North Haledon board urges safety in multi-use development of 4.7-acre site

NORTH HALEDON — Safety is the core issue facing a multi-use development proposed for Belmont Avenue, even though the plan has been signed off by the fire chief and local police.

The blessings of high-ranking first responders did not stop residents and members of the Planning Board from questioning the builder at a recent public meeting about certain elements they said were lacking.

Board Chairman Frank Coscia asked the developer to consider a second driveway for ambulances and firetrucks, and board member Eric Winkler wanted to know why there were no sidewalks.

And it was a fraught moment when a resident of Peters Lane suggested that those requests could be granted if the whole project was reduced in size.

Meryl Gonchar, an attorney for the developer, answered by saying her client relied on emergency personnel for validation.

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“Those are the people who we look to on every development,” Gonchar said. “If there are substantial concerns for safety, that’s where we expect the criticism to come from.”

The project at 987 Belmont Ave. would include a self-storage center and a 4,378-square-foot retail building, with a drive-thru lane.

The developer, Tulfra Real Estate of Rochelle Park, has said the retail building would accommodate two tenants and that one could be a Starbucks restaurant.

The 4.7-acre site would also have 90 apartments, including 16 units for affordable households.

There would be 207 parking spots at the development, said Richard Procanik, a civil engineer who testified on behalf of Tulfra.

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Procanik said there would be 520 shrubs and trees, including more than seven dozen evergreens, planted at the now-vacant site. He said many of them would line the northerly border to form a buffer between the development and backyards on Vine Street.

Due to an anticipated crowd of concerned residents, the hearing was held in the auditorium at Eastern Christian High School.

About 50 people were scattered across the rows of cushioned chairs in the air-conditioned room. The engineer’s drawings were projected on large white screens suspended from the ceiling.

Board members took their seats behind a line of folding tables positioned on the stage.

Mayor Randy George, who sits on the board, was particularly vocal at the hearing — at times, he directed his remarks to Procanik, but more often, he addressed the audience.

Everything that can be done will be done, the mayor said, to protect the interests of homeowners.

For example, George said, the borough may inspect the site and insist that the developer augment the buffer of evergreens even further.

“You’ll eventually put in all of the trees that we tell you to, which could be 10, 20 or 30 more trees,” the mayor said. “But you agree to that.”

“Yes,” the engineer replied, “we agree to that.”

The next hearing on the application is scheduled for June 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the high school, at 50 Oakwood Ave.

Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: devencentis@northjersey.com