PLANNING BOARD MEETING

BOROUGH OF WANAQUE

 

MINUTES

 

Regular Meeting

September 18, 2008

 

 

Meeting called to order by Vice Chairman Joseph Graceffo with a salute to the flag.

 

ROLL CALL:

 

John Di Meglio                      Eugene Verba

Mayor Dan Mahler               Ed O’Connell

Joseph Graceffo                     John Shutte

Kevin Platt

David Slater

 

PRESENT:  Attorney Steven Veltri and Engineer Michael Cristaldi

 

ABSENT:     Chairman Gilbert Foulon, Members William Rucci and Ed O’Connell

 

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 18, 2008 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 July 17, 2008 Meeting.

 

MOTION TO APPROVE: made by Member Slater, seconded by Member Di Meglio, voting yes were Members Di Meglio, Mayor Mahler, Graceffo, Platt and Slater. Members Verba and Shutte abstained.

 

COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTS:  No questions asked.

 

APPLICATIONS STATUS: Eng. Cristaldi said he has one new request for a Minor Subdivision but the applicant didn’t finish filling out the application package. Eng. Cristaldi called the applicant’s attorney to inform him of the missing paper work.

 

Eng. Cristaldi also discussed the modification to the traffic pattern at the clubhouse at Wanaque Reserve. Eng. Cristaldi said the association wants to make an internal traffic adjustment because they feel there is a conflict at the driveway entrance. Eng. Cristaldi doesn’t think its necessary for them to come back to the Board, but if the Board wants to hear it that’s the Board’s decision, or if the Board wants Eng. Cristaldi to review and approve or disapprove any minor traffic changes. The only thing Eng. Cristaldi would ask for is for the Board to make a Resolution and that the association makes the application to Eng. Cristaldi and not from one or two of the residents. If for whatever reason they don’t like Eng. Cristaldi’s plan, they could always come back to the Board. Eng. Cristaldi added, he would make sure they put the proper signage and the traffic flows they want to achieve. Vice Chairman Graceffo told Eng. Cristaldi to review it and if there’s a major problem they’ll have to appear before the Board. Mayor Mahler suggested that Eng. Cristaldi get a letter from Wanaque Reserve Board of Director’s on their letterhead requesting what they want.

Eng. Cristaldi said every once in awhile the zoning ordinances are revised because of the overlays. Whenever you do that, at the same time they should also revise the zoning map because sometimes the zoning map isn’t always up to the zone changes.

 

OPEN TO PUBLIC DISCUSSION: None/Closed

 

NEW BUSINESS APPLICATION: “Institute for Therapeutic Massage” (School for Massaging), 1069 Ringwood Ave., Block 430 Lots 1-13. Owner of property is Bald Eagle Properties, 179 Cahill Cross Rd., Suite 311, West Milford, N.J. owner of business is Lisa Helbig, 65 Yorkshire Ave., West Milford, N.J.

Owner of business Lisa Helbig came forward along with Sal Falciglia, owner of the property. Ms. Helbig was before the Board at the July Meeting when she was interested in renting the property at 1237 Ringwood Ave. Now she will be moving into the new Town Centre at 1069 Ringwood Ave. Vice Chairman Graceffo mentioned that they need a final inspection from the Fire Prevention Bureau; at the present time this space is still under construction and when construction is completed they will get final inspections. Ms. Helbig will be occupying two floors in the building and comes to a little over 5,000 sq. ft. Atty. Veltri asked Ms. Helbig if the use will be the same as she described at the last meeting and Ms. Helbig said that is correct. This will be a vocational school for massage therapy. Ms. Helbig told the Board they have been in Pompton Lakes doing the same business since 1995. They are approved by the N.J. Dept. of Education, the Veteran’s Administration and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development for people that are unemployed to come to school and the school is accredited and participates in all federal financial aid. Ms. Helbig brought along a booklet on the school along with certificates of approval for the Board to look at and was marked Exhibit A-1. The school starts 4 times a year and at any given time there are 3 sessions going on. Each session is about 30 students a day split between day and evening.  

