Allendale September 2, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 9 Council approves historic preservation ordinance by John Koster The Allendale Council has approved the historic preservation ordinance drafted to help preserve borough sites that could be of interest to historians, archaeologists, or people who cherish the borough’s heritage. The ordinance, which establishes a historic preservation commission, will be subject to certain changes before it is heard for probable adoption at the next public council meeting in September. The ordinance was proposed after the 1750s John Fell House narrowly escaped the bulldozer. A consortium of developers based in Fort Lee proposed a plan to raze the house and its accessory structures and replace them with 11 more condominiums. George Cotz, a Mahwah-based attorney and former Midland Park councilman, was retained by the people who wanted to save the John Fell House. Cotz discovered that the house and its outbuildings are located in a zone that includes condominiums. The zone was established in 1983 with the provision that more condominiums could not be added without the permission of the resident owners of the existing buildings in the zone. The Allendale Planning Board learned that these owner-occupants had not been asked about the construction plans. The site plan application was later denied without prejudice. After a threatened lawsuit, the plans were dropped. The ordinance as adopted last week provides that the construction code official shall be the administrative officer, and that the Allendale Historic Preservation Commission will have five regular members: a Class A member who is knowledgeable about building design, architecture, and architectural history, and who may reside outside the borough; a Class B member who is knowledgeable about local history and may also reside outside the borough; and Class C members who are citizens of the borough and hold no other local offices. The mayor will appoint the members and possibly two alternates who will be Class C members. The group will appoint a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership and will stagger the members’ terms so that not all members leave or arrive the same year. The group may employ experts with the approval of the council to study matters of special concern. The historic preservation commission will report on all applications for planning or zoning changes in the historic district, and will perform a survey of Allendale to locate sites worthy of designation. Designations will be based on residents, builders, or building style. Certificates of historic review and compliance will be required before any buildings in the historic district or any building on the inventory of the Allendale Historic Places may be demolished. The John Fell House is considered a valuable architectural site. Fell was a member of the Continental Congress. Ready for school Ryan McCarthy, and his mom Lynn, and Brendan Kelly, and his mom Kelly, all of Allendale, caught up with Mrs. Dube at Archer Cooperative Nursery School, in Allendale. Ryan and Brendan will be Mrs. Dube’s students this September in Archer Cooperative Nursery School’s very popular Mommy & Me program. The program is designed to introduce children from 18 months to two years to preschool. The children, along with their caregivers, enjoy art, music, story time and play time. For more information on this program and all our programs, please contact (201) 327-6016. 555 Russell Ave., Wyckoff, NJ 07481 (just west of Rt. 208) • 201-891-4595 • www.gumc.org Grace United Methodist Church The people of Grace invite you and your family to join with us in worship and fellowship as we begin the fall season SUNDAY WORSHIP: 9 AM & 11 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES: 9 AM & 11 AM: Infants to Grade 5 10 AM Grades 6 – 12 and Adults As of Sunday, 9/13/09 “Let the little children come unto me...” 3 Youth Choirs – Ages 4 through Grade 12 4 Fellowship Groups ranging from Age 4 through senior high CHOIRS & FELLOWSHIP GROUPS FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH Grace Weekday Nursery School has classes for children ages 3 to 5 Pat from Janine GraceChurch3x3(9-2-09) 3 col x 3”