Council to Vote on Drafting United Water Zoning Ordinance

The Mayor and Council will vote at their next meeting on whether or not they want to move forward with drafting an ordinance that would rezone the United Water property.

"This would instruct the planner to get started if you think that's the direction you might go in," said Borough Attorney Mark Madaio.

The matter was not on the agenda for the August 22 meeting and the Mayor and Council agreed it would be best to take the matter up at their Sept. 12 work session.

"We had said at our last meeting that we would move forward on this but I think the better choice is to put it on the agenda with public notice for September 12," said Mayor Ann Subrizi.

All the members of the council agreed.

"We have been talking about this for months and months so it is important that we keep the public in the loop," said Councilwoman Randi Duffie.

At their September work session, the Borough Council will be voting on whether or not to instruct Borough Planner Dennis Kirwan to draft a rezoning ordinance for the 13.06 acre area of the United Water property under contract to be sold to S. Hekemian Group. 

"This would be a resolution to instruct the planner to draft a zoning ordinance," said Madaio. "It doesn't mean anything until you adopt it."

The initial review of the site by Kirwan and his staff, presented to the Mayor and Council on June 27, recommended that the site be zoned commercial but with a special ordinance that would put specific parameters on its future use. 

Both the initial review by Kirwan and any work on a draft ordinance would be paid for out of funds put into escrow by Hekemian, according to borough officials.

The Hekemian Group presented their plan for the site back in April at a well attended meeting held in the high school auditorium. That was the first time the public, as well as borough officials and the Board of Education, heard the proposed plans.

The proposal for the slightly more than 13 acres under contract for sale included a Shoprite, a family restaurant, a bank and 10,000 square feet of commercial space. The plan also included a 145 space parking lot and the donation of a graded area that could be used as athletic fields by the school district and borough.

The Mayor and Council's next work session will be held Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall.