Board Signs Off on Polizzi Involvement During Hekemian Hearings

After meeting in closed session, the New Milford Board of Education approved Superintendent Michael Polizzi to represent the Board's interests at the ongoing United Water hearings. Polizzi previously submitted a letter dated March 11, 2013, to the Zoning Board of Adjustment regarding the proposed development of the United Water property.

Under the unanimous agreement, Polizzi or in some cases the Board Attorney from the Fogarty & Hara law firm will be involved in representing the Board during the remaining Hekemian project hearings.

According to Polizzi, he and the Board of Education do not believe that the property should be left completely undeveloped.

Although they adamantly oppose any residential building, Polizzi previously said, that a certain degree of development would be good for the community.

He stated that the Board has four concerns regarding the project:

• Residential development resulting in the incoming ratables being offset by rising costs to provide services
• Traffic flow in the area as one high school student had been seriously injured when hit by a car on River Road last spring, and any potential widening of River Road as a result of utilizing high school property
• The creation of an athletic field on the property
• and that lastly the BOE's desire to be a part of the conversation with the developer.

The United Water project currently calls for the creation of 24 fair market housing units and 54 perimeter parking spaces which would satisfy the borough's Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) obligations.

The revised plans also include the addition of flood storage basins and leaving a portion of the 13-acre lot fronting Cecchino Drive to be converted into an athletic field for the high school.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment has scheduled a special meeting on March 28 dedicated to the United Water property application.

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