Planning Board Rejects Proposed Settlement with Village to Approve Revised Site Plan for a Shoprite Supermarket by GLENN R
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— Serving the Town Since 1890 — OUR 106th YEAR - ISSUE NO. 51 Saoad Ctai FoM«l Md at WalMd, NJ. Thursday, December 21,1995 Every Ttonday 232-4407 FIFTY CENTS UNIT MEMBERS VOTE 5-0. WITH MARKS. BOYD ABSTAINING. AGAINST AGREEMENT Planning Board Rejects Proposed Settlement With Village To Approve Revised Site Plan for a ShopRite Supermarket By GLENN R. KAPLINSKY Mr. Greenbaum gave a brief recital With Mrs. List saying, "I think it is rogative lo state our feelings." Sprcmlf Wltmfm n> W<,tf,UUodtr of the history of the proceedings. He time to move ahead." An open public Board member Mark B. Boyd An overflow crowd of approxi- took exception to the closed sessions discussion ensued by board members stated, "I have been fortheShopRite." mately 200 people packed the Com- of the board which he alleged vio- over the merits of the revised site Mr. Boyd said he was troubled by munity Room in the Westfield Mu- lated the Open Public Meetings Act. plan and proposed settlement agree- the objectorscalling the store a "mega nicipal Building Monday night to Mr. Jeremiah has advised the Plan- ment. store" or a "super store" or a "re- witness the Westfield Planning ning Board to the contrary. Mr. Board member Robert L. Newell gional store." Board's vole to reject a proposed Greenbaum concluded the rationale Mr. Boyd alleged lhal a Int of people settlement between the board and was the first lo speak. He compared behind the board's proposed settle- the board's prior resolution rejecting in Westfield support the proposal, Village Super Market which would ment agreement with Village was it however, they do not wish lo allend enable the firm to construct a 58,000- the application with ;he seltlement feared possible litigation and finan agreement. the meetings for fear of being hissed square-foot ShopRite on a North Av- cial exposure. or booed." enue site currently occupied by Mr. Newell was followed by Dr. B. Mr, Greenbaum had previou. Carol Molnar, who stated," I cannot "Ratablesdo matler," he said. "It is Westfield Lumber and Home Center. advised his clients he application can- hard to imagine a better situation for Monday's meeting lasted only two support this settlement as presently not be denied due to off-sile traffic writlen as Westfield will be irrevers- this town," he added. hours. considerations. While feeling the size of the pro- After acting Planning Board Chair- ibly effected forever." He went on to say, "the develop- Dr. Molnar said she would support posed store is too big, Mr. Boyd said, woman, Mrs. Elizabeth H. List, called ment is excessive in scale." "We have blown our chance." the meeting to order, Board Attorney n 37,OOO-square-foot store with load- It was at this juncture Mayor Gar- ing doi;ks at the building's rear. He cited the construction of William S. Jeremiah, 2nd, apprised landC. "Bud" Boothe, Jr. interrupted Hahne's, now Lord & Taylor, and the crowd of two recent develop- Furthermore, she said, "There to state, "I am determined to finish should be a damage clause for non- Foodtown asoriginally having many ments which occurred within the last this process tonight, so please move objectors but now none. week. compliance." along." Dr. Molnar advised citizens to work Mayor Boothe emphasized the The first was the passage by the Two Westfield police officers were board could not agree lo gel Village Garwood Planning Board on Decem- with the board and the applicant on i n attendance throughout the meeting an effort to devise a smaller store. to reduce the size of the store. ber 13 of the Garwood-only super- but were not needed the way things "From day one store size was an market plan. Under that plan, Village Board member, Mrs. Marilyn turned out. Shields, said she also thought a store issue," said MayorBoothe. is to acquire the Plaza properties s ite Mr. Greenbaum urged the board which contains a strip mall, and is Lavrr«nc* K»rnerfor TTi» WemtfleldLa»d*r size of 37,000 to 40,000 square feet He said he feel Westfield does not and Town Council to re-zone the area FINAL DFXiS10N..,Wllllam S. Jeremiah, 2nd, left, attorney for the Westfield would be sufficient. have the road network to accommo- adjacent to (he lumberyard site, and to prohibit large retail uses. Planning Board, makes a point during Monday's meeting held in the Commu- demolish it. The ShopRite will then "It is the size of the store that con-. date all the expected traffic a 58,000- He posed a rhetorical question, "Do nity Room of the Municipal Building. Also pictured is Town Engineer, Kenneth cerns us most," she said. -square-foot ShopRite would gener- be located solely in Gnrwood. you have the strength to stand fast to I). Marsh, center, and board member