Tuesday, March 12, 2013
With a change about the future development along Franklin Turnpike added in, the Planning Board approved the new Mahwah Master Plan Monday night
The potential redevelopment of the Franklin Turnpike – Miller Road area of Mahwah will need to wait until traffic fixes have been incorporated into the area’s busy intersections, the township’s Planning Board decided before approving a new version of the Master Plan Monday night. Throughout the last few public hearings on the Plan – which sets up land use goals for the township and guidelines for potential land use laws – residents have expressed concerns about its goal of developing the area into a more pedestrian-friendly “downtown,” with more businesses and restaurants, and better access to public transportation. Monday night, the board said that in response to public input, it will add a statement in the document recommending certain …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The township is 'Bergen County's Parkland,' and according to a document planning for Mahwah's future, the town wants to continue growing areas of open space. But, residents questioned how open space should be balanced with future development.
The new Master Plan, which lays out the future planning and development goals for the township, is almost complete. The document outlines goals for the future of Mahwah – promoting designs that will ease traffic, improving the aesthetics of various areas of the township, encouraging business development in certain areas of town and discouraging it in others, and continuing to preserve open space - are all mentioned as future aspirations in the township. At a public hearing on the document Monday night, residents questioned just how much open space “Bergen County’s Parkland” would eventually have. The answer from the Planning Board, which has been overseeing the document’s creation, was that there is no end-goal amount of open space the …
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Residents questioned whether or not steps being taken to increase sustainability practices are giving up township autonomy
Some residents are having second thoughts about several sustainability measures the township has taken – opting into the Planning Area of the Highlands Act, and adding certain environmental measures in the current draft of Mahwah’s Master Plan. About a dozen residents addressed the Planning Board and special guests Highlands Council Executive Director Gene Feyl and Highlands Chief Planner Maryjude Haddock-Weiler Monday night. The duo was invited to Mahwah to explain the potential benefits of carving out an area of town that would be a “Highlands Center,” which would ease environmental and building restrictions set forth by the Highlands Council in an effort to spur economic growth. Mahwah opted into the Highlands Planning Area in 2011, and…
Monday, November 19, 2012
At the last Master Plan public hearing, residents and professionals discussed the need for more senior housing in Mahwah
Mahwah’s Planning Board is hosting a public hearing on the final draft of the township’s newly revised Master Plan, a document that outlines the future goals of the municipality, Monday. Suggestions made in the Master Plan proposal include a town-wide shuttle system, traffic improvements to highways running through Mahwah, improvements to encourage mass transit usage, promoting unified development along Route 17 and a downtown area along Franklin Turnpike. [See the entire Master Plan here]. At previous Master Plan public hearings, residents focused on the need for more bike trails in the township, and planners pointed out a recommendation for no “big box store” developments in Mahwah, and concerns about the increasing need for more senior …
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
But, planners say it will be a big need in the township's future
Due to an increasing senior citizen population, Mahwah will likely need more housing developments for senior citizens, but its new Master Plan does not identify specific locations within the township that are right for that type of development. “If you look at the demographics, there is going to be a need for [senior housing developments],” Planner Joe Burgis, whose firm put together the document, said at a public hearing on it Monday night. But, the plan “does not identify a specific area,” where such a development would be recommend. Burgis’s explanation was in response to a question from resident Lynne McLewin, who recommended the planning board work into the document more specifics about where and how Mahwah could develop a senior …
Monday, October 15, 2012
At past hearings, residents have urged the need for bike paths throughout the township. What improvements would you suggest for Mahwah's future?
Mahwah’s Planning Board is hosting a public hearing on the final draft of the township’s newly revised Master Plan, a document that outlines the future goals of the municipality, Monday. Suggestions made in the Master Plan proposal include a town-wide shuttle system, traffic improvements to highways running through Mahwah, improvements to encourage mass transit usage, promoting unified development along Route 17 and a downtown area along Franklin Turnpike. [See the entire Master Plan here]. At the last Master Plan public hearing, residents focused on the need for more bike trails in the township, and planners pointed out a recommendation for no “big box store” developments in Mahwah. Planners also predicted slowing residential development…
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Population growth in Mahwah slowed significantly in the last 10 years
Mahwah won’t likely see any major housing developments or spurts in population, planner Joe Burgis predicted during his presentation on Mahwah’s new Master Plan Monday night. The document, which sets forth planning goals for the future of the township, does not contain many suggested changes to the current residential make-up of Mahwah, he said. “In terms of residential planning, we’re not making many changes at all,” Burgis said. In response to a question from a resident at the public hearing presentation, Burgis said he doesn’t anticipate anymore “dramatic changes” in residential development in Mahwah. The days of adding multi-family units like the condo complexes off of Ridge Road and Franklin Turnpike are likely “in the past,” he said…
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
First public hearing on Mahwah's reworked Master Plan reveals goals for types of commercial development on Route 17, Franklin Turnpike
Mahwah will discourage big box store developments along Route 17 and throughout the township, planner Joe Burgis said during a presentation on a proposed new Master Plan that should set the tone for development in Mahwah for the next decade or more. During Burgis’ presentation at a Planning Board public hearing on the document Monday night, he said big box stores do not represent the “character of development [we’d like] along the Route 17.” Discouraging big box stores is a “very explicit goal in this Master Plan,” he said. The planner described “big box” retail as “the Wal Marts, those types of stores.” The one spot in Mahwah where two big box stores are in the works – at the Crossroads Town Center development planned for the intersection…
Monday, September 10, 2012
Board urges residents to attend meeting Monday night on document that will shape future laws in Mahwah
Monday night, the Mahwah Planning Board will begin a public hearing on a document that has been in the works since 2005. The over 130-page Master Plan is the updated version of a planning document that officials say is the first completely overhauled version the township has commissioned since 1989. The board and township officials will be soliciting input from residents on what should, and shouldn’t, be included in the document, and are urging residents to attend Monday night’s meeting. “If you care what Mahwah is going to be like in 20 years, you should care about the Master Plan,” Township Zoning Official Gary Montroy said. “It basically looks at what we like, and what we don’t like about Mahwah, and recommends ways we should adjust in …
Monday, August 20, 2012
New Master Plan, which officials say will lead to revised township laws on land use, will begin public hearings next month
On September 10, the Mahwah Planning Board will begin public hearings on a document that has been in the works since 2005. The over 130-page Master Plan is the updated version of a planning document that officials say is the first completely overhauled version the township has commissioned since 1989. “If you care what Mahwah is going to be like in 20 years, you should care about the Master Plan,” Township Zoning Official Gary Montroy said. “It basically looks at what we like, and what we don’t like about Mahwah, and recommends ways we should adjust in the future to change what we don’t like.” Some of the suggestions in a draft version of the new Master Plan for changes to Mahwah include: According to the draft version of the document, …
edward behr
7:09 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Man I miss cutting thru Olney Rd. That was the best. No traffic lights, peeling out in front of Regina's place. Those were the days... more ›