Frank Talk on The Future of Commerce in Franklin Lakes

A much-needed sanitary sewer line is coming to the Franklin Avenue business district this summer, a new signage ordinance is in the works, the Master Plan is under review and the tax break enjoyed by residents may have a negative impact on business tax bills. These are just a handful of topics Mayor Frank Bivona touched upon is his meeting with the Chamber of Commerce this month. 

A few dozen business owners enjoyed coffee and some "frank" talk with the mayor about the state of business in Franklin Lakes. 

"I'm excited that people want to invest in our town and set up business here," he said. But to ensure the Franklin Lakes of the future falls in line with the community's vision envisions, the borough intends to revise its Master Plan. There are several tracts of open land in town that could be potentially be developed.

Local business owners stated that Franklin Lakes does not want to become "another Ridgewood." 

"Our planning should be focused on what Franklin Lakes is," Bivona noted. "We don't want to stifle development, but at the same time we want to control it, and outside of our Master Plan, we don't have much say."

With the state-mandated Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) units currently in the hands of the state Supreme Court, the borough's responsibility to provide so-called Mt. Laurel housing is undetermined at the present time. 

"COAH will exist, and we will have an obligation," Bivona explained, adding that towns don't have complete control over where the affordable housing is built. The outcome of the court cases will also impact the schools. 

Sewers

Currently, the borough is working with Northwest Bergen Utilities Authority (NWBUA) to implement the first sewer line in the borough, which will be built along Franklin Avenue in the business district in coming months. The mayor said the disruption is expected to take between three and six month. 

"We have to improve the quality of downtown," Bivona said. "The sewer is something that is needed" between the food businesses at Franklin Square and Franklin Crossing and Franklin Avenue Middle School, the sewer "will fix the overflow problem in the area."

"Once that line is in, you should see other lines go toward it," Bivona said. 

One business owner questioned whether the power lines could also be put underground at the same time that the road will be ripped up for the sewer. While Bivona thought it would be cost prohibitive at this juncture, he said he will bring the idea to the table. 

"We aren't paying anything for the sewers," he said. "We went hog wild with spending in town for a while, and now we have a big hangover of debt,"  with 10 to 12 percent of the tax bill paying off bonds. 

The issue of cell towers also came up at the meeting. An application for a cell tower behind the Market Basket is currently before the Zoning Board. The required buffer zone is 300 feet from personally property and the applicant, T Mobile, is asking for a variance for 150 feet and has been granted an extension to find an alternate site. 

"Asthetically, cell towers are not the most pleasing thing and I personally get insulted by the fake trees," he noted. "But we do need a cell tower on that side of town. We want to find a place that is aesthetically pleasing and out of the  way. I don't know where that will be, but I think we can come up with a good alternative." 

Signs

A local Realtor asked about the signage law that was put into effect in Franklin Lakes last year, banning Realtors from posting open house signs on private property without permission. The mayor admitted that as a home owner with a corner lot, he personally supports the law. Too many times he has had house hunters knocking on his door thinking his house was on the market because the sign was posted on his lawn. As mayor, however, he does not have a vote on council. 

A new signage ordinance is currently being drafted by borough officials and may impact the businesses. LED signs, like the one posted at the library, are currently under review by the council. By town ordinance, flashing neon signs are banned, and have been for decades. The council is considering new technology along with safety and image concerns to add to the existing laws. 

"Do we want fashings LED signs all over town? Probably not," Bivona stated. "The library already has an LED sign and it is something that we are going to have to address going forward." 

On rumors of a Price Chopper supermarket coming to town, the mayor said he had not heard anything about it. 

Business Tax Bills Going Up

The property value reassessment that brought a reduction in taxes to residents has resulted in a tax increase for business.

"We saw a 19 percent reduction in residential property values, while the commercial rates basically stayed the same," Bivona explained. "So while the overall tax levy remained the same, the residential bills when down and the burden shifted to the commercial side. It's just the reality of what we saw happen in the residential market." 

Commercial property values are based on rent rolls, which have not vastly been impacted to date by the economy. Home values, on the other hand, are based on sales figures, which have taken a big hit in the past few years. 

The mayor noted that as you start to see more business vacancies — not so much in Franklin Lakes, but in nearby communities such as Ridgewood — renters may have greater bargaining advantage in their lease contracts and appraised business values could theoretically decline as well.