Mahwah September 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 Vacant gas station will be redeveloped by Frank J. McMahon A vacant gas station property on Route 17 North, adja- cent to the West Ramapo Avenue overpass in Mahwah, may soon be redeveloped. The property includes two lots that do not conform to the township’s lot size requirement, but are slated for con- solidation into one lot of 38,313 square feet which, while still not conforming, would be closer to the 40,000 square feet requirement. The property is located in the B-40 highway business zone and is bordered to the north by the West Ramapo Avenue overpass and Route 17 right of way and to the south by two vacant lots consisting of about four acres. The lot fronting on Route 17 contains a decaying one- story masonry building. That lot was previously used as a service station, but that station’s gasoline pump islands and underground storage tanks have been removed from the site. The property behind that lot to the east is owned by Albert Shotmeyer of Midland Park, and that lot, which is adjacent to property owned by the Ramapo Reformed Church, is being acquired by Motorgas Oil and Refining Corporation, the owner of the applicant’s lot. ADPP Enterprises, Inc. is seeking site plan approval and several variances from the township’s zoning board of adjustment. The applicant plans to consolidate the two adjacent lots at the site, demolish the old building, and con- struct a new gas station and a one-story 3,398 square foot building that would contain a convenience store and a fast food restaurant with a drive-through window. ADPP also proposes the construction of a canopy over a four-pump fueling area with a 25,000 gallon underground fuel storage tank for three grades of gasoline and diesel fuel. At the last zoning board meeting, James Jaworski, the attorney for ADPP, advised the board that since this matter was presented to the board in October 2012, his client nego- tiated an agreement to acquire the adjacent property. The additional land, he said, would allow for a larger conve- Library hosts Director’s Pick Series The Mahwah Public Library, located at 100 Ridge Road, will present “Not a Feather, but a Dot,” a film by Teju Prasad, on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. This Director’s Pick Movie Series selection is a 60-minute documentary that examines the history, perceptions, and evolution of the Indian-American community. The film begins by identi- fying and deconstructing existing stereotypes surrounding the community, and shows a side of the South Asian com- munity not often seen. A question and answer session with Prasad will follow. This program is free. Seats will be available on a “first come” basis. nience store and a fast food restaurant, which he expects will be a Dunkin Donuts, although that contract has not yet been signed. Professional Engineer Jeffrey Martell then described the plan, which shows an entrance and exit to Route 17 with the fueling island and canopy located near the Route 17 side of the consolidated property along with nine parking spaces. Located to the east of the pump island would be nine more parking spaces, behind which would be the store and drive- through fast food restaurant. A drive-through lane would permit vehicles to travel counterclockwise around the convenience store to the drive-through window on the north side of the building and proceed past the pump island to exit the site. Martell also reviewed the variances being requested by his client. Besides the lot coverage variance, one variance would be for relief from the township’s ordinance that pro- hibits gas stations within 500 feet of schools, playgrounds, (continued on page 17)