Mahwah November 3, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 Public to hear Crossroads rezoning plan Thursday by Frank J. McMahon On Thursday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m., the Mahwah Township Council will once again hear a presentation in support of rezoning the 100+-acre International Crossroads property on Route 17 at the township’s northern border. The meeting will be held at the municipal building at 475 Corporate Drive. The rezoning plan is expected to include a lifestyle area with the look of a “downtown” main street surrounding the existing water fountain, the existing hotel and threelevel parking structure, with green spaces and retail stores at the street level of the buildings and office space above them. The plan includes a six-acre active recreation area, a 20-acre passive recreation area, a theater, and an athletic field, but no residential units. James Jaworski, the attorney for Crossroads Developers, LLC, the owner and developer of the property, explained at a recent township council meeting that this would be the sixth time they have come before the council with a rezoning proposal. He pointed out that, in August 2007, the council was on the verge of introducing an ordinance to rezone the property, but that effort was derailed by the potential need to provide additional affordable housing in the township as a result of the third round regulations of the Council on Affordable Housing. COAH, he said, required the township to provide 783 affordable housing units based on the municipality’s potential growth through 2018. Jaworski pointed out that it was felt at the time that some of that affordable housing obligation could be met by the Crossroads rezoning. Since then, he said, the New Jersey Senate has introduced legislation to eliminate COAH, and the Appellate Division of Superior Court has nullified many of the third round regulations so there may not be a need for affordable housing at the Crossroads site. Jaworski provided the council with a draft of a new zoning ordinance that would permit retail on the Crossroads site, and describes the intent, purpose, and details of the proposed development, including the need for a traffic impact analysis that would indicate the manner in which the proposed development would affect the area’s surrounding road network, including a regional analysis of the Route 17, Route 287, and Route 87 interchange. The ordinance also requires the completion of all traffic mitigation provisions as required by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the payment of any impact fees that would be required under any ordinance the township might adopt to establish a transportation improvement district. If a transportation improvement district were established by a township ordinance, Jaworski estimated that the fees his developer would pay when this project is fully built-out would generate $6 million. He estimated that $2 million of that revenue would be used to construct the improvements at the site that would be required by the NJDOT, and the balance would be used to make road improvements in the Route 17 area. Mahwah Township Administrator Brian Campion explained that, even if a transportation improvement district were not established by ordinance, the planning board would have to approve all on-site and offsite improvements for this development. He added that one of the conditions of approval would be the posting of a $2.5 million bond to cover the cost of the improvements, and the plan would have to be approved by the NJDOT. Several council members voiced concerns about the project and the draft ordinance. Councilman John Spiech reminded Jaworski that, in 1998, a different attorney made a similar presentation and promised to fix the traffic problem on Route 17 and at the Route 287 and Route 87 interchange, and Spiech said that traffic problem must still be resolved. The councilman also said the traffic “flood” on Route 202, Island Road, Franklin Turnpike, and Airmont Avenue when Route 17 and 287 back up must be addressed. Spiech also questioned the potential water use of the Crossroads plan, pointing out that the township may have to buy more water from United Water NJ. But Jaworski said his client would stipulate that they would pay the United Water rate. Councilman Harry Williams asked Jaworski if the transportation improvement district ordinance was just intended to provide the funding to address the traffic problem on Routes 17 and 202. Jaworski responded that the ordinance is a way to provide funding for Mahwah while the details of the traffic plan will be provided at a later date. “It’s a great project,” Williams said, “but before we send it to the planning board we need to do due diligence to ensure we don’t approve something that will increase the traffic problem.” Jaworski responded, “We not only want (continued on page 27) Classic Design, Installation & Removal re ted u’ vi Yo In to T LA HE P NT THE PLANT is a new church in the Mahwah area! We’re a community of faith committed to living out the love, truth and compassion of Jesus Christ. Our worship gathering is at 10am, Sunday mornings at Ramapo Ridge Middle School in Mahwah, New Jersey. Roots POWER WASH SEAL OF BERGEN COUNTY Bergen & Rockland Holiday Light Installer Insured 201-218-1644 Roots is our Kids Ministry for children Pre-K thru 5th grade. Roots is a fun, interactive place where kids get to grow in their faith and relationships with one another. 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