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BLOOMINGDALE - Downtown rezoning introduced
(by Deborah Walsh - Staff Writer - October 08, 2008)
BLOOMINGDALE - The Borough Council approved one zoning ordinance that is aimed at making downtown more business friendly, but postponed a vote on a second ordinance, which it expects to consider on Oct. 28.
At its Sept. 23 meeting, the council adopted Ordinance 17-2008, which established a B-1-A Commercial Zone along portions of Main Street and Union Avenue. The land had previously been zoned B-1. The B-1-A zone provides for certain conditional uses including animal hospitals, veterinary offices, kennels, animal day care centers, and hotels and motels.
At that meeting, the council delayed its vote on Zoning Ordinance 16-2008, which permits the location of professional offices in portions of the R-20 residential zone that abuts Union Avenue. Some of the permitted professional uses are offices for doctors, dentists, chiropractors and other licensed healthcare professionals.
The borough also hopes lawyers, psychologists, social workers and professional engineers will open up shop in the new zone. It also wants to attract licensed land surveyors, professional planners, registered architects, certified landscape architects, certified public accountants, financial consultants, security and commodity brokers.
Offices for insurance brokers, travel agencies, real estate brokers, home healthcare services, computer programming, data processing, Web site design and software services are welcomed in this zone. Public uses and not-for-profit agency offices will be permitted in this zone as well. An accessory apartment will be allowed above the offices.
Before the public hearing on Ordinance 17-2008, Alfred Lavoie, chairman of the borough’s Economic Development Committee, praised the council, the council’s Ordinance Review Committee and the Planning Board for supporting zoning measures designed to bring tax-producing property into the borough.
Because property owners are not required to turn residential properties into commercial properties, Lavoie said the full impact of Ordinance 16-2008 will probably be felt not immediately but 10 to 15 years down the road. The ordinance requires that once a residential use is converted to a professional use on Union Avenue, it cannot revert back to a residential use.
"I want to thank everyone for working hard for a year to get this program through. The Economic Development Committee wants it endorsed. It’s so important to get the Union Avenue corridor rezoned," said Lavoie.
Borough Attorney Joseph MacMahon acknowledged that a lot of hard work went into the ordinances yet he recommended that a vote on 16-2008 be held over. MacMahon said legitimate questions have come from the Planning Board, which will be responsible for implementing the ordinance. MacMahon said Planning Board Chairman Alan Gundersen and Borough Zoning Official Daniel Hagberg would discuss what sections of the ordinance needed clarification.
"We’ve been working together for a long time on these ordinances that are near and dear to your heart," said MacMahon to Lavoie before specifying the changes that are being discussed for 16-2008.
To make the ordinance less ambiguous, MacMahon said it is being suggested that each block and lot number of properties that are eligible to be converted to a professional use be specified in the ordinance. Lots that abut Union Avenue will have enhanced building capabilities when the ordinance is passed, he said.
When Jim Courter of Union Avenue asked about the lot coverage that is permitted under 16-2008, MacMahon said the borough tried to strike a balance to encourage professional development, but at the same time be mindful of residents, who want to maintain the residential use of their property.
"You might embrace the new zoning in the R-20, but your neighbors might not. The mayor and council were concerned that the coverage area permitted not be abusive to residential property owners, who plan on having their property remain residential," said MacMahon.
Councilwoman Jennifer Altfield thanked Lavoie for his many years of work and persistence in backing zone changes that will mean positive tax ratables for the borough. Addressing Lavoie, Mayor William Steenstra noted that with the passage of the one ordinance, the borough was "halfway home."
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