Midland Park August 24, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 On the recommendation of the Midland Park Planning Board and the borough’s board of adjustment, the Midland Park Borough Council is considering several amendments to the zoning ordinance that would affect driveways in residential zones, commercial parking, definitions of eating establishments, limits for PODS (portable on demand storage units), and new bulk and yard requirements. “It merits close scrutiny. Go over it section by section and compare to the existing,” Borough Attorney Robert Regan told the council about the proposed ordinance he drafted from the boards’ recommendations. For residential areas, the proposal would: • Limit lots of less than 75 feet to one 20-foot driveway and curb cut. Two curb cuts would only be allowed on lots wider than 100 feet and would have to be at least 50 feet apart. Driveways would always be counted as part of the improved lot coverage. • The minimum side yard setback from driveways would 2.5 feet for lots less than 50 feet wide, 3.75 feet for lots between 50 and 75 feet wide, and 5 feet for lots greater than 75 feet in width. • Require building department permits and fees for replacement, modification, enlargement, or new construction of a driveway. A drawing of the proposed driveway improvement, and possibly engineering documentation as to storm water runoff and/or soil moving permits may also be required subject to the code official’s assessment. • Relax front yard setback encroachment rules so a small landing, steps, and covering may be added without needing a variance. • Non-residential uses abutting a residential zone would have to include the installation and maintenance of a buffer zone of five feet side and rear for lots 75 feet in width, 10 feet for lots up to 150 feet, and 15 feet for lots larger than 150 feet. Maximum fence height would be limited to six feet in business districts and eight feet in industrial districts. PODS would be limited to a single unit and would not be allowed in the front yard, except for the driveway area, and would have to follow side and rear yard requirements for accessory structures. POD use would require a permit, which would be initially issued for 30 days, Borough council eyes changes to zoning ordinance with two possible 15-day extensions. Further extensions would have to follow the procedures set forth for zoning certificates. “Someone had a POD on Payne Avenue for four or five months,” noted Councilman Nick Papapietro, stressing the need for POD restrictions. “They are temporary, similar to a dumpster. They are not building structures,” said Councilman Bernard Holst in urging more practical regulations for the storage units. The proposal provides a new bulk table that bases offstreet parking requirements on specific uses and seats or square feet of space, where applicable. Each use is classified in terms of a station providing the service. (A bank teller, an ATM, a barber/nail technician, a bowling lane, each would be considered a station.) The draft also provides that drive-throughs or drive-up windows shall have a minimum queuing lane length of 75 feet from the center of the service window. The definitions of various eating establishments are being simplified, with a restaurant defined as a place where patrons stay in excess of 15 minutes, restaurant/ quick-service as an establishment that has take out with limited capacity for seated patrons who stay up to 15 minutes, and restaurant/take out with no seating capacity and transaction cycles of less than 10 minutes. Also included is a new definition for height of a building, which is proposed “to be determined from the highest point, excluding chimneys, to the lowest adjacent grade, excluding basement walk-outs, measured at the footing wall where the grade cannot change more than 12 inches from the existing grade.” Regan said that recommendations on driveway and POD fees and provisions for requiring businesses to install KNOX boxes for the fire department should be incorporated in other, more appropriate ordinances. The council plans to discuss the zoning issue at its Aug. 25 work session. Midland Park is applying for additional New Jersey Department of Transportation funds in the hope of finishing its Greenwood Avenue project with 2010 money. If successful, the borough would then be able to apply for a different project for the 2011 DOT allocation. “The additional 2010 moneys became available recently, and our grant consultants, Capital Alternatives, suggested that we apply so we can do the entire project as originally intended,” explained Borough Administrator Addie Hanna. The funds will allow for the delineation and paving of the park and ride area adjacent to the New Jersey Transit bus station in Wortendyke, which serves five bus lines. Grant would fund bus station parking This area, available for resident parking only for about nine cars, is unimproved at the present time and could be expanded to include adjacent property now owned by the New York Susquehanna Railroad. The engineer’s estimate for this part of the project was about $80,000. The town has already been allocated $150,000 for repaving the entire length of Greenwood Avenue from Birch Street to the Wyckoff border. Hanna said that phase of the project will likely be done next month. Greenwood was totally reconstructed with NJDOT funds awarded in 1997 and 1998. The job was completed in two phases because of the cost, which was higher than usual since the project included major drainage work. Boys in grades one through five are welcome to register for Midland Park Cub Scout Pack 157. Scouting provides an environment for boys to develop character, learn everyday values, and gain confidence Boys invited to join Cub Scout Pack 157 while embarking on exciting adventures. For additional information and to obtain a Cub Scout registration form, contact Deidre Canellas at deidre. canellas@gmail.com.