Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, July 4, 2019 OUR 129th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 27-2019 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Westfield Planning Board OKs Townhouses on Ross Pl. By MICHAEL BONACCORSO Zelley told the board. Mr. Francis has owned the property Specially Written for The Westfield Leader The proposed design will remove all for over 30 years. He will live in one of WESTFIELD –The planning board 24 existing residential units distributed the proposed units. on Monday night unanimously ap- throughout three buildings, he said. The After construction a homeowners’ proved three separate lots to be merged applicant has proposed three newly- association will govern operations and into one lot with three separate build- constructed buildings, with four units maintenance of the buildings, stated ings containing 10 residential each in buildings one and two, and two Mr. Zelley. Initially, Mr. Francis will townhouses at 215 Ross Place. Cur- units in the third building. serve as the homeowners’ association rently, 24 total residential units are lo- The proposed design will provide an president. cated throughout the three lots, stated overall unit reduction, decreasing the Mr. Zelley said the construction con- the applicant’s attorney, Frederick B. existing residential unit number by more tractor, Patrick Ferro, and Mr. Francis Zelley. The property’s owner-developer, than half, stated Mr. Zelley. have been in contact with Westfield Peter Francis, who will live at the new “We will have substantial landscap- Town Planner Donald Sammet, the development, has opted to pay $111,000 ing all around the buildings,” stated state-mandated affordable-housing to opt out of the court-mandated afford- Mr. Zelley, who described the sur- master planner, and other pertinent land- able-housing obligation. rounding neighborhoods as consist- use representative bodies to work on an “The proposed design is completely ing of both single-family and multi- agreed-upon housing outlay. conforming with town ordinances,” Mr. family residences. The proposed plan includes more than 22 parking spaces, including the garage parking space per each residen- tial unit, stated the applicant’s engineer Courtesy of Mountainside Police and professional planner, Roger Winkle. TRAFFIC HEADACHE...Mountainside Police direct traffic at Route 22 and New Providence Road where the traffic light was Mr. Zelley said the proposed devel- out following a severe thunderstorm that also closed New Providence Road. Power outages were reported throughout the area. opment will provide a refurbished resi- dential housing complex benefiting the neighborhood and Westfield. Mr. Winkle said the applicant’s prop- Thunderstorm Knocks Out Power erty buildings are substantially outdated or in need of repair on Ross Place or the surrounding Carleton Road. “I would say (they are in) the most To 7,000 Residents in Scotch Plains disrepair in the neighborhood,” said By PAUL J. PEYTON Road, Balfour Lane, Argyll Court and restore power. (Chief Trigo) is in con- Mr. Winkle. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Kevin Road. stant contact with PSE&G regarding Planning Board Chairman Robert REGION — A strong thunderstorm “The Township of Scotch Plains power outages and downed wires. Newell requested that Mr. Ferro pre- moved through Union County Satur- asks for everybody’s cooperation in PSE&G is working diligently to re- serve the properties’ existing slate side- day afternoon, downing trees and the aftermath of this afternoon’s storm. store power,” according to Fanwood walks. At a recent Westfield Historic power lines and causing thousands to Scotch Plains Police, Fire and Res- Police’s Facebook page. Preservation Commission (HPC) meet- lose power. cue as well as Public Works and On Sunday morning Springfield Av- ing, HPC Chairwoman Maria Boyes The National Weather Service PSE&G crews are out and working as enue was closed near Union County said historic slate sidewalk preserva- New York Office said what hit the quickly as possible to address all College and Nomahegan Park in Cran- Courtesy of Westfield FMBA Local 30 Facebook Page tion has been an aesthetic on which the area was a “severe thunderstorm with emergencies and damage. All resi- ford with a tree down. Similarly, the HEAVY DAMAGE...A home on Tremont Avenue in Westfield sustains signifi- commission and residents have focused straight line winds,” according to dents should stay away from any westbound lane of North Avenue in cant damage Saturday afternoon when a tree fell on the house during a severe preservation efforts. the Scotch Plains Office of Emer- downed wires,” the township said in Westfield was closed at Fourth Av- thunderstorm that passed through the area. Mr. Ferro said the existing slate side- gency Management. a First Alert media blast around 7:30 enue because of a downed tree on walks could be deemed a safety hazard Scotch Plains reported that 7,000 p.m. on Saturday