REGULAR MEETING

Meeting called to order by Chairman Gilbert Foulon at 8:00 P.M. with a salute to the flag.

ROLL CALL:

John DiMeglio Kevin Platt

Chairman Gilbert Foulon David Slater

Mayor Warren Hagstrom Thomas Balunis

PRESENT: Attorney Steven Veltri, Engineer Michael Cristaldi

MEMBERS ABSENT: Joseph Graceffo, Tony Brindisi and Eugene Verba.

Reading: Open Public Meeting Announcement:

This is a Regular Meeting of the Wanaque Borough Planning Board and adequate notice has been given and it has been duly advertised by the placement of a notice in the Trends and the Herald & News, mailed on January 17, 2003 and a notice thereof has been posted on the bulletin board in the Municipal Building in the Borough of Wanaque and a copy thereof has been on file with the Borough Clerk.

MINUTES: from the April 17, 2003 Meeting.

MOTION TO APPROVE: made by Member DiMeglio, seconded by Member Slater, voting yes were Members DiMeglio, Chairman Foulon and Slater. Mayor Warren Hagstrom, Members Platt and Balunis abstained.

COMMUNICATIONS: No questions asked.

APPLICATION STATUS: Eng. Cristaldi said the only application would be RSK Development that is being carried to the June 19^th Meeting.

Chairman Foulon announced to the audience that the RSK Development Application is not complete and is being carried to the June 19^th Meeting.

NEW BUSINESS APPLICATION: “Compu Learning” (Computer Classroom), 561 Ringwood Ave., Block 231 Lot 13. Owner of building and business is “Strengthen Our Sisters”.

Lena LaMontagne came forward on behalf of “Compu Learning”. Ms. LaMontagne explained that the name of the business might change and the business will be doing computer training and also GED preparation courses.

Ms. LaMontagne said there is parking behind the building and the business will only accommodate ten (10) students.

Chairman Foulon said all inspections are in order except for the plumbing. Ms. LaMontagne said that the plumbing was taken care of and is complete.

MOTION TO APPROVE SUBJECT TO A REINSPECTION ON THE PLUMBING: made by Member Platt, seconded by Member Balunis, voting yes were Members DiMeglio, Chairman Foulon, Mayor Hagstrom, Platt, Slater and Balunis.

APPLICATION #5-03 “SASSAFRAS PROPERTIES, L.L.C.”, Union Ave., Block 468 Lot 3.02, Site Plan for a Free-Standing Sign is required for site identification of Burger King Restaurant on Lot 3.02 and future motel on Lot 3.01 in Block 468. Authorized Agent is A. Michael Rubin, Esq.

Atty. Rubin, 1330 Hamburg Tpke., Wayne, N.J. stepped forward on behalf of the applicant.

Arthur Hanson, the site engineer came forward and was sworn in by Atty. Veltri.

Eng. Hanson explained the freestanding pylon sign will be on Block 468 Lot 3.02 and the sign will be to the rear and to the left of the existing Burger King building.

The sign will be 90 ft. high and will have the Burger King logo on one side and the prospective tenant that will be a hotel chain (Holiday Inn). This property runs adjacent to Susquehanna Ave. in the north south direction and is over 60 ft. away from any of the property lines. The sign will be internally lit.

Eric Winter Mund, owner of the Burger King (Sassafras Properties, L.L.C.) came forward and was sworn in by Atty. Veltri. Mr. Mund told the Board he is the landowner and the operating person who operates the Burger King. Mr. Mund explained he currently has a contract with a purchaser to buy approximately a 2-acre portion in the middle of the property. The purchaser has engaged Eng. Hanson and is undergoing all the environmental stuff and is in the process of putting together a site plan and will probably be before the Board in about 30 days. Mr. Mund also said he will have left approximately one ½ acres to two acres on the western third of the property that he currently has no plans for, although he is entertaining plans to move his business from Nutley, N.J. to Wanaque, N.J. Therefore, he may have a commercial use on the westerly third of the property. Atty. Rubin explained the sign is needed for visibility to the highway and for future uses on the property, therefore, the applicant will not have to come back at a later date.

Eng. Cristaldi wanted it clarified as to how many advertisements would be on the sign. Atty. Rubin said the maximum would be three (3) uses advertised on the sign.

Mayor Hagstrom asked Eng. Hanson if the light from the sign would have any effect on the neighbors. Eng. Hanson said the side of Union Ave. is still heavily vegetated so the light from the sign won’t shine in that direction. Also, there is a tree line along the easterly line and the neighbors will see the sign but it’s not a bright sign.

Mr. Mund said the cabinets are only illuminated on one side, which faces the highway, and to the rear it is not illuminated. Eng. Cristaldi asked if it would illuminate the ground below so that people would be able to see where they’re walking. Eng. Hanson said no and that the Burger King parking lot is lit now and they don’t need any more lights on the ground.

MOTION TO OPEN TO PUBLIC DISCUSSION: made by Member Slater, seconded by Mayor Hagstrom, voting yes were Members DiMeglio, Chairman Foulon, Mayor Hagstrom, Platt, Slater and Balunis.

Richard Walters, 3 Seminole Path came forward. Mr. Walters can’t imagine a sign this big right in front of one of the houses is not going to illuminate the property. Mr. Walters also said, although the property on the opposite side of Union Ave. is heavily vegetated right now, it is not the rest of the year.

