Westfield Council Hears Residents' Objections to Central Ave. Project
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, September 16, 2010 OUR 120th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 37-2010 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Westfield Council Hears Residents’ Objections to Central Ave. Project By LAUREN S. BARR the traffic light and crosswalk instal- agreed that for a traffic light and Specially Written for The Westfield Leader lation in front of her home makes it crosswalk to not be located at an WESTFIELD — The town coun- difficult for her to leave her driveway, intersection “is a terrible idea.” She cil heard complaints at Tuesday and “is not safe” for pedestrians to said that this light has “completely night’s public meeting from residents cross because it is not at an intersec- destroyed” the portion of Central along the Central Avenue corridor tion. Ms. Enculescu’s home is the Avenue that looked residential. regarding the construction of a traffic second house from the intersection She said that while she understands light and the removal of a crossing of Clover Street and Central Avenue. it is a project being undertaken by guard at Sycamore Street. She also told the council that water Union County, she was told that it Adina Enculescu, on whose prop- now pools at the base of her driveway was designed and approved by erty a traffic light was installed, called because of the newly constructed side- Westfield. Ms. Carluccio cautioned the Central Avenue project “illogical walk, and she said that, at the age of the governing body that if a child is and irresponsible.” She said that her 71, she is not able to shovel in the killed while crossing at that location, property has been devalued because wintertime. “their blood is on your hands.” of the traffic-light installation. Maria Carluccio said that she spoke Mayor Andrew Skibitsky said the Ms. Enculescu told the council that with many of her neighbors, and they locations of the crosswalk and traffic light were chosen at the recommen- dation of the town’s traffic safety engineer. Third Ward Councilman Mark Ciarrocca said that in 2005, a bro- chure was mailed to all Westfield residents with a list of traffic “hot spots,” which included the Central Avenue corridor. He said many meet- ings were held with “hundreds” of residents in attendance, and that there was “substantial opposition” to a traf- Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader fic light at Clover Street and Central SOLEMN REMEMBRANCE...Family, friends and residents pay tribute, on Saturday, at the Westfield 9/11 Memorial, to Avenue. the memory of those who were killed from Westfield, Scotch Plains and from the nation during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Above, a relative places flowers at the memorial Councilman Ciarrocca said he is of See-Wong Shum. “very proud of the process” that was gone through to get residents’ input on the Central Avenue project and said that members of the council spent Cranford Committee Concedes, 4-1, many hours talking with residents and traffic professionals. Several residents from the east side To a Builder’s Remedy Lawsuit Benjamin B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader of Central Avenue voiced concern about the elimination of the crossing By FRED T. ROSSI Aschenbach as the lone dissenting ment on a mutually-beneficial devel- HARLEYS AT THE HOLLAND...Many hundreds of firefighters from several Specially Written for The Westfield Leader states on their Harley Davidson motorcycles with police escort queue into the guard from Central and Sycamore. vote, to approve the agreement with opment can be worked out. Holland Tunnel on Saturday morning, September 11, 2010, convoying to com- The residents urged the council to CRANFORD — The township Lehigh Acquisition Corp., which had The property at 555 South Avenue memorate those murdered at the Twin Towers in New York City – 3,000 people reconsider the decision, citing con- committee on Tuesday voted to con- filed a builder’s remedy lawsuit in is expected to be developed into a in all, including 500 firefighters – by terrorists on September 11, 2001. tinued safety concerns at the inter- cede to a lawsuit filed by a developer January 2008, accusing Cranford of housing complex with 160 or so total section due to speeding cars and driv- seeking to build a three-story hous- failing to provide an adequate num- units, 24 of which will be earmarked ers not obeying the “No Turn on Red” ing complex on 555 South Avenue. ber of affordable-housing units to as affordable housing. Residents who In Survey, WHS Ranks 41st rules. After nearly two hours of public residents, as required by various spoke at Tuesday’s committee meet- Public Safety Committee Chair- comment, most of it in opposition to court decisions over the past several ing raised concerns about the impact Among Top High Schools woman and Councilwoman JoAnn the