Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, August 24, 2017 OUR 127th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 34-2017 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Planning Bd. OKs Adding Properties to Barnes Tract By FRED T. ROSSI provides incentives for landowners the overall property while answering Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and allows local governments to act questions from some of the 40 resi- MOUNTAINSIDE — The plan- as partners with developers as a rede- dents in attendance. Mr. Chadwick ning board on Tuesday night approved velopment moves forward. Adding stressed, as did several planning board designating two smaller properties the two smaller properties — one an members, that no plans or designs adjacent to the larger five-acre Barnes acre-sized lot that fronts on New exist for the proposed development, Tract as Areas in Need of Redevelop- Providence Road and a smaller lot on which will be mostly housing but ment, which, if the borough council Mountain Avenue — to the Barnes could also include some retail. The approves, will eventually lead to the property will give the municipal gov- designation of the two additional six-plus acres of land being turned ernment and Pop Realty, the devel- properties as Areas in Need of Rede- into a housing development, with oper, more flexibility in ensuring ad- velopment “sets the framework for some being designated as affordable equate buffers between the new hous- the borough council to establish its units. ing and existing residential proper- level of control” over the develop- The Barnes Tract, which fronts on ties on Knightsbridge Road, said bor- ment, Mr. Chadwick explained. Mountain Avenue adjacent to the 7- ough planner John Chadwick. Several board members voiced ob- Eleven, has been previously deter- He spent the better part of two jections to including the larger lot mined to be an Area in Need of Rede- hours on Tuesday explaining the need along New Providence Road and, in velopment, a state designation that to have the two properties included in the end, the board voted on two sepa- rate motions, one to designate the smaller Mountain Avenue lot and the other to designate the one-acre lot. Both passed, although two members — Todd Garran and Jon Younghans — voted against including the New Providence Road lot. The matter now reverts to the borough council, which will need to ratify the board’s approv- als and then craft an ordinance ad- Fred T. Rossi for The Westfield Leader dressing a number of issues such as HISTORIC MOMENT...Monday’s solar eclipse reflected off a window in an office building, creating this unique photo of building density, building height and history. so forth. The planning board will then review that ordinance prior to the final approval by the council. “We’re only at the kickoff here,” Park Drive Subdivision Proposal Mayor Paul Mirabelli said, promis- ing that there will be many public meetings and hearings “before a Draws Opposition Over Flooding shovel is put in the ground.” Board member Theodore Zawslak said it By CHRISTINA M. HINKE Also, the rezoning application by The applicant withdrew the applica- Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader Specially Written for The Westfield Leader VIEWING HISTORY...Monday’s solar eclipse attracted a crowd at Sherman was important to first designate the Hartz Mountain Industries for 750 tion at the end of the meeting after the Field in Cranford to watch the historic event. The Cranford Public Library gave properties that will be utilized for the CRANFORD — The environmental Walnut Avenue was moved from board requested SCODEE LLC have out all its 200 pairs of free eclipse viewing glasses. Most people ended up taking development so that the number of commission and the flood advisory Wednesday, September 6, to Wednes- its engineer revise the stormwater drain- turns sharing the glasses. houses, the amount of retail space, committee, as well as residents, came day, October 18. age plan, which planning board engi- the number of driveways can be fac- out to last Wednesday’s planning board SCODEE Properties LLC, made up neer Jackie Dirman of Maser Consult- tored in as plans are developed. meeting in protest of a proposal to of two owners of the property at 112 ing said was “deficient.” Mr. Pyfer said Garwood to Replace Tax “We do not envision adding addi- subdivide 112 Park Drive, the corner Park Drive, Bob Pyfer, who acted as the they would resubmit their application. tional lots,” Mayor Mirabelli said in lot at the end of the roadway that is attorney for the application, and Denise Christian Cueto of Harbor Consult- Clerk With Part-Timers response to a resident’s concern about situated across the street from Loriello, presented an application to ants, the applicant’s engineer, had CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Nomahegan