May 18, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES
IV • Page 19
Area
The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club invites local residents to nominate candidates for the annual Dr. William H. Kelley Community Service Award. In order to be eligible, a candidate must be a resident of one of the five towns served by the Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club. Those towns include Allendale, Mahwah, Ramsey, Saddle River, and Upper Saddle River. The candidate must serve, or have served, in multiple community activities, and must have participated in community service for a substantial period of time. Examples of community service that will be considered include local charitable work, coaching youth sports, taking part in town days, working on town activities or with religious groups, and serving on community committees or as a member of the ambulance corps, fire department, or planning and zoning boards. The deadline for nominations is May 23; the award will be presented on June 7. To nominate a worthy local citizen, send an e-mail of two to three paragraphs to Roy Polizzi at roypolizzi@hotmail.com by May 23. Dr. Kelley was a member of the Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club for over 50 years with perfect attendance. He was chairman of the club’s yearly Blood Drive and played Santa at local nursing homes. He received the Paul Harris Award (the club’s highest honor) and served on many Rotary district committees, working with
Rotary seeks nominees
Chai Lifeline
(continued from page 5) limiting the use by widows to one night a month with a maximum of 10 people, installing a small, discreet sign to identify the occupancy, and providing all the occupants an information sheet describing how the property is to be used. “The board must weigh the benefits and the detriments to the public good,” Burgis said, “and must consider how the house is occupied and the uniqueness of the site, as well as whether there is a substantial inconsistency with the township’s master plan.” In reviewing the testimony of Michael Kauker, the professional planner for the objecting neighbor represented by Smith, Burgis noted that Kauker testified that an inherently beneficial use in one that is universally considered of value to the community and to the public good and promotes the general welfare. But Burgis said the concept of universality is constantly evolving, so uses not accepted in the past are now accepted, and the board must take that into consideration. He also mentioned that mental health is an important part of public policy. Burgis argued that the test to decide if there is a special benefit is not if the use is universally recognized and serves the public good, as Kauker testified, but whether the use fundamentally serves the public good. He also pointed out that the concerns expressed by Kauker about the long driveway and the narrow steep slopes on the site would be the same whether one family lives there all the time, or one family comes there every three days. Burgis reiterated that the ITE does not support Kauker’s testimony on the potential traffic volume at the site. In answer to a question from a board member, Burgis said that, if there were a full time caretaker on the site, it could be argued that the building is occupied as a single family use with lots of guests. Smith moved to strike Burgis’ testimony from the record on the basis of his professional relationship with Marc Liebman, the Chai Lifeline attorney, after Burgis acknowledged that he had a handful of mutual clients with Liebman. Burgis agreed to provide the board and the attorneys with a list of contacts that have occurred between members of Burgis’ firm and Liebman’s law office over the past five years. Smith also challenged Burgis on the appropriateness of any contacts he has had with Liebman or his planner about the conditions Burgis suggested. “He should be influenced by what is said here,” Smith said. “He should get all his facts here and should not have outside information in his report.” Smith also questioned Burgis on whether the use of the property by Chai Lifeline is considered transient. “There is no simple answer to that,” Burgis said, “but there would be constant turnover at the site.” Smith replied, “It’s people moving in and out that makes it transient.” Burgis agreed with Smith that an underlying precept in zoning is permanency in a neighborhood, but he emphasized that the land use law says that must be a substantial detriment to the public good. He also argued that the 770 foot frontage on the Ramapo River, the isolated nature of the site, and its bucolic character distinguish it from other sites, so the use of this one lot by Chai Lifeline does not rise to the level of a negative criterion. The public hearing was adjourned until May 18, when closing arguments from attorneys for both sides will be presented. The board is expected to render a decision on the variance at that time.
over 50 clubs in the regional Rotary district. Dr. Kelley was a founding member of the Happy Heartbeats Clown Group, which brought laughter and magic to many children in need, including Tomorrows Children at Hackensack Hospital. He was a tireless worker for countless community groups and activities for decades. The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club has been supporting educational and charitable needs in Allendale, Mahwah, Ramsey, Saddle River, and Upper Saddle River since 1952. The Club provides college scholarships for local students and funding for local causes such as the Center for Food Action. Members run the children’s rides at Ramsey Day and Mahwah Day, with proceeds going toward the club’s charitable activities. As part of Rotary International, the club also raises funds to support educational, medical, and sanitary facilities in Nicaragua, India and Haiti. Rotary International is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club holds its weekly meetings on Mondays at 12:15 p.m. at Houlihan’s in Ramsey. Visit www.bergenhighlandsrotary.org for more information.
Franklin Lakes Antique & Collector Car Show and Flea Market
The 36 Annual
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Across from Urban Farms Shopping Center Franklin Lake Rd., Franklin Lakes
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Sunday, May 29, 2011
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