Council Unveils Plan for Downtown Parking Ciarrocca Said
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Vittvtb ttBB Serving Westfield, Scotch Plains and Fanwood Friday, April 29, 2005 50 cents Council unveils plan for downtown parking Ciarrocca said. should be moved to available parking underground storage tanks and contami- THE RECORD-PRESS Broadly speaking, the plan involves spaces on Orchard Street, upper Elm nated soil from beneath the surface of the reconfiguring downtown parking lots and Street, and Ferris Place. The town has parking lot. The contamination was dis- WESTFIELD — To enthusiastic on-street parking options, and relocating begun enforcing two-hour limitations on covered last spring during the town's applause, Councilman Mark Ciarrocca downtown employees to more remote loca- Quimby Street to achieve this objective, study of the feasibility of constructing a unveiled a downtown parking improve- tions in town. The report was received and will soon be cracking down on Elm parking deck on the site. ment plan Tuesday night that is expected with open arms by many members of Street, Ciarrocca said. Morgan did not say Also, the South Avenue parking lot to improve safety and efficiency and add WECARE, a group formed in opposition to how many parking tickets have been would be repaved and landscaped to make 85 to 100 spaces of capacity. the parking deck that had made many of issued on Quimby yet, but said employees it a more attractive location, and pay sta- The plan is the council's first compre- the same recommendations last year. are now relocating to the town's preferred tions would be added to improve service. hensive effort to address downtown park- "This is sensational," said resident Jim parking locations. The town is also looking at converting ing since voters rejected a parking deck in Baker, a member of WECARE. "The park- Under the first full phase of the plan, parking meters to digital technology to a referendum last November. ing plan is going to be a huge win for all of the town would redesign and repave the allow for smart card service, which is also Ciarrocca, who developed the plan with the constituents in town — employees, parking lots between Prospect and Elm usable at pay stations. the town's Public Safety, Parking and commuters, (shoppers)." streets, gaining 22 to 25 spaces in the Morgan said digital meters would also Transportation committee and a citizen's For immediate improvements, the town process. The lots, which were the site of include a feature that allows for free group he formed last year, presented the should reconfigure parallel spots on the proposed redevelopment project, short-term parking. Motorists can park plan alongside Parking Director John Prospect Street between North Avenue should be dedicated exclusively for down- their cars and press a button that will Morgan and Police Chief Bernard Tracy. and Broad Street into diagonal spots, town shoppers, Ciarrocca said. allow them to park free for 10 minutes, he "(The plan) we're bringing to the coun- Ciarrocca said. The move would gain Required environmental remediation explained. Tournament time! cil is a road map (over) where we need to seven on-street parking spaces. will be done during this phase, Ciarrocca go to improve downtown parking," Ciarrocca said downtown employees said. The town is required to remove Can Janee Easley keep up a hot bat (Continued on page A-2) for the Lady Raiders? Do the SP-F boys have enough to repeat? Can Westfield baseball and Softball take advantage of No. 3 seedings? See Extra Union County Tournament previews in Sports, Page C-1. funds A grey day at Mindowaskin sought Gloomy skies and a forecast of more rain led organizers to for field cancel the spring clean-up in Westfield's MlndowasMn Park, which had been sched- uled last Saturday. But the upgrade wet weather couldn't keep away these intrepid joggers — at least the cherry blos- THE RECORD-PRESS soms were in bloom to WESTFIELD — The price tag brighten their day. to build a lighted turf field on the aouth side has climbed higher than expected, officials from the Recreation Commssion told the Pat fair planned council Tuesday. Last June, the council bonded $1.1 million to construct the BfiOOKS cft*NDAtL/CORRESPONDENT Union County's annual pet fair, facility at Houlihan Field, which including dazzling demonstrations is located off Lamberts Mill by dogs as well as helpful informa- Road. Included in the project tion from veterinarians and adop- were renovations to tennis tion opportunities, returns to the courts at Tamaques Park. Cooper Road hearing is set to continue The Recreation Commission Trailside Nature & Science Center this weekend. See the story in held meetings with residents By IMP lltMOP would be out of place in their neigh- township believed the building