pond, in a flood zone. the planning board for a minor subdivi- planned one seepage pit in each lot to sion in the R-1 zone to divide the some collect stormwater, and even though By MICHAEL BONACCORSO $9,000 less an hour than one full-time 25,000-square-foot lot in half to make the New Jersey Department of Envi- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader employee. The positions will add re- Roselle Mayor Seeks Delay way to build two single-family homes. ronmental Protection (NJDEP) had GARWOOD — The borough coun- sponsibility towards alleviating the bur- There were no variances. Ms. Loriello stamped its approval, the township’s cil, during Tuesday’s meeting, unani- den on Borough Administrator/Bor- testified that the property in the 1930s ordinance for stormwater management mously agreed in open discussion to ough Clerk Christina Ariemma, who in In Mind & Body Project was originally two lots. She intends to is stricter than the NJDEP’s standards, replace accounting and tax clerk Chris- addition to her other clerk responsibili- live in a home on one of the lots, and sell Ms. Dirman said. This property is situ- topher Houghton. Mr. Houghton served ties focuses “a great amount of time” By PAUL J. PEYTON unlikely that (default) would happen the other to a friend. ated in the flood plain, and currently has under Sandy Bruns, the borough’s cer- towards record management, stated Ms. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and that the circumstances that would Today, a deteriorated home sits on water pooling around the grounds. tified financial officer, treasurer, assis- Todisco. COUNTY — For the second con- cause that to happen have never in fact the lot. Its windows and doorways are In 2013, the township designated the tant administrator and tax collector. Ms. Todisco noted several capital secutive week the Union County Board ever happened in the State of New boarded up, and someone has spray- structure as “unsafe,” Ms. Loriello said. Mr. Houghton will be replaced by expenditure priorities Mayor Charles of Chosen Freeholders was faced last Jersey.” painted a face on the front of the home. Mr. Cueto said the new structures two part-time employees. The council Lombardo and the borough council Thursday night with a full room of In the letter, a copy of which was The yard is overgrown, with a metal would be elevated, with no basement, projected that the two employees will will consider in the upcoming budget Roselle residents opposed to the planned obtained by The Westfield Leader, Mr. swingset in the back of the yard that and have flood vents, and crawlspaces cost the borough $2,000 less in wages year. Pending Union County grant ap- Mind & Body complex in that commu- Bergen said that “the county’s guaran- abuts Nomahegan Park. made of gravel for stormwater to go annually at minimum, pending final- provals, the highest priorities are road nity. Last fall the freeholder board guar- tee, approved by ordinance in Septem- Ms. Loriello said the home sustained through. ized benefit agreements. repair, Hartman Park restoration, the anteed $59 million in bonds for the ber of 2016, would save millions of fire damage in the mid-2000s, and was The plan also calls for 19 trees to be “My support for part-time hires has fire house roof and new equipment for project, which is expected to total $110 dollars in project costs (because of the last occupied in 2006. taken down, which drew concern from not changed since last year. I am glad the Department of Public Works. million over 30 years when principal county’s triple A rating.) It should be In 2007, the home sustained addi- some members of the board as well as the position is being filled in a cost- At last month’s council meeting, and interest are factored in. noted that the county has provided guar- tional damage from the Tax Day storm, those against the application. effective way without burdening tax- Councilman Louis Petruzzelli intro- The 100,000-square-foot facility, to antees on other UCIA (Union County and in 2011, Hurricane Irene further About a decade ago another appli- payers with fringe benefits or full-time duced the concept to protect new public be located between Harrison and Chan- Improvement Authority) development damaged the home, according to the cant had attempted to subdivide the employee associated costs. I am glad works equipment by proposing that a dler Avenues, will feature a new pool, projects in the past.” flood advisory committee. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 this council finally agreed with my ini- storage facility be built. Mr. Petruzzelli gym, computer lab and a recording “We are examining many items dur- tial opinion from last July’s meeting,” said the long-term benefits for protect- studio, a public library, pre-k and kin- ing our review (of the project),” said Councilman Joseph Sarno said.