Wyckoff October 13, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Residents concerned about work at Boulder Run by John Koster Two Wyckoff residents said they do not like what they see as a harbinger of large retail buildings at Boulder Run and asked the Wyckoff Township Committee if anything could be done to prevent big retail buildings from dominating the retail and housing tract. “I moved here from the Jersey Shore area 11 years ago because I was attracted to the old country-style appearance of the town,” said Lynn Markarian. “All of a sudden, from my back yard, I can see this cement city being built and I don’t like it.” Markarian and Barbara Cannizzo asked if the Wyckoff Township Committee could do something to prevent the newly renovated Boulder Run from accommodating large, generic big box stores as opposed to smaller shops. “I don’t want them in this town,” Markarian said. Cannizzo essentially supported Markarian’s request that retail outlets be keep within sensible aesthetic boundaries. Township committee members, who were strongly sympathetic to conserving Wyckoff’s “rural-residential” character, said that in practice there really is not much they can do except to control the amount of space available for retail stores based on the number of parking spaces. “It’s the parking requirements that dictate the store size,” Wyckoff Township Attorney Rob Landell told the residents. “The overall amount of square footage was applied based on parking spaces.” Landell and Mayor Rudy Boonstra explained that, while the township has some slight leverage, based on the amount of parking, it is legally impossible for the township to control what type of retail stores would be acceptable in the new Boulder Run, or what size the individual stores might be. Markarian asked that the stores be kept to around 10,000 square feet and didn’t want stores of 30,000 square feet, but the township committee members explained that is was beyond their authority. Wyckoff Township Committeeman Christopher De Phillips explained that the governing body is not directly responsible for municipal space planning, which is a function of the Wyckoff Planning Board and the Wyckoff Board of Adjustment. The Wyckoff Township Committee has liaisons to both boards, whose members are appointed by the township committee members, but both boards are semi-autonomous and their decisions are quasi-judicial and cannot be overturned by township committee fiat. The owners of Boulder Run had originally submitted plans for 104 garden apartment units, expressly permitted on the Mount Laurel housing plan that Wyckoff Health Fair, flu prevention offered The Wyckoff Board of Health will conduct its Annual Health Fair and Influenza Prevention Program on Oct. 21 at the Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church, 422 Cedar Hill Avenue, from 1 to 4 p.m. Individuals must be at least 18 years of age to receive a vaccination. This year’s vaccine will include protection from H1N1 and two other seasonal strains of the virus. Those who have Medicare Part B must bring their Medicare Part B card in order to receive the vaccination. The board of health will directly bill Medicare. Those who are 65 or over and do not have Medicare Part B should have the vaccine administered by their regular health care provider. Medicare HMOs will not be accepted. A $25 fee will be charged to those who do not have Medicare Part B. The health fair will include: blood pressure screening, pulmonary function testing, glaucoma screening, audiology counseling, balance and fall risk assessment, body alignment, oral cancer screening, diabetes screening, home care and community resources, physical therapy counseling, social worker/elder care, mental healthstress management, depression and anxiety disorder screening, and prescription counseling. Call (201) 891-7000, extension 304. had been forced to adopt under state mandate. Local Wyckoff officials worked out a compromise to modernize the Boulder Run shopping center and to reduce the number of permitted apartments to 16 affordable units. Mayor Boonstra pointed out that the lagging construction and leasing was probably due to the downturn in the economy, which was beyond anybody’s control at the local level. Township committeemen said that none of the housing units over Building B had yet been leased, but they added that retail and rental leasing were not subject to the township committee’s approval. “We don’t know what’s going in there until they ask us for a CO,” Boonstra said, referring to a certificate of occupancy, which is subject to approval by the municipal building inspector. Township Committeeman Kevin Rooney said that, so far, Wyckoff officials have not received any certificate of occupancy requests that could indicate a large retailer, but even if they did, the requests were not subject to aesthetic concerns, only to the ratio of retail space to parking space. “We’ve all heard the rumors,” Rooney said. “We don’t know either.” Fine Catering - Cafe - Fine Dining ��������� � �������� ������ �������� PUMPKIN THYME - A Family Harvest Celebration Sunday, October 17th • 11am - 3 pm $60 per family (includes 2 adults and up to 4 children) Or $25 per adult, $8 per child Join us in our Pumpkin Patch for a day filled with October FUN! Pumpkin Picking • Face Painting • Crafts• Candy Apple Decorating Food and so much more! Call ahead for Reservations and Menu Choices 201.445.6400 Let Kevin’s Thyme take the stress out of this holiday season. 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