Berkeley Heights May Lease 10-Acre Property to YMCA

Berkeley Heights Council introduced an ordinance Tuesday night that would lease vacant property to the Summit Area YMCA for 50 years at $50,000 per year, with the option to renew the lease for an additional 25 years.

That public hearing and final adoption is scheduled for Aug. 20.

Councilman Robert Woodruff noted that this is a 16-acre property, and the township’s volunteer fire company is currently utilizing six acres.

If the ordinance is approved, the YMCA has plans to construct a new facility on the property for recreational purposes such as physical therapy and other therapeutic treatments, a café or another meal service, as well as hospitality services and physical training, according to the draft ordinance.

Woodruff says this will benefit all citizens and is a viable plan. 

If the town and the Summit Area YMCA do enter into this lease agreement, the town will provide the YMCA with an 18-month period to gain the necessary approvals to build such a facility.

ADDITIONAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS 

Later in the meeting, council awarded a contract to Top Line Construction of Somerville to make improvements to Park Avenue. 

The total bid was for $419,816.27. 

Council also heard a presentation from former Mayor Daniel Palladino about the new location of the town’s Historical Society as well as it’s new website. 

Residents can view the website and learn more about the history of Berkeley Heights by visiting https://sites.google.com/site/hsofbh/home.

Council authorized a professional services contract with Van Cleef for the provision of on-call licensed operator services for the Township Water Pollution Control Plan from Aug. 24, 2013 until Aug. 23, 2014.

A bill list in the amount of $178,223.65 was also approved.

The council’s consent agenda included 2013 tax overpayment refunds to three couples and one business, and the removal of David Falk from the active roster of the Volunteer Fire Department, which were approved.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, one resident took issue with the Lone Pine Drive traffic light project and its effect on the vehicular traffic in town. 

Woodruff says it will increase the safety in the downtown area because certain exits from the shopping center will be closed and a crosswalk will be installed on Springfield Avenue along with the traffic light, which CVS will fund.  

He says it will benefit the town because a crosswalk will invite more pedestrians to safely cross Springfield Avenue between Snyder and Plainfield Avenues, and visit the downtown businesses.

Another resident asked council about the clean-up of the Passaic River and township streams. 

Mayor Joe Bruno said the town appropriated more than $110,000 to help clean the streams in town earlier this year. 

Council President Kevin Hall said the scope of this project is complex, the town is working diligently with the county and state, and a meeting with county and state representatives will likely take place in the next couple weeks.

Check New Providence-Berkeley Heights Patch later this week to read more about the council meeting.