Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 1, 2014 Midland Park Vote on Stafford Glass conversion due next week Midland Park Board of Adjustment members wrestled with a decision on the proposed use for the former Stafford Glass property at 168 Godwin Avenue and put off a final decision on the application until their next meeting. The application has been in front of the board for over a year and has undergone a number of revisions based on board member concerns. Applicant Warren Struz, who owns the adjacent body shop, proposes to use the Stafford property as an ancil- lary use to the body shop, performing on site such services as wheel alignment, tire and oil changes, and suspension, radiator, air conditioner and dash board work, for which customers are now sent elsewhere. No painting, refinishing or framing work would be done on the Stafford property, Residents urged to vote in referendum The Midland Park Board of Education is encouraging all registered voters to cast their ballots on Tuesday, Sept. 30. The $11.5 million referendum is being partially funded by a grant from the state and from the district’s capital reserve funds. The taxpayer share of the bond would be $8.5 million or about $218 a on the average assessed home, a monthly cost of about $18. The 20-year bond has an annual interest rate of 3.5 percent. Midland Park’s Superintendent of Schools Marie Cira- sella commented on the need for district renovations and the state grant funding a passed referendum will ensure “While we have been working to remediate much- needed facility improvements with capital budget outlays, this will not solve long-term needs, and we remain mindful of the importance of keeping our schools ready for future generations of students. Further, it is critical to note that a passed referendum will net our community approximately $2.8 million in state grant funding, a truly substantial sum that will significantly reduce renovation costs,” Dr. Cira- sella said. Among the renovations are making all the facilities ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, replac- ing heating and ventilation systems for more energy effi- ciency, window replacements, boiler replacement, corridor and classroom lighting upgrades, door hardware, and reno- vations and upgrades to the auditorium at the high school. Additionally, under the proposed plan, the stadium field will receive upgrades to include a new track, bleachers and press box and grass field upgrades. Polls will be open from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30. All registered voters are encouraged to cast their ballots at Midland Park Fire House (Districts 1, 2, and 4); Midland Park Public Library (District 3); and Nativity Church - O’Connell Hall (District 5). Complete information can be found on the school dis- trict’s website at mpsnj.org, and questions will be answered by email at Referendum@mpsnj.org. and there would be no gasoline sales. Struz would use the entire storefront for office and stor- age to maintain the aesthetic appearance. The rear section of the building would be used for the repair functions and as a passageway for vehicles from the body shop to the northern parking lot. The residence on the northern part of the property is expected to stay. Planner Michael Kauker said the property is not appro- priate for office use because it can provide only 13 parking spaces instead of 33 that would be required. The proposed use, he said, is ideally suited because it can provide interior parking, for a total of 24 on-site spaces, just three short of the required number. He said traffic would also be less intense than that generated by an office building, retail store or gas station, which are permitted uses. He also said the buffer to the adjoining residences to the rear would be ample because they have deep lots. Board Chairman Linda Herlihy asked how the proposed use promotes the town’s master plan and improves condi- tions, particularly since variances would still be needed. She said existing conditions could be improved simply by cleaning up what is there already. She added that parking could be brought closer to compliance by demolishing the house on the property, and noted the interior spaces do not count as an improvement. “I’m having a hard time finding any special reasons,” Herlihy said. Board member Dan Brennan agreed. “Your best foot forward is not changing the way things are now. You’re not even coming half way to meeting the standards. We don’t want the center of town to be the hub for auto repairs. That’s what Greenwood Avenue is about,” Brennan said. Board attorney Les Andersen said there is no justifica- tion for keeping the house, but Kauker said the structure serves as a buffer to the adjoining commercial zone. The nearly 1/2-acre irregular site is zoned for commer- cial use, where body shops are not permitted and motor vehicle service stations are conditional uses. The existing body shop at 154 Godwin Avenue is grandfathered as a non-conforming use. A vote on the application is expected at the board’s Oct. 8 meeting.