Council Rejects Ordinance To Fund Design of Deck Hv PALI. J. PKYTON lots at Elm and East Broad Streets, noted that the site's limited options Stmmllv Wmtn ft) Thr WxltitM 1 citing both traffic and safety issues. forentrance and exit dri\ eways, along The Town Council Tucsduy night Mr. Echausse, who resides on Tuttle with the small size of the lot. pul it defeated a bond ordinance that was Parkway, chairs the council's Public farther down on the list of prospec­ to set up a funding source for the Safety Committee. tive sites. design phase of a multi-tiered park­ He said he was concerned that a During Tuesday's meeting, the ing deck in the downtown deck at Eltn and Prospect would proposed deck was often described Faced with a 4-4 deadlock. Mayor create problems by sending traffic to as a "huge concrete monster" that Gregory S. McDermott cast his vote the right at the intersection of Elm would result in declining property against the ordinance, staling that he and East Broad or to the left and values, cause health and safety prob­ would like to see more discussion on down to ihe intersection of Dudley lems from poor air quality due to the issue. Avenue and Elm Street, which is auto emissions, and pose additional Voting against the ordinance, already plagued by traffic accidents. traffic safety risks for children in which was lo put aside $7(H),(HH) in Mr. Echausse said a parking struc­ surrounding neighborhoods. town funds for the design phase of ture on an existing surface lot behind Another resident said a deck could the deck, including soil samples and the PaineWehher building on North leave commuters walking to their specifications on size and aesthetics, Avenue, more commonly known as cars open to the risk of sexual as­ were ihe Mayor, First WardCouncil- lot 9 or the Shell lot, would be a sault, w hile also creating an environ­ man Peter Echausse, Second Ward better location for the deck. He de­ ment for homelessness and garbage. Councilman Rafael Betancourt and scribed the North Avenue site, which Jordan Hymann, 15, who resides Matthew P. Albano, and Fourth Ward abuts the train station, as a “reason­ near the Franklin Elementary School, Councilwoman Janis Fried able and rationale" site. The lot is which is around six blocks from the Weinstein. currently an employee permit lot. proposed Elm-Prospect deck, said Voting in favor were First Ward Mayor McDermott told The he foresees a small child being in­ Courtesy of The Musml Group PLANS FOR THE FUTURE...The Musial Group provided a full-color picture of the new Union County Police Councilman Carl A. Salisbury, Third Weslfieltl Tender that the site was jured by increased traffic on Elm. Headquarters and Forensics Lab, which will be erected in Westfield. The project calls for the construction of a “three- Ward Council representatives Neil eliminated by the town’s parking "You talk about the quality of life, story, masonry clad ‘state of the art’ police and forensic facility.” The building will be constructed on the site located on F. Sullivan and Claire Lazarowitz, consultant, Rich and Associates, due but what happens when there is no North Avenue and will house the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Communications and Forensics Units, the Union and Fourth Ward Councilman lo its lack of size. The Mayor said life?” he asked council members. County Police Department and the Union County Emergency Management Office. Lawrence A. Goldman. that, given proposals for a commuter Delores McDermott, commenting The vote followed another pas­ jitney and valet-style parking in the on a previous statement by Mr. Shan sionate plea by residents living in the South Avenue train station lot, per­ non, staled that not building a park­ area of a proposed 600- to 800-space haps a smaller deck could now be ing deck was "the best case sce­ County’s New Police Headquarters parking deck at Elm and Prospect justified and fit at lot 9. nario” for the town. Streets. The town had been looking Saying he was caught off guard by Mr. Shannon had said an 825-space to break ground on the $12 million the vote on the ordinance. Mr. deck was considered the "worse case Unveiled Before Planning Board project in January 2002, but Town Salisbury said the council decision scenario" for the Elm and Prospect Administrator Thomas P. Shannon has left him with a sense of "spinning lots, noting that a deck there would By JAMES FOERST nance to be 40 feet and 20 feet re­ The board, acknowledging the de­ said last week that time frame prob­ likely house 6(H) lo 700 spaces. Spei iullx Written for The Westfield louder my wheels" on whether a deck will spectively. sire to preserve the historic tree, con­ ably would not he met. be built. Robert Tartc of Prospect Street The County of Union has unveiled The board expressed concern