May 22, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 Mahwah Realtor gets use variance for historic building by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Board of Adjustment has granted a use variance to the owners of a Wyckoff realty firm to permit the use of a historic multi-family house in Mahwah as a real estate sales office. The house is located in an R-40 single family residential zone at the northeast corner of the Wyckoff Avenue and Forest Road intersection. Karl and Francine Kern, coowners of Kern & Rodgers Realty, Inc., have owned this property since 2004. Karl Kern previously testified that the business in Wyckoff is being sold since his partner has retired, and he intends to use the Mahwah location as his office on a daily basis. The Kerns applied for the use variance last year, explaining they want to use the building as a professional real estate office without expanding the footprint of the building or making any additions. However, the Kerns required a variance because a professional office is not a permitted use in the R-40 zone. The public hearing of the application spanned several meetings. The board recently agreed to grant the use variance with several conditions. Under those conditions, the Kerns agreed to apply for an address change for the property from a Wyckoff Avenue to a Forest Avenue address, and to get the approval of the township’s Historic Preservation Commission prior to making any changes to the exterior of the house or the historic wellhead located on the property. They also agreed to limit the number of employees at the site to eight; limit the hours of operation to 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays; to provide 12 parking spaces with six provided now and the potential for six more in the future; and to include buffer fencing. Zoning Board Chairman Charles Rabolli pointed out the benefits of granting the use variance, saying it would eliminate an existing non-conforming use; promote a desirable visual environment; and the intensity of the use would be similar to that of a two-family house. He added that the house is located very close to a busy intersection that was widened a few years ago and limits the house to be used as a potential single-family house, and pointed out that there is a commercial strip mall property located directly across the street. Barbara Shanley, the chairwoman of the Mahwah Historic Preservation Commission, spoke during the public portion of the meeting and asked the board to require the Kerns to place the building on the township’s list of historic sites. James Jaworski, the Kerns’ attorney, said his clients were not comfortable with that because they did not know the full ramifications of doing so. When it was pointed out, however, that the main reason for placing the property on the list of historic sites would be to preserve the exterior appearance of the building, the board and the Kerns agreed to make the preservation of the exterior of the building a condition of approval. When the Kerns previously applied for variance relief, they wanted to build an addition to the building. That application was denied by the board after a neighbor complained that their plan deviated from the township’s master plan and would cause a substantial impairment of the township’s master plan and zoning ordinance, and a use variance could not be granted without substantial detriment to the public good. It was also argued at that time that the property was non-conforming to the township’s zoning code and could not support the proposed commercial development because it would create an intense over-use and over-development of the site. The historic house, known as The Ackerman House, is a 19th century farmhouse with Colonial Revival features. The property was the home of Garret G. Ackerman, who died accidentally in 1870 when he was thrown from his horsedrawn wagon on what is now Fardale Avenue. The Fardale section of Mahwah was farmland at the time and remained agricultural until the early 20th century. The fieldstone well on the site was rebuilt in 2006 by the County of Bergen. The Mahwah Public Library has announced the start of Social Reading, a free program for students in grades five and up. On May 29, presenter Julia Bauer, a Mahwah High School junior, will host demonstrations, games, and activities at the library from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Bauer will Social Reading program announced also introduce social media communities for book titles. Attendees will learn how to participate in these groups and the benefits of doing so. Registration is not required. The library is located at 100 Ridge Road. For more information, call (201) 529-READ.