Allendale April 14, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 5 Residents discuss curbing preferences with council by John Koster Some residents who wanted Belgian block used where curbing is required addressed the Allendale Council at some length last week. The citizens urged the council to pursue long-term quality rather than short-term economy. They said four alternatives exist for new-road curbing: no curbing at all, concrete slab curbing, Belgian block, and macadam – the worst option according to former Councilman David Duffy. “It’s terrible, it’s cheap, it’s ugly, it breaks down, it just doesn’t make sense,” Duffy said of macadam. Duffy was the keynote speaker among the half-dozen residents who wanted a voice in the gradual plans to repave Allendale’s roadways -- an ongoing project that is being challenged due to the tightening economy. Allendale has 140 designated roads and streets, 28 of which have been repaved recently. Many others are in need of attention, residents acknowledge. Duffy and other residents said that Belgian block was the preferred curbing where curbing was necessary, and leaving no curbing would be acceptable if the road contours did not require curbs. Concrete slab curbing was considered a less desirable option. “With concrete curbs, you get a patchwork quilt,” Duffy said. When one slab is broken and is replaced by a new slab, the color difference is easily visible. Above all, Duffy said, the borough should not uses macadam curbs on the edges of road where some sort of curbing is necessary to channel water flow during heavy rain. Mayor Vince Barra told Duffy and the handful of other residents that finances are tight and that Allendale has to prioritize its economic concerns. A second issue was also discussed: Some of Allendale’s roads are less than 28 feet wide and New Jersey Department of Transportation regulations mandate a 28foot road width where the road has raised curbing. This means, council members said, that homeowners who opt for Belgian block or concrete curbs might have to sacrifice several feet of their front lawns to road expansion. Several people in the audience said they had no problem with this, but since the road expansion involves all residents living along the road, their comprehensive agreement is obviously necessary. “If you want curb on both sides of the street, we have to take four or five feet of your front lawn because a state regulation says that if you’re going to have curbs you have to have 28 feet of curb,” Councilwoman Elizabeth White explained to Nuri Hamedi, a new resident. Hamedi brought smiles to the council when he said he would not have bought his new house if his wife hadn’t loved the kitchen so much. The street paving, he said, had been an instant turn-off until his wife saw the kitchen. Mayor Barra and the council said the main point is simple: Allendale cannot afford a complete restoration of the streets right now for economic reasons. “Our primary problem is the streets that have gotten so deteriorated that by not getting to them quickly, we’ve made them worse,” Barra said. “We try to prioritize with the funds we have. We’re trying to do the best we can.” White concurred that the project would cost “millions and millions of dollars” and that the money just wasn’t there. The council agreed to consider the residents’ concerns. Two substantive matters were also addressed. The council adopted an ordinance that will allow the police department to order people not to park on residential streets during snowstorms, and landfill permits will be waived for the next few weekends so residents can take their own yard litter to the recycling area instead of leaving it on the curb as “storm damage.” AFEE accepts grant proposals The Allendale Foundation for Educational Excellence, Inc. will be accepting grant proposals through April 26. Parents, teachers, local business people, students, staff, and all other members of the community are encouraged to participate in making proposals for projects or programs that are in keeping with the foundation’s mission, which is to enhance and broaden the educational experience of all students attending Allendale’s Hillside and Brookside schools. Anyone interested in submitting a grant proposal is invited to contact Grace Eng Young at geyoungsta@yahoo.com for an application. NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONTEMPORARY VARICOSE VEIN TREATMENT CHUBACKVEINCENTER A NEW STANDARD OF VEIN CARE 265 Ackerman Ave. Ridgewood, NJ 201-693-4330