United Water to Demolish Three Buildings on Property

United Water intends to demolish three buildings on their property in the area that is known to residents as the "maintenance yard" according to the New Milford Building Department.

The department was officially notified of the intent to tear down the buildings on Thursday. United Water still needs to submit paperwork required for the demolition permit which will be issued by the borough. 

The buildings are in an area of the property for which United Water is seeking a minor subdivision. The company appeared before the Planning Board on April 26 seeking a "zero variance" minor subdivision to carve out an area of the lot that will not be include in the sale to the S. Hekemian Group. 

"They are not required on a zero variance application to put out a notice to the public but they did opt to publish a public notice as a courtesy," said Maria Sapuppo, the borough zoning official. "We asked that they notify the public in this case and they did."

United Water will appear again before the Planning Board on May 17 to continue their application for the subdivision. Tom Herten, an attorney with Herten Burstein, represented United Water before the Planning Board.

Hedy Grant, the vice chair of the Planning Board, ran the meeting on April 26 as chair Angelo DeCarlo was unable to attend the meeting. Grant asked the applicant to make several minor changes to the application and requested that United Water submit new plans with the revisions for the May 17 session.

Another development related to the property was that records surfaced from Bergen County indicating that John D. Cecchino Way is not a county road. Cecchino Way runs from Madison Avenue to River Road alongside New Milford High School.

The records indicated that the roadway was returned to borough control back in 2004 by resolution from the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The borough had requested control over that stretch of road after New Milford was awarded a Safe School Safety Grant by the NJ DOT. The borough sought to make the street one way running east and also to create parking spaces, which is how it is currently being used. 

Cecchino Way is indicated as a county road on the plans that had previously been submitted which is one of the changes the applicant will make before appearing on May 17.