their hand raised until all those who raised their hand have asked their questions.

This process will be followed for each Applicant witness. At the conclusion of the Applicant’s presentation, the Board Chairman will again “open to the public” to allow interested parties to offer their own testimony or make statements in support of or opposition to the application.