tract to the township, Kraus said. and field users over the fall and Community Life. Page B-1, THE RECORD PRESS borhood, which they say has a pre- plan was far closer to the standards Resident Eton Cardiff, a leader of dominantly rural character. called for in the land use ordinance. a group opposed to the project, said winter, and decided to amend its SCOTCH PLAINS —Ahearing Lustbader's attorney Robert But after a zoning board hearing the organization's professional and request to the council. Instead of over a builder's controversial plan Kraus, however, has argued that if over the project in January, the legal team would be meeting this laying turf and lights at to develop an island of land on the zoning board denies his client developer's professionals went back week to examine the new plans. He Houlihan only, the commission Cooper Road is scheduled to contin- the right to build a dwelling on the to the drawing board for revisions. expressed concerns about the would also like add the artificial ue next week. property, the action would consti- The new plans include a relocat- potential loss of trees and the surface to adjacent Syd Faye Developer Mark Lustbader tute inverse condemnation. ed driveway that now faces the appearance of retaining walls field and expand the joint facili- hopes to secure approval from the The property is owned by AT&T, northeast-bound lane of Cooper included in tho plan. Cardiff said ties' parking lot from 20 to 41 Zoning Board of Adjustment to which used tho land and a small Road, which splits to envelop the the much larger variance spaces. build a two-and-a-half story, single- on-site structure for utility purpos- island. Previous plans had theLustbader will be seeking should In order to do that, the com- family home on the tract. The plan es until recently; Lustbader has a driveway exiting the property to solidify the neighbors' opposition. mission will need an additional would require a variance for lot contract to acquire the land, contin- the west; the new plan may "We're hoping that can only $300,000, said Recreation area. In the RS-1 zone, building lots gent upon board approval. The improve sightlines for drivers exit- make our case stronger, but the law Commission chairman Jim are required to encompass at least township owns the northeastern ing the driveway. works in strange ways," Cardiff Marvin. JUMwr visits 40,000 square feet: the area of half of the island, which it desig- New engineering drawings also said. In addition to incorporating Lustbnder's parcel falls nearly nated a conservation zone shortly indicate that AT&T's property The zoning board has slotted the the suggestions the commission Franklin Softool 6,600 square feet short of code. nftor Lustbador's application was extends well into the public right- Cooper Road proposal for an 8:30 obtained from meetings with rea- Opponents of the project argue filed. of-way to the north. The developer p.m. hearing on Thursday, May 5. idents and users, part of the pro- Children's author Patricia Lakin that any development on the tract Initially, the developer and will offer to cede that portion of the ject's higher price tag comes recently visited with students at from increoHes in construction Franklin Elementary School in costs. Prices for raw materials Westfield as part of the school's such as oil, synthetics, and steel Visiting Author Day series. Lakin Local festivals offer hnve. increased substantially read from her books and answered winee June, said Councilman questions from students. See the Peter Kchauwse. story on Page A-8. Recreation Director Bruce a treat to film buffs Kaufman an id grant money to offset costs for recreation proj- Libraries' 'Movies in May' program ects could heiMinie available from the county shortly. And the town joins Westfilrn to promote aspiring artists can apply for money from a •yMMDMSMOP The sui'gi- of interest in inde- recreation trust fund, though ho Prayer celebration said thi> two Htnirces would only THK ItKl Old) I'lJKS.s pendent cinema hus bren culti- vated by Ihe two libraries and lift about $1 (Ml,()<)() in funds the at Village Green Organizers of n pair of inde- Went III in organizers IVter Paul town would hnve to mutch. The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Ministerial pendent film festivals tlmt Iti'uni HMNUT and William MciVTeekiin. The project was inspired hy it Association will lead a National D.iy of next week hcipe the events shine lorn! filinm.tktT;< uh» live ;iml shm'trige n( available athletic Prayer celebration on the Village Green a key light mi the burgeoning work in the area fie Id H Cur HCIIIMII -agi'd and fidult alongside the Scotch Plains municipal filmmaking ruMimtinil v in the "Wiirknij: with I lie libraries iiHerH, a problem nhnred by many building at 730 p.m Thursday.