A weekend storm flooded Peppertown Park in Berkeley Heights, sending water pooling across the park and into the intersection of Sherman Avenue and Plainfield Avenue, according to a report by NJ21st,. The flooding has raised questions about whether promised drainage improvements were ever built into the park's revitalization project.

The township's 2026 infrastructure page describes the Peppertown Park Improvement Project as including "drainage improvements and grading," along with tree plantings, a new path and bocce ball courts. Portofino Builders is the contractor. Neglia Engineering is the construction manager.

NJ21st reported Sept. 15 that a review of the actual project plans found nothing addressing drainage or grading. The outlet filed an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request and emailed the township and council seeking answers on the drainage scope and project funding.

"If the Township knew of these existing issues and intended to remediate these issues with a nearly million-dollar revitalization the promise does not appear to match the package being delivered," NJ21st wrote.

Funding doesn't add up

The township website lists three funding sources for the park portion of the project: an $85,000 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Local Recreation Improvement Grant, a $100,000 donation from the developer of The Clarus and a $250,000 donation from The Connell Company. Those total $435,000.

The broader Sherman Avenue and Peppertown Park revitalization carries additional federal and state grants exceeding $2.2 million. A Real Estate NJ article described the park as having secured "nearly $1 million in state grants," though the township's own itemized figures do not match that number. The OPRA response may clarify the full funding picture.

Construction halted over pavers

Construction was temporarily halted in late May 2026 because of what the township described as logistical issues obtaining brick pavers required by the Downtown Beautification Committee. A July 2026 township alert said work was tentatively set to resume the week of July 6.

Landscape architecture firm Arterial, which visited the park on April 29, noted in a Facebook post that the project includes permeable pavers for stormwater management.

The drainage questions at Peppertown Park add to a pattern of funding scrutiny in Berkeley Heights. As we reported Sept. 14, the township has rewritten its Littell-Lord project funding plan three times.

Berkeley Heights officials had not publicly responded to the OPRA request or email as of Sept. 15, according to NJ21st. The Berkeley Heights Council met that evening. The township's response to the records request will determine whether drainage work was formally scoped and then dropped from the project.