 

MOTION TO APPROVE PENDING THE APPROVAL OF THE FINAL INSPECTIONS:  made by Member Slater, seconded by Member Shutte, voting yes were Members Di Meglio, Mayor Mahler, Graceffo, Platt, Slater, Verba and Shutte.

 

NEWBUSINESS APPLICATION: “Atlantic Glass & Mirror LLC” (Install Glass, Mirrors, Shower Doors & Windows), 918 Ringwood Ave., Block 309 Lot 22. Owner of property is Adrienne Vas, 1056 Ramapo Valley Rd., Mahway, N.J. Owner of business is Chris Oake, 73 Moore Ave., Waldwick, N.J.

Mr. Oake, owner of the business came forward. Mr. Oake informed the Board he is planning on buying the property and wanted to know what else would he be allowed to do with the property. Mr. Oake said there’ another business on the property, which is an auto repair business. Mr. Oake stated that after he buys the building he was thinking of renting out the backspace and there seems to be enough parking if he were to rent out the backspace. Mr. Oake isn’t really sure if he will need the extra space in the back yet, but wanted to know if he could rent it out. Vice Chairman Graceffo explained to Mr. Oake that any new business that comes in has to appear before the Board again and right now the Board can only give approval for Mr. Oake’s business at this time.

Member Platt wanted to know about the tenant that is there with all the paint. Mr. Oake said that tenant is still there and the paint is stored in a container in the back. Vice Chairman Graceffo wanted to know Mr. Oake’s plan for cleaning up the building. Mr. Oake said he would like to put new windows in the building to make it look a little bit nicer and Chairman Graceffo agreed.  Chairman Graceffo added, that the concern right now is what’s in there and what Mr. Oake will be adding to it. Member Platt said the landscaping business is totally out of there, the line painting business is still there and Member Platt told the owner of the painting business at the time he did his inspection that he could only store so much paint. Chairman Graceffo said tonight the only business application Mr. Oake is here tonight for is the Glass & Mirror Business only, and if Mr. Oake has any future plans for changing the structure, then he will have to come back to the Board with more information such as a site plan and how he’ll be subdividing the building.

Vice Chairman Graceffo said all inspections are in compliance.  

Mayor Mahler asked Mr. Oake if the other business he wants to put in the back is something Mr. Oake’s owns or an independent business.  Mr. Oake said it would be independent from his business. Mayor Mahler said if Mr. Oake goes that route with an independent business owner, he would have to go and see the Building Inspector first before he comes back to the Board. Member Di Meglio told Mr. Oake if he does rent out the space to another business he would have to put a bathroom in and therefore pay another sewer bill every quarter. Mayor Mahler asked how many trucks would be parked for his business and Mr. Oake said there are two trailers and there are three to four employees who would have vehicles. The business is fabrication and they do some retail sales and would like to eventually open up a retail store and open up a showroom. The hours of operation for the fabrication are normally between 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.; some nights they might have to work a little bit later but very seldom.

 

MOTION TO APPROVE: made by Member Shutte, seconded by Member Platt, voting yes were Members Di Meglio, Mayor Mahler, Graceffo, Platt, Slater, Verba and Shutte.

 

RESOLUTION TO INSTALL LIGHTS ON THE FIELDS AT MEMORIAL FIELD, WANAQUE, N.J.: made by Member Slater, seconded by Member Shutte, voting yes were Member Di Meglio, Mayor Mahler, Graceffo, Platt, Slater, Verba and Shutte.

 

Vice Chairman Graceffo mentioned the correspondence from the Borough Clerk regarding Resolution #147-0-08 amending Resolution #121-0-08 adopted July 14, 2008 directing the Planning Board to undertake a preliminary investigation of certain properties for a proposed redevelopment area. It was determined that two properties were inadvertently left off of the resolution (Block 232 Lots 6 and 11) and the Borough Council wishes to include these properties in the study.                             

 

MOTION TO ADJOURN: at 8:35 P.M. carried by a voice vote.

 

 

___________________________________

Gerri Marotta

Planning Board Secretary