Residents Rally to Oppose Cooper Rd. Project
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Serving Westfield, Scotch Plains and Fanwood Friday. December 24,2004 50 cents Residents rally to oppose Cooper Rd. project The rally was prompted by a develop- Resident Ed Davis said the island is er's plan to construct a single-family home symbolic of the uniqueness of his neigh- THE RECORD-PRESS on a privately owned lot that occupies the borhood. SCOTCH PLAINS — Buttressed by 50 western end of the island. The plan The house is going to sit in the middle or more sympathetic neighbors, opponents requires a variance from the Board of of an open area, and it's going to dominate of a south side building plan gathered on Adjustment, which will hear the case Jan. the view coming up here," Davis said. "It an island in the middle of Cooper Road 6. The building lot is 660 square feet shy of just seems crass." Saturday to draw attention to their cause. the 40,000 square foot minimum estab- With much of northern New Jersey At the rally, neighbors discussed the lished by the local land use ordinance. slated to be ofT-Iimits to development history of Cooper Road and brainstormed Neighbors lament the steadily increas- under new state regulations, many legal strategies for controlling new devel- ing level of traffic on a street that was builders are turning their attention to opment while their children sat cross- once a farm road, and was chosen by many communities like Scotch Plains, which has legged in the grass, inking slogans onto for its pastoral setting, quiet, and abun- an abundance of large lots and open space BROOKS CRANDALL/COflRESPONDENT handmade cardboard signs. dance of wildlife. Construction of a house on the south side. For example, the Organizer Don Cardiff apaaks to a neigh- "We want to preserve this town, and on the wooded tract of land, they said, Planning Board is in the final stages of bor at Saturday's rally aa children work stop thiH inappropriate building," said one would send a green light to developers reviewing a seven-lot subdivision off on a sign with an anti-development mee- Cooper Road woman who asked not to be interested in carving up the dwindling aage in the background. identified. open spaces that remain in the township. (Continued on page A-2) Towns get At WHS, Off to a slow start state funds freshmen Hillary Klimowicz and the rest of her Raiders basketball teammates lost the first two games of the season to improve get help before facing Linden Tuesday. They look to get back on track with a West Coast road trip after Christmas. See roadways from above Sports. PageC-1. ByBMD Juniors, seniors work THE RECORD-PRESS to smooth transition • Area communities have received municipal aid grants ByMUDBISHOF totaling more than $500,000 THE RECORD-PRESS . from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, WESTFIELD — In a school the state agency announced with a burgeoning population last week. that is steadily approaching The awards were part of 2,000 students, Westfield High $67.5 million in aid granted to School upperclassmen are play- more than 400 municipalities. ing a role in acclimating their The funding is distributed younger classmates to life inside using a formula based on town crowded hallways. population and road mileage. A program designed by a com- Seventy-five percent of the mittee of parents, students, and A makeover for a grant money is provided up staff aims to ease the ninth grade front, and 25 percent Le distrib- transition process by enlisting Victorian beauty uted after the project ia com- St. Nicttolae came to student mentors to provide Fanwood Safurday for the advice and counsel to incoming An ongoing restoration of a pleted, freshmen. In Westfield, the DOT borough'a annual "Santa Victorian home in Fanwood recently SpMat Parade," in which the jolly School officials have long been drew the attention of a camera crew awarded $160,000 for work on old man ridea around town, concerned about the experience from the History Channel. See the Highland Avenue; Scotch courteay of the fire depart- of integrating students into a story on Page B-1. Plains received $160,000 for deliveries ment, delivering gifts to local large and sometimes confusing improvements on Rahway kids. Top, Santa handa out a high school, said Student Road; and Fanwood received doll to one lucky girt aa other Assistance Counselor Maureen $180,000 for work on Pleasant from children wait their turn. At Mazzarese. Avenue. left, he made his rounds In a new program created to The municipalities will using not a sleigh and rein- address that concern, during gym upgrade the roads in 2005, like- Santa deer but perched on the front classes on selected weeks, the ly during the summer months. of a fire truck. Below, Hunter 460-odd members of the fresh- Drive was abuzz about Each