Robert L. Newell. The second development Mr. Village Super Markets has repeat- ate. He said a 48,000-square-foot store your original decision? Your respon- edly refused to budge on the issue of Jeremiah related to was the forma- sibility is to stick to your guns." would be sufficient. tion of a citizens' coalition entitled size. This has been confirmed by both Mrs. List al the outset of her com- These remarks were greeted with "I am at a complete loss to under- To change the zone would be "in- Iheapplicant and the Planning Board. "Westfield Citizens for Responsible thunderous applause. stand Mr. Greenbaum's argument on herently unfair," he said. ments said, "We have all along the Development." Stephen Barcanof the Woodbridge the Open Public Meetings Act," said Mr. Greenbaum, according to Mr. Mrs. Shields finished heremotional way tried to work out something sat- The group has retained the ser- law firm of Wilente, Goldman and Mr. Barcan. Barcan, had represented Mayfair "remarks by saying, "Our town is re- isfactory to all. It has obviously not vices of Woodbridge attorney Robert Spitzer, who is representing Village, He cited the three lenglhy public S upermarkets in objecting to the prior ally special. You people are really happened. Our Master Plan should S. Greenbaum. Mr. Greenbaum was was then given an opportunity to re- hearings on the revised site plan and application. special. We need o respond to you. be reviewed." given permission to address the meet- spond. settlement agreement as evidence of In addition, Mr. Barcan said Mr. This could be a win-win situation." She said she was worried about the ing by Mrs. List and the board. Mr. Barcan said he was of the opin- public input in the process. If the Greenbaurrihas appeared on behalf In response, Mr. Barcan said, "We effect the ShopRite would have on "We don't want to do battle with ion the board could not change the board were todeny Village's applica- of .supermarket chains before similar won' treduce the sizeof the store, this the downtown Business District. you. We want to work with you," said applicable zoning ordinance in mid- tion Mr. Barcan stated, "it would nol boards. has always been our position." Mr, Newell then made a motion not Mr. Greenbaum. stream. stand up lo Village's appeal." Mr. Jeremiah denied the board's To the applause of the crowd, Mrs. to accept the revised silc plan and the List answered, "And it is our pre- closed session meetings with Village CONTINUED OHPA& n contravened the Open Public Meet- ings Act. After the attorneys were finished, MayorBoothe remarked the Preservation Commission Considers settlement has been discussed at great Garwood-Only ShopRite length "Lets get on with the rest of our Gets Strong Borough Backing Kimball Avenue Historic District lives and await an interpretation," he counseled. No One Speaks For or Against the Proposal Commission Members Hope to Draft a Resolution on Matter Next Month Mrs. List stated, "This Planning Board has tried to fol low the letter of By GLENN R. KAPLINSKY settlement agreement between Vil- the law for the last two and three- SptcMly Wrintnfor-nt WtstfitULeadrr lage Super Markets and the Westfield By MICHELLE II. LtPOIDEMN Kimball Avenue as a historic district lieves in preserving "the integrity and At a special meeting of the Sptclatlj WrilttnM Hit Westjtttd Ltader quarters years." Planning Board which has recently has been an emotional and passionate beauty of our district...the synergy Garwood Planning Board held last Members of the Historic Preserva- battleof opinions for both sidesof the and congruity of the homes." He also been the subject of so much contro- Wednesday, the board voted to ap- versy. tion Commission and a group of con- issue. Amajorityof neighbors appear stated he believes his neighbors are prove a Garwood only ShopRite at cerned Westfield residents discussed to be united in their approval to make supportive of the recommendation. Mr. Sauro commented, "There are Board of Health the site currently occupied by the many things in the agreemeni which a recommendation to the Planning Kimball Avenue a landmark, while Plaza Properties strip mall and the Board and the Town Council that a others view the recommendation as Dr. DominickVolini.ii 12-year resi- we were not willing to do or which . dent of Kimball Avenue, noted he To Reorganize Westfield Lumberyard on North Av- section of the Kimball Avenue area an infringement upon their rights. enue. did not seem appropriate or which be specified as a Westfield Historic was attracted to the character and On January 8 seemed totally unnecessary which we Wallace Parker, a Kimball Avenue way of life in Westfield when he Three separate votes were taken Districtduring its December 18 meet- resident, reflected on his neighbor- The Westfield Board of Health will agreed to in the spirit of compro- moved there.