Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 14, 2014 Midland Park Berninger to call meeting of deli owner, neighbors Midland Park Zoning Officer Mark Berninger will bring all concerned parties to the table in hopes of solv- ing the quality of life issues raised by neighbors of the Park Wood Delicatessen at the corner of Glen and Erie avenues. “Before a lawyer gets involved, let’s look at other options: the sign turned off, shortened hours, figure out parking, etc. If you hire a lawyer, the town is out of it. You will get nowhere, because the zoning laws are not so clear cut,” Berninger told Erie Avenue residents after a lengthy discussion during last week’s mayor and council meeting. “Let’s set up a meeting and see what we can hatch out,” he added. He said the deli’s owner, Roger Schnorrbusch, was cooperative and willing to be respon- sive to neighbors’ requests, but they hadn’t asked. “Let’s continue the process and see how we can bring things together,” said Councilman Bernie Holst. “The neighbors have legitimate concerns.” Several Erie Avenue residents had complained about noise, traffic, parking and other inconveniences they said were caused by the thriving deli, a legal, pre-exist- ing non-conforming use in their residential neighbor- hood, according to Berninger. They charged that the establishment’s addition of pizza ovens and increased catering business constituted an intensification of the non-conforming use. Berninger, who had been asked to investigate the res- idents’ complaints and report to the governing body, said in his report that the deli was in full compliance with borough ordinances and had secured permits for all its improvements. He said the present owner had reduced the number of seats from 25 to 10, all of which were permitted as accessory uses to the deli operation; and that serving a different kind of food, such as pizza, did not, in his opinion, constitute an expansion. He said the traffic and parking issues were not related to zoning and were not within his purview. “I would have approved it, just as John did,” Ber- ninger said of the oven installation. He took over the zoning officer position from John Wittekind this year. Councilman Mark Braunius said that, in his opinion, taking on additional catering constituted an expansion, and therefore would have required a variance. He said more employees were needed, and the deli did not meet the parking requirements. “It’s a fine line. When a business grows, you can’t stop it. I disagree but will look into it further,” Berninger said. Councilman Jack Considine raised the question of employee parking on Erie Avenue, noting that if cars are parked on both sides of the street, emergency vehi- cles and two-way traffic cannot get through. Neighbors had also complained that employees parked in front of their homes made noise and idled their cars when they returned from catering jobs in the early morning hours or even when the deli closed at 10 p.m. Police Chief Mike Marra said that the parking ordi- nance would have to be changed to restrict parking to one side or to limit hours. Councilwoman Nancy Peet questioned the additional traffic and parking requirements generated by a seam- stress business operating on the floor beneath the deli. That business had been granted a variance in1999, Ber- ninger said. Neighbor Anne Polhemus said the high pitch noise generated by an exhaust fan from the new oven made it impossible to use her outside deck. Another neighbor, Susan Rovi, objected to the fan noise as well, adding that early morning deliveries and refuse pick ups also created a disturbance in the neighborhood. “They are not a good neighbor. They add to the noise, traffic and congestion in the area,” said Tovi. New lieutenant Midland Park Mayor Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan swears in Michael Powderley as the police department’s new lieuten- ant, as Powderley’s wife, Jamie, holds The Bible. Current and former police officers as well as family members filled the council chambers to capacity to witness the event. The position had been vacant since the promotion of Police Chief Michael Marra in March, 2012. Powderley began his carrer in the department as a patrolman in January, 1992 after a year as a special police officer and dispatcher. He was promoted to sergeant in February, 2009.