over ditionally approved the variances pro­ Councilman Echausse told coun­ He said the Shell lot "was among said deck objectors "will remember plans to construct a new Union the destruction of a large elm tree on vided that the tree be preserved, the cil members that he would not sup­ the least viable of the sites” the coun­ who destroys our neighborhood" if County Police Headquarters and the property which was described by decrease in parking be minimized by port a deck on the existing surface cil looked at for a deck. Mr. Salisbury CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Forensic Laboratory in Westfield. Michael Snezak of the Westfield Tree utilizing such alternatives as a porous The plan, which was presented Preservation Commission as a “good parking surface around the tree and this past Monday at the Westfield buffer to the railroad" and a “gateway increased parking on the street penifr New Town Recreation Director Takes Board of Adjustment meeting, was into the downtown." Mr. Snezak stated ing Town Council approval. endorsed by the board provided that that the elm tree, “which is in remark­ The board also discussed the in­ the Union County Board of Free­ ably good condition,” is approximately creased traffic' flow at the unusual On Position of Heading Department holders utilize an acceptable exte- 40 inches in diameter and between intersection which would be caused . rior finish and install exterior lights 100-125 years old. Mr. Snezak, the by the office building. By DEBORAH MADISON ence and education in recreation an d " throughout the slate. He has also in keeping with the towns lighting board and the developer all agreed Planning Board member Martin Specially Written for The Westfield Leader parks administration. He is a Certi­ provided instructional softball clin­ plans. that the tree should lie preserved. Robbins also discussed the possibil­ The town Department of Recre­ fied Parks and Recreation Profes­ ics and field preparation recommen­ The board acknowledged that they “Preservation of the tree would ity of making a cul de sac on New ation has filled the position of Recre­ sional (CPRP), as well as a Certified dations to other municipalities. had no jurisdiction over the county reduce our available parking by ap­ Street at Central Avenue. Town En­ ation Director. Bruce Kaufman, a Pool Operator. Mr. Kaufman told The Westfield plan but suggested that the courtly proximately six spots," noted Mr. gineer Kenneth B. Marsh stated that resident of Denville, has been cho­ Mr. Kaufman also has a New Jer­ Leader that his first challenge will be increase financing so that the build­ Zemsky. The building requires 63 Central Avenue is a county road and sen by the Recreation Commission sey Stale Teacher’s License in f lealth to simply keep the various programs ing and premises would be con­ parking spaces, one for every 250 that the Planning Board had no juris­ to fill the position, which was left and Physical Education for kinder­ up and running, while the depart­ structed in keeping with the charac­ feet of office space, based on the diction over the traffic patterns at the vacant by Ihe resignation of Glenn garten through 12th grade. ment is gathering resumes to fill ter of the town. reduced size of the building. The site intersection. Burrell. Mr. Burrell left the depart­ He was Director of Recreation for numerous vacancies. The positions The project calls for the construc­ plan provide for 57 spots with the The county had previously approved ment in March. the City of Summit from 1996 to of full-time secretary to the director; tion of a “three-story, masonry clad removal of the tree and only 51 park­ the site plan based on a traffic How Mr. Kaufman comes to Westfield 1999, which included administra­ assistant director and program su­ 'state of the art' police and forensic ing spaces if the tree was preserved. report presented by the developer. with 27 years of extensive experi- tion of a community pool, a town- pervisor remain vacant. facility." The building will be con­ operated golf course and all ot the “There will he some aspects of structed on the site located on North Board of Education fields, as well as running the department that will slip Avenue and will house the Union town-owned fields. through the cracks due lo the numer­ County Prosecutor’s Office Commu­ Elizabethtown Water Company Lifts Prior to becoming Director of Rec­ ous vacancies," Mr. Kaufman ex­ nications and Forensics Units, the reation in Summit, Mr. Kaufman was plained. “I look forward to the chal­ Union County Police Department and Assistant Director in Summit for live lenge and am anxious lo get things the Union County Emergency Man­ Water Advisory, Completes Repairs years and Program Supervisor lor up and running again." agement Office.