structure, the committee voted decades. of the new development on the local CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 4-1, with Commissioner Daniel Mayor Mark Smith called the settle- school system as well as traffic in and By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL was ranked 27th. ment “the best thing to do in this around the already-congested down- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader According to the magazine, New situation” and said the township’s town commercial district. WESTFIELD — The Westfield Providence was ranked fifth in the FW Borough Council OKs affordable-housing obligations would Commissioner Mark Dugan, in Board of Education announced, Tues- study, up from 17th in the 2008 study, now be satisfied. An earlier court casting his vote in favor of the settle- day evening, that Westfield High and Cranford was ranked 13th, as ruling had found that Cranford was ment agreement, said it would “not School (WHS) ranked 41st out of opposed to its 29th ranking in 2008. Revised Redevelopment Plan not providing adequate low- and me- be prudent” for the township to con- 322 public high schools in a state- Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School By TED RITTER “benefits” associated with allowing dium-income housing. tinue fighting the lawsuit and incur- wide study done by New Jersey was ranked 62nd, which is up seven Specially Written for The Westfield Leader wider driveways and curb cuts, sug- Commissioner Aschenbach, how- ring additional legal fees, which he Monthly Magazine and published in spots from 2008, and Summit ranked FANWOOD — At the regular gesting that safety would be improved ever, advocated taking the case “as said were already “astronomical.” August. 25th, which is down three spots from monthly meeting Tuesday night, the if more people could park their cars off far as it will go,” raising the specter of In other business, at its nearly three- According to Superintendent of its 22nd ranking in 2008. Arthur L. borough council approved, on second the street. numerous new housing units being hour meeting, the committee ap- Schools Margaret Dolan, WHS scored Johnson High School in Clark ranked reading, an ordinance to revise the “We’re all here to preserve and in- built as a result of the settlement. He proved resolutions waiving fees for very high in all areas of the study, 101st, as opposed to its 95th position Downtown Redevelopment Plan. crease our property values,” Mr. verbally sparred with the mayor new signs and awnings in the down- ranking eighth in the percentage of in 2008, and David Brearley High Resident Joe Britt, chairman of the DelCorsano added. throughout the meeting over the ac- town business district between Octo- scores in the advanced proficiency School in Kenilworth ranked 113th, Fanwood Republican Committee, Linden Slaugh, also of Poplar Place, tual number of affordable-housing ber 1 and December 31. Another reso- range in mathematics and 16th in the which is up from 178th in 2008. asked for an explanation of some of the said, “It does not increase safety to units that will be required. lution approved on Tuesday states highest average combined SAT The magazine noted that only pub- revisions, which the borough’s rede- have cars in the streets.” Prior to casting his vote against the that during that same time period, scores. Ms. Dolan reported that the lic high schools were included in the velopment consultant, Stan Slachetka, Another resident, Stacy MacNulty, settlement, Mr. Aschenbach urged any new business opening will re- average SAT score for Westfield was study and that the data was obtained characterized as “clarifications” and expressed her “concern” that the issue township officials to meet with the ceive one free six-month employee 1740. She also stated that Westfield from the state Department of “not changes to the intent of the plan.” has been unresolved for two years. She property’s owner to see if an agree- parking permit. ranked 21st in the percent of scores in Education’s most recent New Jersey Borough Attorney Dennis Estis also cited a “visibility problem” when the advanced proficiency range in school report cards. It also noted that added that some of the revisions incor- there are lots of cars parked at the curb language arts. special-education and vocational- porate “minor” recommendations sug- and she tries to back out of her drive- Ms. Dolan also reported that the technical schools in addition to gested by the planning board. way. school went up by 7.4 students in the schools without report card data were These include limiting the number Former Councilwoman Donna Dolce average class size portion of the study not included in the report. of driveways along South Avenue within suggested that changing the driveway since the last published study was In other business, it was announced the redevelopment area; requiring new and curb cut regulations “could have an done in 2008.