night. Saturday. State Department of Trans- Building Collapse Causes as they have shown cracking and un- residents lost power during the storm. Public works crews were out clear- portation staff were on the scene to evenness. However, during the demoli- Power lines and downed trees caused ing trees as PSE&G worked to re- detour traffic. tion efforts, the slate sidewalks will be the closure of Sunnyfield Lane, Lake store power. By 5 p.m. on Sunday the Also, a house sustained significant Power Outage, Road Closure restored or donated to the town if they Avenue, Martine Avenue, Terrill township reported that the outages damage on Tremont Avenue after a CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Road, Warren Street, Arrowwood were down to 270 customers. PSE&G tree fell on the structure, according to By PAUL J. PEYTON Avenue from Walnut Avenue at the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader anticipated having full power restored the Westfield Firefighters Mutual Cranford line to Lincoln Avenue in Freeholders Introduce by Monday. Benevolent Association Local 30 GARWOOD — Emergency crews Garwood. Roadways that were still impass- Facebook page. were on the scene of the partial collapse Chief Wright said debris was “strewn able on Sunday included Sunnyfield As of 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Moun- of the vacant Paperboard factory build- across North Avenue.” The collapse Capital Bond Ordinance Lane between Leland and Sleepy Hol- tainside police reported that parts of ing on North Avenue Wednesday. took down power lines, causing a power low, Terrill Road at Kevin Road, Lake the borough were without power. New Garwood Police Chief James outage on the north side of Garwood, he By PAUL J. PEYTON ing management system in the Kellogg Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Avenue at Farmingdale Road, and Providence Road at Route 22 West in Wright told The Scotch Plains-Fan- said, including at the ShopRite super- Building at the Elizabeth campus. Balfour Lane. Roads that were pass- Mountainside was closed as the traf- wood Times that there were “no inju- market. He anticipated power to be out COUNTY — The Union County A public hearing and second read- able included Highlander Drive, fic signal was out. A vehicle was hit ries or loss of life” as a result of the for “a few hours,” but possibly longer, Freeholder Board introduced a ing on the ordinance is scheduled for Chapel Road, Prospect Avenue, Unami by a fallen tree limb, smashing the collapse. There were two workers on as PSE&G workers were on the scene $48,560,387 bond ordinance last Thursday, July 25. Lane, Warren Street, Argyll Court, windshield. Police reported there were site at the time, he said. Wednesday morning. Thursday that funds public improve- The board also approved a resolution Coles Avenue and Arrowwood Drive. no injuries from the storm. Chief Wright said the building had The roadway was closed between ments and acquisitions — everything consenting to a biosolids processing fa- Fanwood Police Chief Richard “PSE&G has been notified nu- been scheduled for demolition on Lincoln Avenue and Oak Street with from new communication and signal cility in Linden. The facility will be Trigo said as of Sunday morning merous times since the event and are Tuesday night, but that the work was traffic diverted to South Avenue. systems equipment to new equipment constructed in the Tremley Point section power lines were still down near Helen busy with storm damage in a wide cancelled by the contractor due to the Andrew Moran, director of public and machinery. The annual capital or- of Linden, the site of the Linden-Roselle Street and Herbert Avenue. part of their service area,” police threat of thunderstorms. safety for Union County, said, “We dinance is a $2-million increase over Sewerage Authority (LRSA). “PSE&G is working on the lines to said at the time. The collapse, which was first re- had personnel from emergency ser- last year, but less than the $72.4 mil- Dan Sullivan, executive director of ported at around 8:40 a.m. on Wednes- vices and county police on the scene lion in 2017 and $58.9 million in 2016. the Union County Improvement Au- day, resulted in the closure of North to assist.” The bond ordinance includes $14.6 thority (UCIA), said the project is a million for road, intersection, bridge partnership between the UCIA, LRSA and culvert improvement projects. and Aries Linden LLC, the company The county has secured $11.9 million that will operate the facility. in funding from state grants for the According to the minutes of the infrastructure improvements. Another November 5 meeting of the Linden $3.9 million is going for improve- Board of Adjustment, a vacant build- ments to county parks and recreation ing on the property will be repurposed facilities including installation of a to take sludge and turn it into usable new playground at Nomahegan Park energy, a byproduct of biochar which in Cranford, rehabilitation of is processed from biosolids.