November 23, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 7 Mahwah Planning board sets Crossroads public hearing by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Planning Board has scheduled a Nov. 28 public hearing of the Crossroads Developers, LLC plan to build a 650,000 square foot retail mall on the 140-acre Crossroads property at the northern end of Mahwah. If ultimately approved by the board after what is expected to be a protracted public hearing, the plan would change the use of that site from office park to a mixed retail, office space, hotel, theater, and recreational use. The public hearing date was communicated to James Jaworski, the attorney for the developer, by Gary Montroy, the township’s administrative officer for planning and zoning, in a letter dated Oct. 24. In a non-binding Nov. 8 referendum that asked if residents want retail to be a permitted use on the Crossroads site, voters said “no” by a 2,955 to 2,723 margin. Regardless of that vote, officials expect that the public hearing will go forward unless and until a legal decision stops it. Montroy advised Jaworski that the meeting date, time, and place and nature of the meeting must be advertised in a published legal notice at least 10 days prior to the meeting, and a notice must be provided to all property owners within 200 feet in all directions of the Crossroads property within that 10-day period by way of certified mail. In addition, an affidavit of service and proof of the advertisement must be submitted to the planning board office no less than 48 hours prior to the meeting date. The notices must be verified by the planning board attorney before the board can take jurisdiction in the public hearing. Once that verification is made by the planning board attorney, the developer will begin to describe the site plan and present professional experts to testify before the board about the various aspects of the proposal. Those experts will include engineers, professional planners, architects, traffic experts, and any other expert the developer hires to provide testimony about the plan, plus any experts the planning board wants to provide testimony. Unless changed by decisions as a result of several legal actions filed in Superior Court regarding the Crossroads plan, the board must consider the plan according to the zoning that was in effect when the plan was filed to the board. That zoning allows a mixed use, including retail as a primary use on the site. The board must follow all the requirements of the state’s land use law when considering the plan. However, changes are often made to an application submitted to a planning board or zoning board of adjustment in order to accommodate the objectives and intentions of the board which, while following the state’s land use law, seeks to ensure the project will meet the intent and purpose of the township’s master plan and not be detrimental to the public good or the township’s zoning ordinance. Carolyn Epstein will offer a workshop, “Knit One, Drop In,” for beginner and advanced knitters on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 3 p.m. at the Mahwah Public Library, 100 Ridge Road. Crocheters are also welcome. Beginning projects will be simple baby hats and scarves. Instruction will be available. Finished projects may be donated to Save the Children or to U.S. troops. Participants are asked to bring size eight knitting needles to the workshop. Yarn will be provided. No registration is required. Knitting workshop offered