Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • January 23, 2013 Mahwah Darlington Schoolhouse sidewalk plan endorsed by Frank J. McMahon A new site plan that will provide a sidewalk in front of the Darlington Schoolhouse on Ramapo Valley Road has been endorsed by the Mahwah Council. Edward Goodell, the executive director of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, recently advised the council that Bergen County plans to improve the culvert, a large pipe carrying water from the Darlington Brook under Ramapo Valley Road, which is located between the schoolhouse and the entrance to the Continental Soldiers Park. Those plans, he said, could include the sidewalk. Goodell said he has had discussions with members of the Bergen County engineering office and Peter Mercer, the president of Ramapo College, and they would like to coordinate the improvement of the culvert with the construction of a sidewalk from the traffic signal at the entrance to Continental Soldiers Park across the culvert on the west side of Ramapo Valley Road to the schoolhouse. According to Goodell, that sidewalk plan would replace the plan that was previously approved by the council. The previous plan called for a path from the rear of the schoolhouse through the woods, across a bridge over Darlington Brook, and over a steep bank to an area at the rear of the roller skating rink at Continental Soldiers Park that would have been used for overflow parking during special events at the schoolhouse. That bridge was to have been gated to permit its use only during events at the schoolhouse. He explained, however, that this plan would have required the approval of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection due to the wetlands in that area and would have been very expensive to build. Goodell said Mercer prefers the sidewalk so students can park at the college lot and walk to the schoolhouse and the internal pathway to the Bergen County reservation located adjacent to the schoolhouse property, which is designated on the plans for the project as a “chicken run.” In return, he said, the college would provide reserved parking space for the trail conference in the college’s south parking lot for events at the schoolhouse where there is insufficient parking. That arrangement would eliminate the need to use parking space at Continental Soldiers Park under the previously approved plan. Goodell asked for a consensus of agreement from the council so he could include the new plan in an application to be presented to the township’s zoning board of adjustment at a public hearing scheduled for Feb. 20. The trail conference will seek a variance to allow offices in the schoolhouse, which the current C-200 conservation district zoning does not permit, and to obtain site plan approval for a 3,800 square foot addition to the rear of the building. The council members engaged in a lengthy discussion with Goodell and Mahwah Township Administrator Brian Campion during which they reviewed the previously approved plan for a boardwalk style walking path. Several council members voiced concern about the specifics of the new plan and emphasized that they do not want to appear to be endorsing both plans and do not want the township to pay for the sidewalk. Campion explained that the sidewalk would be funded by the county and no township funds would be needed, but the township would have to ask the county to construct the sidewalk. The ultimate consensus was that the sidewalk plan, with a guardrail, would be much better than the boardwalk and bridge plan. Councilwoman Lisa DiGiulio moved “to approve the alternate concept plan with a sidewalk along Route 202 rather than the trail through the woods.” That motion was approved by all six members of the council who were present. In November 2007, after a four-year effort, the NY-NJ Trail Conference and the township became joint owners of the Darlington Schoolhouse with support from the Morris Land Conservancy, Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program. Part of the cost of preserving the building is being covered by matching grants from the Bergen County Historic Preservation Trust Fund and the Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund. The renovation of the schoolhouse has been proceeding as funding becomes available. Goodell said about half of the $2.5 million needed has been raised thus far. The overall restoration project, according to Goodell, includes the restoration of the structure and the architectural elements of the building to create a 21st century workplace for the NY-NJ Trail Conference, which will operate out of this site. The balance of the restoration, he said, depends on the success of the conference’s fundraising effort. The Mahwah Republican Club will host District 39’s Republican New Jersey Assembly candidates on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Club to host Assembly candidates Mahwah Senior Center located at 475 Corporate Drive. The meeting is open to the public. For additional information, contact Tracy Miceli at tracy@mahwahgop.com.