Charter Commission in 3-2 Split on Municipal Government
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ONLY NEWSPAPER WITH COMPLETE SCOTCH PLAINS -FANWOOD NEWS VOLUME 12 NO. 31 SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD, N.J., THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1971 15 CENTS A COPY 3rd Hearing On Oil Charter Commission Co. Variance Request Set For September 2 In 3-2 Split On Humble Oil Company, which has token the stand for two nights already at the Fansvood Board of Adjustment, will continue their Municipal Government variance application for a diagnostic canter, service station and cap wash on September 2, The company seeks to establish the center on a 1,8 acre site along Terrill Road between LaGrande Avenue and South Avenue in Fanwood, Although most of the property proposed for the center is in an area already zoned for commercial Majority Urges Council-Manager development, some of the land proposed for parking spaces lies in a residential area on LaGrande Avenue, Plan, Minority Favors Status Quo Listening Post A five-man committee elected by Scotch Plains voters to study the effectiveness of the present Scotch Plains form of government, this Session Set week submitted tsvo final reports. One suggests a change from the present Tosvnship Charter form to a Council-Manager approach, A For Saturday separate minority report recommends that the present form be retained. The regular monthly Lis- The question of possible change to Council-Manager form will tening Post Session will be be placed on the ballot in November 2 general elections, when conducted this week by Scotch residents will register their reactions to the Charter Commission plains Committeeman Alan recommendations, Augustine, The Session has been set for Saturday, August 7th, from 10 to 12 Noon, MAJORITY REPORT MINORITY REPORT The sessions are conducted The three-man majority, in- Robert L. Smith and John W, in order to provide Scotch cluding Sylvester Green, Vice- Galiardo, in their minority re- Plains residents an oppor- chairman, Ellen Hpingler, Sec- port, are unsatisfied that a tunity to present their views, retary, and George Perry, public governmental change is nec- seek information and to inform Relations, found the Tosvnship essary or desirable, or that the themselves on questions of Committee form "an eighteenth Council - Manager form would concern. The public is in- century response to the Tosvn benefit Scotch Plains, They point vited to the informal meeting Meeting." The present charter out that their minority view is which will be held in the calls for election of a five-man not a defense of the present sys- Committee Chambers, Muni- Tosvnship Committee, a Tosvn- tem, but an indication to voters cipal Building, Park Avenue, ship Clerk and Tux Collector of strengths in the system, and an Scotch Plains. (both of whom may now acquire outline of the significance of tenure of office during good be- changes proposed by the Edward J, Insley, right, listens to testimony from Humble Oil iiiifli havior, making elections un- majority. Company before the Fanwood Board of Adjustment, The oil com- necessary), and appointment of absolutely no effect on fire and The Tosvnship Committee pany seeks a variance for construction of a car care center on a number of designated officials. form, in their mind, has been Terrill Road, insley represents 20 families in opposition. theft rates for adjoining resi- dential properties. •'This Charter leaves every- successful for 50 years as the Lynch had been questioned at thing pretty much to the Tosvn- community has evolved and has To date, Mumble's attorney greater Impact on surrounding the initial hearing regarding the ship Committee, and makes no proven flexible. John Lynch has called several area than the present Maple Tree possibility of the oil company provision for organization or They note that, svhile several witnesses to testify, in the Inn operation. accepting several conditions, He structure of local government be- past and present officials have second session of the public hear- The zoning ordinance requires reported that the company would yond designating the officials to pointed to features which might ing, held last Wednesday at Bo- a 50-foot buffer zone between be willing to go along with a be elected and appointed," they be desirable, all persons includ- rough Hall, David Zimmerman, condition that cars being repaired stated. In tracing the history ing the Commission's consultant, residential boundaries and ser- of the .Scotch Plains govern- a city planner and director of vice station activities, Zimmer- be kept inside of the proposed believed the Tosvnship to be func- Model Cities of jersey City, 10-bay repair facility if leftover- ment, the majority have noted tioning svell in its present form. man said, and the Humble ap- that the 1917 population was said that in a study he has made plication does not comply with night. Smith and Caliardo find avail- of the Borough of Fanwood, in- "only 1,200 souls," a population ability of five equal committee- this requirement. He noted, The company would also be so small and services so few dustrial growth has been singu- however, that the proposed car willing to accept a condition that men a distinct advantage. In larly absent in relation to the that personalized attention of addition, the assignment of each wash building itself would be three lights in the parking area those elected svas adequate. They jump in population and commer- 124 feet from the nearest dwell- be turned off at a reasonable committeeman to a special area cial establishments between 1950 cite the broad range of municipal of administrative responsibility ing, and the service station 205 hour, perhaps eight o'clock, but services now provided, including and 1970, feet. These distances, in ad- suggested that the Board of Ad- provides first-hand knosvledge police department, tsvo volunteer and experience. Zimmerman said there is a dition to retaining walls which justment might consider the ad- fire companies, SO miles of lack of vacant zoned sites in will be required when the site visability of allosving one light The greatest divergence of Tosvnship roads, health and svel™ opinion is on the question of Fanwood for such industrial use, would be razed, and the shrubbery which illuminates a curb cut for fare, an extensive recreation and also a lack of facilities such and fences atop the retaining an access drive to remain on if accountability and responsive- program, public sanitary sesvage ness of the Tosvnship Committee as waterways, natural resources, walls, would form a buffer zone police authorities feel it collection, administration of and railroad access which would and a visual barrier. advisable for safety. versus Council-Manager form. lure such development. The Present taxes realized by the The company Is also amenable Continued on Page 6 proposed Mumble Oil site is the Borough from the inn use are to any reasonable landscaping largest site now available for in- $6,434, Zimmerman said, conditions, Lynch said. dustrial development, he said. whereas the car core center As proposed, the facility svould In addressing himself to the would pay $27,775, include a service station with present Fanwood zoning law Lester Arndt, associated with 12 pumps, a car svash with on which dictates that no new ser- Kemper Insurance Company, tes- additional six pumps on the ac- vice station may be built within tified that service stations and cess path to the car wash, and vice station may bo built within car core centers carry a lower a 10-bay diagnostic center with 500 feet of an existing service insurance risk rating than a large stock of replacement station, Zimmerman said he had churches, chapels, and mercan- parts and highly sophisticated concluded that the Fanwood re- tile establishments, such as equipment. The service station quirement was an oversight. clothing scores. The rate for facility would probably remain Humble would require a vari- service stations is 24 cents per open 24 hours, while the car ance on that count, since a ser- $100 of buildings and 24 cents svash svould be in operation from vice station is already in exist- per $100 of contents, whereas 9 to 6, six days a week, and an ence within 500 feet of the pro- mereantiles are insured at a additional half-day on Sunday, posed site. It is within the rate of $1.04 per building and The diagnostic center svould be Plainfield borders, on the cor- $1,82 per $100 of contents. open from 9 to 5 on all days but net of South and Terrill Road. Arndt said service stations Sunday, svhen it svould be closed. Zimmerman said he had sur- were not a problem risk, and To date, 100 residents of both veyed South Avenue for its entire he knew of no Humble Oil fa- Fansvood and adjoining proper- length, from Elizabeth to Somer- cility which has required a ties in Plainfield have signed ville, and had found 111 service special assigned-rlsk category. a petition in opposition to the stations, with 82 of them within Dealerships, service stations and center. 500 feet of one another. garages are among the insureds Edward j, Insley, a Fanwood Zimmerman said he felt that which pay the highest dividends, attorney, has been engaged by 20 Charter Study Commission at work; left to right, standing, Syl- the proposed new use for the he claimed. He further stated families to represent them during vester G-reen, Ceorge Herry, Robert Smith. Seated, Ellen hpingler, property would not have any that their existence would have the seshions, -and Township Clerk-Helen M, ReidyRei . t. , t • i » -? > * «••*.«! A .-, ''/ .%„ VW Lt % T P I £ V. O ,LUNCHEON . DINNER , COCKTAIL LOUNGE Fmaturing BRUCE W/LUAMS of thw Organ 1900 Raritan Road Scotch Plains, New Jersey HOIICW Your Host Sam Sidorakis For Reservations Phone 889-1900 Meeting Place For Jersey's Top Spor'imen %£41,1! \"f Ssa /A? M * The map above shows the proposed extension of Martine Avenue, planned by Union County, Construc- tion of the extension, to run from Raritan Road to a Lake Avenue connecting point, is expected to begin QUALITY COLOR PROCESSING by next Spring, KODAK DISCOUNT ON FILMS .RE(ims.