spring, municipalities Santa's arrival. The neighbor- man class are broken down into apply for funding through the Clam hood has an annual party to 38 smaller groups, which are NJDOT Local Aid Division. celebrate his viait. supervised by 108 student volun- Applications cover a variety of teers. Nine guidance counselors project types including road and five teacher advisors keep resurfacing, rehabilitation, or watch from a distance. reconstruction and signaliza- At the group sessions, student tion. mentors lead their groups Municipal governments through a structured exercise, maintain more than 70 percent moderating a discussion when of New Jersey's 36,000 miles of the lesson is finished. Topics roads. In many instances, local range from new and old friend- property taxes do not provide ships and respecting differences sufficient funds for proper to making sound choices and repair and maintenance to understanding consequences. Scouts growing these roadways. "Most of them have the same "Improvement of our road concerns — they're scared about their teachers or worried about green thumbs networks and bridges is essen- finals," said senior Lindsay tial to improving economic DeGiralamo. "Our goal is to The members of Boy Scout Troop growth and the quality of life break their fears down one at a 72 in Westfield are at work on sever- for New Jersey residents," said time and by the end of the pro- al projects to earn their merit badges Assembly Speaker Albio Sires gram, hopefully you've given in horticulture. See the story on (D-33). them some help." Page B-1. NJDOT's Municipal Aid pro- Mazzarese said the transition grnm is very popular and com- leaders were selected from a pool petitive. Of the 829 grant appli- of 400 students who wanted to cations received, the NJDOT participate. Once selected, the funded 408, or 49 percent. Btudent mentors complete a 15- Many towns that receive hour training program and Pizza and a movie awards do not get the full attend monthly training ses- amount requested. sions. The student leaders are at the library Funding for the program is pulled from electives to adminis- also limited, as NJDOT ter the transition program. The Teen Group of the Fanwood received more than $198 mil- BROOKS CRANDALUCORRESPONDENT Library will gather for its "Pizza and a lion in requests. (Continued on page A-2) '. Movie"program 2 p.m. Tuesday. The movie screened will be "A Christmas Story." The program is open to ail local teens; tor information, call (908) County prods towns to consider shuttle bus to train stations 322-6400. By BRAD BISHOP public access to the workplace, said Walter opportunities for synergy here." In 2003, the Westfield station saw an THE RKCORD-PRESS Cherwoin, who coordinated the meeting. According to 2003 statistics compiled by averuge of 1,800 commuters board the Of the seven communities involved in a NJ Transit, more than 82 percent of area train each weekday, more than double the WESTFIELD — Union County officials technical study, he said, only Roselle Park residents commute to work by car, while number of commuters at any other station hosted an informational session last week currently offers a jitney service. NJ Transit fewer than 8 percent commute by rail. In along the Raritan Valley line. And given as part of their efforts to promote munici- is willing to provide seed money for bus Westfield, Scotch Plains, and Fanwood, thnt the town won't be adding parking Commentary A-4 pal shuttle-bus service along the Raritan service in each Raritan Valley community, between 8 and 12 percent commute to their capacity, officials will be exploring opportu- Valley railrond line. though the contribution would last for only jobs on the train. Officials want to enlarge nities to reduce the amount of cars on local Community Life B-1 The goal of the Community Shuttle three years and would not consist of full that percentage, nnd some believe a shut- roadways, said Rafael Betnncourt, chair- Efficiency Project, which is focusing on funding even in that time period, Cherwoin tle service can do it. man of the Parking, Transportation, and Sports C-1 communities throughout central Union said. The great obstacle to a jitney service in, Public Safety Committee. County, is to provide local officials with He added that the service would ideally of course, financial. Each bus costs an esti- "We'll have probably dozens of Planning Prime Time B-4 financial models and to plan routes and operate during morning and evening peak mated $90,000, and operating and mainte- Board applications that are going to schedules for potential operation. hours to serve commuters. Markets will nance costs push annual expenses well require additional parking," Betancourt Obituaries A-B The program was funded by a federal also be examined to explore off-peak and into six figures per year for a single com- said.