Eng. Cristaldi asked what the wattage was inside the sign and no one had an answer for him.

Lori Bull, 14 Prospect St., came forward. Ms. Bull wanted to know if there was a radius drawn on the plan for how far this light is going to extend. Ms. Bull asked if this should be part of the agreement so these people have recourse.

William Mitchell, 33 Union Ave. came forward. Mr. Mitchell said when Burger King made their application they said they weren’t going to take down the trees and they did anyway.

John Futcher from Uni-Rents, 1438 Union Ave., came forward. Mr. Futcher said a few years ago he went before the Board of Adjustment for a sign application that was only 6’ X 12’ sign and up 35 ft. and wanted it so the highway traffic would see it, and he was denied this application. Mr. Futcher said they even had a hardship because Ringwood Ave. was widened three times and they had no place to put the sign but up above his building. Mr. Futcher wanted to know if this sign gets approved does this mean that every other business can put up a sign. Eng. Cristaldi said you have to be in the RD-1 Zone and this permits a sign in that zone for the properties along Union Ave. that are adjacent to the highway. Atty. Veltri also explained to Mr. Futcher that his application at the time went to the Board of Adjustment and not the Planning Board and his property is not in the same zone as the property on Union Ave.

Nancy Beck, 164 Greenwood Ave. came forward. Ms. Beck said she lives directly across the street from Burger King and is concerned about the illumination of the sign. She also added, that at the time of the Burger King Application, she and her neighbors were told that the vegetation that was being taken down for the Burger King site, would be replaced and it still hasn’t been. Ms. Beck objects to any more illumination than there already is.

Chairman Foulon explained, that the Borough has an interstate highway system going through town and the town is trying to attract ratables from the highway system and it is very common along a highway system to see signs such as these.

John Maiello, 26 Rhinesmith Ave. came forward. Mr. Maiello wanted to know if this sign does not get erected, would it affect the Holiday Inn from coming into Wanaque. Mr. Maiello was told it would be critical to the Holiday Inn if the sign does not go up. Mr. Maiello said the Board should make sure there would be no illumination problem on the neighbors.

Chairman Foulon asked if the applicant knew what the wattage would be for the sign and no one seemed to know.

Steve Sprinkle, 2 Seminole Path came forward. Mr. Sprinkle wanted to reiterate what everyone else before has said. Mr. Sprinkle said as far as vegetation is concerned, most of the year he can see Rt. 287 and now he will see the sign. Mr. Sprinkle lives up on the hill and is level with the highway and the proposed sign and hopes the Board might consider some other alternatives.

Chairman Foulon suggested to the applicant, Mr. Mund, to put some blinders on the sides of the sign in order to cut down on the illumination. Mr. Mund said it would be an engineering challenge but he has no problem with that recommendation. Eng. Cristaldi suggested adjusting the wattage inside of the sign, so that you have no more light than you need to see it at night

Chairman Foulon told the applicant, attorney and engineer, that before the Board can vote on this application, they will have to come back with information as to the thickness of the Plexiglas, total wattage just enough to make the sign visible, and wants to know if shades can be put on the sign. Eng. Cristaldi added, we would like to know the amount of light you have on the site without the proposed sign, because that may not even add to what’s already from your normal parking lights, fixtures etc.

Gail Sprinkle, 2 Seminole Path came forward. Ms. Sprinkle wanted to know about the hotel and when that was coming before the Board and Mr. Mund said in about 30 to 60 days the application should be ready.

MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND MAY BE REOPENED AT THE NEXT MEETING: made by Member Slater, seconded by Member DiMeglio, voting yes were Members DiMeglio, Chairman Foulon, Mayor Hagstrom, Platt, Slater and Balunis.

PUBLIC DISCUSSION:

Lori Bull, 14 Prospect Street came forward. Ms. Bull wanted to commend the Board for taking the residents into consideration for the sign application that was just heard. Ms. Bull thinks the hotel is a great ratable and she thinks its great that the Board is protecting the residents in the meantime. Ms. Bull mentioned the Mountain

Ave. project and knows the town has a COAH obligation and it seems the town has its hands tied. Ms. Bull wrote to the Governor and he was kind enough to pass her letter onto Maureen Fullaway who is the Executor Director of COAH. Ms. Bull spoke with Ms. Fullway and was told to speak to Jim Cordingley who is also a Director at COAH. Ms. Bull said there is something called a durational adjustment which means if you are out of sewer capacity, you can apply for a duration adjustment and at that time your COAH obligation will be put on hold until such a time as you choose to build more. Chairman Foulon said they did ask that at the meeting and the borough did have the capacity. Mayor Hagstrom said the sewer capacity was put aside for that development.

RESOLUTIONS: None/Closed

VOUCHERS: submitted by Richard A. Alaimo Engineering Associates for Invoice #15126 Project #P-495-156 RSK Development for $176.85.

MOTION TO APPROVE: made by Mayor Hagstrom, seconded by Member Balunis, voting yes were Members DiMeglio, Chairman Foulon, Mayor Hagstrom, Platt, Slater and Balunis.

MOTION TO ADJOURN AT 8:50 P.M.: made by Member Slater. Carried by a voice vote.

_______________________________

Gerri Marotta

Secretary to Planning Board