Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 17, 2010 Franklin Lakes Board approves new medical building plan by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Planning Board has approved a revised plan for the renovation of a commercial building on the south side of Franklin Avenue between Connie Avenue and Colonial Road into a medical office building. The board also approved several variances from the borough zoning requirements. The property was recently purchased by Tripoint Properties, Inc., a real estate development company Helpful Hints Helpful Hints from ome “Do not flush prescription and non-prescription drugs down the toilet. Instead, dispose of them by removing them from their containers and mixing with regular trash”. Mary Says... 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Open Sundays 9-3 201-652-5666 that plans to renovate the building for medical professional tenants. According to the plans, the building will contain an orthopedic office, a pain management office, and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) section. There will be entrances at the front and the rear of the building with parking along Franklin and Connie avenues and at the rear of the building with a lawn area on Franklin Avenue. The plan was revised by Robert Weissman, Tripoint’s professional engineer, after the original plan that was presented to the board last month met with objections from some neighbors and board members. The main issue was the reduction of the 30-foot buffer areas next to the adjacent residential properties. Board Chairman Frank Conte asked Weissman to return to the board with a new creative plan that would avoid variances for the deficient buffers next to those residential properties. The new plan satisfied the board primarily because the 30-foot buffers adjacent to the residential properties have been retained. In addition, the buffer area adjacent to the Connie Avenue access has been increased from five feet on the original plan to 10 feet, and a fence and a double row of arborvitae evergreen bushes has been added along that property line. “You did a great job this time,” Conte told Weissman, who detailed the new plan for the board. He said the new plan provides for 88 parking spaces, although 112 are required based on the gross square footage of the building. However, when sewers are installed in the business district and the septic system at the rear of the building can be abandoned, there will be 97 parking spaces. According to Tripoint’s attorney, David Becker, the benefits of the new plan include the fact that there will be more parking on the site than is currently provided, the buffer areas to the adjacent residential properties have been substantially maintained, the landscaping on the site will be improved, and the traffic circulation on the site has been improved. Robert Scanlan, an adjacent residential property owner, indicated his satisfaction that the 30-foot buffer has been maintained. He thanked the board for its consideration. Another residential neighbor of the site, Beverly Smith, who lives on Connie Avenue and whose buffer will be 10 feet, voiced concern that a vehicle could jump the curb and go through the fence and evergreens that are planned to screen her property. Conte suggested, and Becker said his client agreed, to add a timber guard rail in that area to prevent the scenario the resident described. The board considered the elimination of a walkway along the rear of the building near Connie Avenue to obtain 15 more parking spaces, but it was decided the walkway was needed to protect patients in that area where there is a drive-through traffic lane. Weissman satisfied the board’s concern that a professional planner did not testify about the reasons to grant the parking variance by saying that every effort had been made to maximize the parking on the site considering the constraints of the building and the need for the walking path for the safety of the patients. He also pointed out the benefit of adding the curb, the double row of arborvitae, and a fence along Connie Avenue, and he said the benefits of the plan outweighed its detriments. Conte told Weissman that he felt he “hit the mark” with his explanation. “Thank you, Mr. Weissman. You’re on your game tonight. Hats off to you.” The variances approved by the board included one for parking spaces to be 9 feet by 18 feet instead of the required 10 by 20 feet, the 10-foot setback to Smith’s rear property line instead of the required 30 feet, a fourfoot buffer on the business side of the property instead of the 15 feet required, 88 parking spaces instead of the 112 required by the gross square footage of the building, and the PVC opaque fence in a front yard extending to Connie Avenue. ���������������������������� KEANE FIT & WELLNESS ��������� ����������������� ���������������� Sheila Keane ������������������������������������ �������������������������������������������� ������������������������ ��������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ��������������������� ������������������� ������������������� ���������������� • EDUCATED MA in exercise science • CERTIFIED ACSM, NASM, Post Rehab Pos Specialist, MAT Specialist • EXPERIENCED 15 years one-to-one personal training 3-17-10 janine VilladomWebsite3x2(3-17-10) 3 x 2” ������������� ������������������� ��������������������������������������� �������������������� ����������������������������� ������������ 201-341-0183 • CALL NOW Fitness, Weight Loss, Bariatrics, Geriatrics & Parkinson’s Programs