Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, December 11, 2003 Published Every Thursday Since 1890 OUR 114th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 14-114 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] FIFTY CENTS Temple Parking Woman Application to Be Killed on N. Avenue Decided Next Wk. By BENJAMIN B. CORBIN Specially Written for The Times By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL storm water system. The deepest At 5:36 p.m. on Tuesday, a 62- and LAUREN S. PASS ponding would be six inches. year-old woman was struck by Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Mr. Marsh recommended that signs an eastbound vehicle on North Hearings continued before the be posted to warn people of shallow Avenue in front of Lord&Taylor. Westfield Board of Adjustment on flooding in those areas. He said that As a result of her injuries she was both Thursday and Monday nights in this is an “appropriate design.” He air lifted to University Hospital the case of Temple Emanu-El’s ap- added, however, that he would like to in Newark. The woman was pro- plication to construct a parking lot analyze the numbers and report back nounced dead from the severity on an adjacent piece of property. to the board. of her injuries at 7:05 p.m. On Thursday night, the temple The parking lot itself has been The victim was identified as submitted revised plans to the board. reduced from 170 spots to 145. Seven Helen Freindt of Forked River. The most significant change in the of those spots are for overflow park- The 24-year-old driver Andrew plans is the drainage system. The ing on grass pavers. This reduces the Ruple from Cranford was ar- previous system was an underground total lot coverage from 70 percent to rested for possession of mari- juana and possession with the intent to distribute. The officers discovered the marijuana while Photo Courtesy of The Westfield ‘Y’s Men Club CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 BRAVING THE STORM...Westfielders braved the weekend snow storm to pick up their Christmas trees a the Y’s Men sale on Elm Street. The family pictured above walked their tree home on a toboggan. Westfield Town Council Pulls High School Parking Ordinance from Second Reading By LAUREN S. PASS response and the fact that they do not school parking. He said that the coun- the wrong foot.” Specially Written for The Westfield Leader want it he would now vote against cil proposed this because they thought Mayor McDermott said that re- The issue of parking restrictions the ordinance. it would be unfair to have residents gardless of the ordinance juniors are around Westfield High School will Councilman Goldman added that bear the full burden of having their still going to drive to school, and that be left to next year’s Town Council. the omission of certain streets, such streets turned into parking lots. all the council is doing is pushing the However, on Tuesday night, after an as Edgar Road and Stoneleigh Park, Whereas the Prospect Street issue is parking problem further out. hour and a half of often-heated de- raises a fairness issue. about providing relief to a town- Discussion ensued as to whether bate, the Westfield Town Council Mayor Gregory McDermott said wide parking problem. the council could make revisions to opted to pull an ordinance that would that the “negative effect on the Councilman Betancourt asked the items such as the streets included, Benjamin B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader have created a senior only permit, neighborhood…outweigh the posi- council not to “waste the time gone the radius and resident permits. This PACKED HOUSE...Residents turned out in droves to the Westfield Board of alternate side of the street parking tive.” into this.” He said that everything the would require that a meeting be held Adjustment meeting on Monday night to make their voices heard on the Temple system in the area around the high First Ward Republican Council- council tries to do outside the norm on Monday, December 29, or Tues- Emanu-El parking lot proposal. school. man Peter Echausse expressed his brings public outcry and that tells day, December 30, to pass a new At last week’s public session of the concern that the town is asking resi- him he “should worry about paving ordinance on second reading. detention basin, which recharged the 64.5 percent. council meeting, residents were out dents to purchase permits when they streets, potholes, snow and leaf re- The governing body decided that water back into the ground. Town Planner Blais Brancheau in force to speak out against the did not ask for the restrictions. moval and doing the budget.” the ordinance should be pulled, rather Town Engineer Kenneth Marsh stated that because he had just re- ordinance, which narrowly passed Second Ward Republican Coun- He noted that he is “not swayed by than defeated next week and the is- restated his concerns that that reten- ceived the revised plans he did not on first reading. cilman Rafael Betancourt, who numbers or phone calls or threats.” sue should be revisited next year. tion system would back up into the have detailed comments. He said Fourth Ward Democrat Council- worked with the committee to create Second Ward Republican Coun- In other business, the council will town’s storm sewer. The currently that the number of spaces and the lot man Lawrence Goldman stated, “My the restrictions, questioned what the cilman Matthew Albano said that have a resolution before them next proposed system is a surface system, coverage is a “catch 22” in that the position would have been to support council was going to do next year passing this ordinance is “starting on CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 creating low areas within the parking number of parking spaces required it (the ordinance)” but that he “see(s) when residents complained about lot where water can pond tempo- for the facility is higher than what is no reason to support it now.” He said loitering, littering and speeding. rarily and then drain directly into the CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 that due to the amount of resident Fourth Ward Democrat Council- woman Susan Jacobson, who also served on the committee, said, “We Adjustment Bd. Grants need to make the decision on what Borough to Investigate Barns we think is best.” She said that maybe there is a fairness issue by excluding Third Level Addition some streets. Councilwoman Jacobson added, By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL tion as well as granted permission to Track For Community Center “This is a decent solution to start out Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Elliot and Natalie Beneroff of 880 with.” Because of the testimony from 20 Winyah Avenue for a one-story addi- By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL been many more sightings within the of the community pool. First Ward Republican Council- members of the public regarding the tion. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader last year than in previous years when The next Mountainside Council man Sal Caruana stated that it is “our Temple Emanu-El application, 12 Permission to erect a dormer above Members of the Mountainside the borough did participate in the meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, responsibility to lead.” He said that new appeals had to be carried over to the existing garage was granted to Borough Council met on Tuesday program. Last year, Mountainside December 16, at 8 p.m. residents concerns are answered with the January meeting of the Westfield David and Carla Molowa of 1030 evening for their regularly scheduled did not participate. the sunset provision, meaning that Board of Adjustment. In addition, Wychwood Road. monthly council agenda setting meet- In other business, it was announced the council would have to revisit the two more applications asked for an Lastly, Adam and Maribeth Shell ing. that a $10,000 Community Develop- ordinance at the end of June. extension until January. of 807 Embree Crescent were given During the meeting it was an- ment grant was awarded for the Bor- Change Orders Councilman Caruana added that However, the board will allow the variance relief to build a third level nounced that the second reading of ough Engineer Michael Disko to he hopes the same courtesy is ex- homeowners at 793 Lenape Trail, addition that will give the Ordinance 1063-2003 is scheduled perform an engineering study on a Approved for tended to the residents of Prospect 519 Parkview Avenue and 229 Vir- homeowners a fourth bedroom and a for the council’s regular meeting to piece of land that may be used as a Street who voice opposition to the ginia Street additional time to make third bathroom. be held next week. Last month, the future site to a new community cen- Latent Defects proposed parking deck. applications. The next Board of Adjustment governing body unanimously passed ter. Councilman Goldman responded The board also granted Paula and meeting, which is also a re-organiza- upon first reading, an ordinance to The piece of land, called “The By BETSEY BURGDORF that the difference between the Pros- Melanie Sawina of 639 Hanford Place tional meeting, is scheduled for Mon- establish a 25-mile an hour speed Barns Track,” is located on Moun- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader pect Street parking deck and the high permission to erect a two-story addi- day, January 12, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. limit on New Providence Road from tain Avenue between the 7-11 conve- The Mountainside Board of Deer Path to Tracy Drive. nience store and the community pool.