Mahwah February 1, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 11 Officials frustrated by flooding by Frank J. McMahon Mahwah Mayor William Laforet recently scheduled a regional meeting to discuss potential solutions to the flooding problems in Mahwah and other towns along the Ramapo River. Many of those at the meeting agreed that the flooding has been more frequent in recent years and they expressed frustration over the lack of any action on the part of the state and federal governments to do anything about it. Attending the meeting were Laforet, Bergen County Freeholder Robert Hermansen, Mahwah Council President John Spiech, Raymond Roe of the Mahwah Office of Emergency Management, Ray Bruberger of the Oakland Office of Emergency Management, Oakland Mayor Linda Schwager, Sloatsburg Mayor Carl Inright, and Pequannock Deputy Mayor Melissa Florance-Lynch. Participants also included representatives from Pompton Lakes and Fairfield, and Tuxedo and Rockland County in New York. Asm. Holly Schepisi; Lisa Yakomin, who represented Asm. Robert Schroeder; Charles Defendorf of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; engineering, environmental, and emergency management professionals; and several residents of flood prone areas were also on hand. No one had a specific solution, but they all complained about the damage caused in their towns by the Ramapo River, the Mahwah River, and the Masonicus Brook. Laforet said the goals of the meeting were a statement combining the interests of the affected communities and an effort to re-energize the flood projects proposed by the Army Corps of Energy which have been dormant for sev- eral years. Laforet told the group, “We cannot forget the devastation our collective communities have endured. The time has come for action, not words or promises. We need to call on all our legislators and respective governors of New York and New Jersey to help in this regard.” The group acknowledged, however, that the flooding problem cannot be addressed by any one town without the possibility of impacting the other towns up and down the river. They also acknowledged that a significant rehabilitation of the entire Ramapo River could cost $30 million or more. Therefore, they said they are hoping to find some short-term initiatives that could minimize the problem until a long-term solution can be found. Some in the group complained, however, that when there is a flood, state and federal officials look at the flooding problems, but then leave the area. When the flood recedes, nothing is done. They also pointed out that any effort to remove trees and other large pieces of debris in the river, is hindered by access problems because residents often refuse to allow the heavy equipment required to do the job to go across their properties. In addition, the NJDEP has a ban against dredging the river, so the heavy equipment cannot be put in the river. Several studies have been conducted about how to alleviate the flooding problem, but efforts to rehabilitate the river have been hampered in the past by the lack of an agreement between the states of New York and New Jersey. In a March 2011 update of a flood damage reduction project status, the Army Corps of Engineers referred to floods that occurred 11 times from 1968 to Tropical Storm (continued on page 15) The Mahwah Township Council has introduced an ordinance that would, if adopted, rezone eight lots in Block 82 north of King Street from the GI-80 industrial zone to the B-10 neighborhood business zone which is located just north and east of these lots. The ordinance would permit the township to move the B-10 zone line south to include the eight-lot property and the Foods by George property so the entire Block 82 area from East Ramapo Avenue to King Street between Franklin Turnpike and Siding Place would be in the B-10 zone. The post office and adjacent bank property would be included. The GI-80 zone permits a variety of industrial uses including research laboratories, manufacturing, warehouses, distribution terminals, lumber and building supply sales, and wholesale businesses. The B-10 zone permits a variety of retail and service commercial uses, restaurants, offices, public, and partly public uses. The existing GI-80 zone in this area extends from the eight lots and the adjacent Foods by George property to the area south of King Street along Siding Place and west of Franklin Turnpike, where the Rutan Plastic Bag manufacturing company is located. The eight lots are currently being used for a residential purpose. The township’s planner, Joseph Layton of Maser Consulting, explained in a recent report to the council that the property contains 11,000 square feet with 100 feet of frontage on King Street and a well maintained two-story single family dwelling. Layton said the eight-lot property is the only remaining residential property in Block 82 because several other vacant dwellings on properties within that block, which are owned by the Mahwah Town Center, LLC, (continued on page 15) Ordinance would rezone eight lots