Franklin Lakes March 7, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 11 Planning board wants revised United Water plan by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Planning Board wants United Water to submit a revised site plan for the improvement of its water treatment plant, which is located on a portion of McBride Field. The borough-owned field is on Franklin Lake Road across from the Urban Farms Shopping Center. United Water is seeking the board’s approval to demolish the existing treatment plant, a small onestory building on the Wyandotte Drive side of the 20.5-acre field across from the entrance to the Indian Trail Club, and replace it with a new larger one-story building. The new building would have front and side yard access doors, expanded driveway access, underground water lines, and fiber optic cable lines extending from the new building to Wyandotte Drive. The new treatment plant would house a new well. The existing storm water sewer system on the site would be modified, and the existing fire hydrant in front of the existing building would be removed and a new fire hydrant installed at that location. In addition, United Water wants to install a water line from the utility’s treatment plant building on High Mountain Road in the public rights of way around McBride Field to the new treatment plant on Wyandotte Drive. Anthony Delescinskis, a senior project engineer for United Water, advised the board at its last meeting that the proposed new well, which he clarified would be about 125 feet deep, would not increase in the amount of water drawn from the aquifer and that the amount of water to be treated at this new facility would be the same as already allocated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. He explained that the two wells that presently exist on the site would be plugged with concrete and the new well would draw the same amount of water as either of the two existing wells which did not run together. “Both wells will be decommissioned and the third well will pump at the rate of well #1 or well #2,” Delescinskis told the board, adding that the new well would not affect individual wells in the area. Delescinskis explained that the new building requires a flat roof in order to be able to remove the three pressure vessels that would be inside the building if necessary in the future, but the parapet on the roof would be raised to hide the equipment that would be located on the roof. Mayor Frank Bivona, who is a member of the planning board, asked if the water line from the High Mountain Road treatment facility to the Wyandotte facility could be routed along Scioto Drive to Wyandotte Drive instead of along High Mountain and Franklin Lake roads in order to provide more fire hydrant service in that area. Delescinskis agreed to investigate that possibility. Carol Walczyk, a professional engineering consultant on the project, advised the board that she has confirmed that there is a 50-foot buffer between this project area and the wetlands in the area and that the NJDEP concurs with her calculations. She said the plan has been changed, however, to call for spruce and Norway spruce trees to screen the new building in order to avoid damage from foraging deer. Cypress trees were previously proposed. She agreed with board member Joseph Pullaro that the 10-foot high trees would not completely screen the building, but said they could be staggered if the borough would increase the water utility’s easement area. Thomas Herten, the attorney for United Water, told the board that a larger construction easement would be needed to allow the equipment for the project to get on the site, and that the area would be improved by adding a gravel and stone parking lot with timber borders to provide parking for about 50 vehicles at the ball field on the site. Herten was asked to have the construction area staked out and to use a double row of silk fence to make sure there is no encroachment beyond the construction area. The public hearing was carried to the March 7 meeting of the board, at which time revised plans will be available showing the enlarged construction area, the landscaping area, the new parking area, any new fire hydrants that may be added to Scioto Drove, and any new sidewalks to be added to the area.