View Other Items in this Archive | View All Archives | Printable Version 2015 ISSUE II: SPRING - The Maplewood Leaflet Information from the Maplewood Township Committee on the Maplewood Post Office On April 7, 2015 at 7:30pm, the Maplewood Township Committee will hold a public hearing and consider on final passage, Ordinance 2778-15, Authorizing the Execution Of A Tax Agreement With Maplewood Redevelopers, LLC And Granting a Tax Exemption: 5 Year Tax Abatement Pursuit To State Statute. This is for the post office site on Maplewood Avenue. The Township of Maplewood is the current property owner and now there are no property taxes collected from the site. Below is a ten year tax payment analysis comparing the current value of the land and building at the post office site with the proposed new development receiving a five-year tax abatement (PILOT). From 2016 through 2025, the total estimated tax payments on the existing land and building are $678,730. The total estimated tax payments on the proposed new development are $1,009,582, which is an increase of $330,852. After 2025, the proposed new development will generate over $85,000 more in taxes per year than the taxes for the existing land and building. The current land value for the post office site is $696,800 and the value of the building (improvement) is $978,500. The 2014 Maplewood tax rate (municipal, library, open space, school and county portions) is $3.524 per $100 of value. The 2015 tax rate has not yet been determined. The comparisons start with the 2016 tax year. The estimated tax rate for 2016 is $3.70 per $100 of value, which is five percent more than the 2014 tax rate. EXISTING LAND AND BUILDING TAX PAYMENTS Estimated Estimated Total Estimated Year Land Tax Building Tax Tax Payments 2016 $25,782 $36,204 $61,986 2017 $26,297 $36,929 $63,226 2018 $26,823 $37,667 $64,490 2019 $27,360 $38,420 $65,780 2020 $27.907 $39,189 $67,096 2021 $28,465 $39,973 $68,438 2022 $29,034 $40,772 $69,806 2023 $29,615 $41,588 $71,203 2024 $30,207 $42,419 $72,626 2025 $30,811 $43,268 $74,079 TEN YEAR $282,301 $396,429 $678,730 TOTALS The estimated value of the building (improvement) with the proposed new development is estimated by the Tax Assessor to be $2,887,700. During the five-year PILOT period (2017-2021), land taxes are paid in full and the taxes on the improvement are phased in by 20 percent each year after the first year. PROPOSED NEW DEVELOPMENT - LAND AND BUILDING TAX PAYMENTS Estimated Total Estimated Year Estimated Land Building Tax Tax Payments Tax $0 2016 $25,782 Construction of $25,782 Building $0 2017 $26,297 0% Taxes 1st Year $26,297 2018 $26,823 $22,232 $49,055 20% Taxes 2nd Year 20% x $111,161 2019 $27,360 $45,354 $72,714 40% Taxes 3rd Year 40% x $113,385 2020 $27.907 $69,391 $97,298 60% Taxes 4th Year 60% x $115,652 2021 $28,465 $94,372 $122,837 80% Taxes 5th Year 2022 $29,034 $120,325 $149,359 100% Taxes 2023 $29,615 $122,731 $152,346 2024 $30,207 $125,186 $155,393 2025 $30,811 $127,690 $158,501 TEN YEAR $282,301 $727,281 $1,009,582 TOTALS Essex Community Energy The State of New Jersey has a great program -Home Performance with ENERGY STAR- that allows homeowners to: • Receive rebates up to $5,000 and interest-free financing up to $10,000 for energy upgrades to residential properties. • There may be no additional monthly outlay of cash because the energy reduction the homeowner receives is often greater than the monthly repayment of the financed amount. The Green Teams of Maplewood, South Orange, Millburn, and Irvington have joined together and created a website that helps residents take advantage of this great program. Visit: essexcommunityenergy.org Special Eco Events Coming this April: Check out the "Green Teen Challenge" and learn about how young people can make a difference. We've partnered with the Maplewood Library and planned special eco events all month at both libraries! Wednesday April 15th at 3:30PM: Get your bike going for the season at our Bike Maintenance and Safety Event in Memorial Park. Saturday, April 18th at 2:00PM: Join Rizzo and his amazing Reptiles in the basement of the main library for a show certain to awe and amaze! Eco Film Fest Join the Maplewood Green Team for four moving films about the current state of the environment. While the films have powerful imagery, we feel the content is suitable for grades 6 and up. All films have two showings in the basement of the Maplewood Memorial Library at 3:30PM and 7PM The films are free and refreshments will be provided. Tuesday April 7th - Chasing Ice Tuesday April 14th - Elemental Tuesday April 21st - Vanishing of the Bees Tuesday April 28th - Trashed Visit maplewoodisgreen.org for full event listing. From the Administration Department Administration Department 574 Valley Street - (973) 762-8120 Maplewood, New Jersey 07040 Irvington Avenue Complete Corridor Plan Unites Neighborhoods In 2013, Together North Jersey granted Maplewood a 90K technical assistance grant to study the 1.2 mile Irvington Avenue Corridor running through South Orange and Newark, and terminating in Maplewood at the Irvington border. Funded by HUD, in conjunction with Rutgers’ Bloustein School of Planning and New Jersey Transit, the study explored the Corridor’s existing conditions, concluding that boosting the vitality of the local economy will be accomplished by creating a more aesthetically appealing, user-friendly shopping destination that would draw more commercial activity to the area. This shared County roadway is an important thoroughfare that links pedestrians and drivers to mass transit and additionally serves as three separate and distinct commercial nodes along its length. The busiest area of Maplewood’s portion of Irvington Avenue is a commercial node where the area intersects with Parker Avenue, an intersection tentatively branded as “Maplewood Corners.” Studied by planners, architects, transportation officials and retail experts, in consultation with a steering committee composed of merchants, the chamber of commerce, volunteer organizations and representatives from the three municipalities, the grant resulted in an action plan titled: Irvington Avenue: “Creating a Complete Corridor.” The Plan calls for improving pedestrian, bicyclist and transit user facilities along the corridor, improving signage, concentrating on pedestrian safety and utilizing traffic calming issues. The plan's recommendations include high visibility crosswalks, pedestrian accommodations, transit user amenities such as benches and shelters, and sharrows/bike lanes. Acting on these recommendations is the next step. Building on the momentum of this planning grant, the Township urged Essex County to apply for funds that would enable Maplewood, South Orange and Newark to coherently implement these measures corridor-wide. Our Transportation Alternative Grant application is pending with the Department of Transportation. From the Public Works Department Maplewood Public Works Department 359 Boyden Ave - (973) 762-1175 Maplewood, New Jersey 07040 Curbside Recycling As of March 2nd, The Township has gone to a weekly collection of recyclables. Curbside collections will now take place every Monday. Recyclable items include bottles, cans, newspaper, cardboard boxes, magazines, etc. Items should be placed in a plastic recycling container at curbside. Newspapers, magazines and boxes should be tied together. Plastic bags are not allowed. Electronics Recycling Dates Residents can bring computers, monitors, printers, TV’s, VCR’s, cell phones, and other types of electronic equipment to the following locations: April 18th 8am – 12pm Maplewood Recycling Center (359 Boyden St., Maplewood) May 2nd 8am – 12pm Maplewood Recycling Center (359 Boyden St., Maplewood) June 6th 8am – 12pm South Orange Recycling Center (300 Walton Rd., S. Orange) Bulk Drop-Off Program Residents can bring unwanted bulk household items such as furniture, refrigerators, washers, and carpeting. Absolutely no construction items of any type will be allowed. June 6th 8am – 2pm Maplewood Recycling Center (359 Boyden St., Maplewood) Shred-It Day Residents can bring paper and confidential items and have them professionally shredded and disposed of. April 11th 8am – 12 pm Maplewood Recycling Center (359 Boyden St., Maplewood) SPRING RAKE OUT PROGRAM Materials to be picked up are limited to branches, leaves, and garden rakings when packaged as follows: (a) Branches must not be more than four feet in length and tied in bundles that can be handled by one man. (b) Leaves and garden rakings must be placed in returnable containers that can be handled by one man. (c) ROCKS AND SOIL ARE NOT PERMITTED. Containers will be left behind if these materials are found in them. 2015 SPRING RAKE OUT SCHEDULE SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 4/13/2015 4/14/2015 4/15/2015 4/21/2015 4/22/2015 4/23/2015 4/29/2015 4/30/2015 5/01/2015 5/07/2015 5/08/2015 5/11/2015 5/15/2015 5/18/2015 5/19/2015 SECTION 4 SECTION 5 SECTION 6 4/16/2015 4/17/2015 4/20/2015 4/24/2015 4/27/2015 4/28/2015 5/04/2015 5/05/2015 5/06/2015 5/12/2015 5/13/2015 5/14/2015 5/20/2015 5/21/2015 5/22/2015 From the Health Department Maplewood Health Department 574 Valley Street - (973) 762-8120 Maplewood, New Jersey 07040 National Poison Prevention Week, March 15-21, 2015 How Can You Prevent Unintentional Poisoning in Your Home? According to the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJ PIES), each day, 55 children are exposed to potentially poisonous substances and a loved one calls the NJ Poison Center for help.