By Amy Batista, Special Writer
Township officials unanimously voted to adopt a redevelopment plan for the former National Lead Industries property Tuesday night.
“This is really an extraordinarily exciting opportunity for the town on a property that has laid dormant and has really been an eyesore,” said Mayor Janice Mironov. “It includes that large (water) tower that is kind of rusted over and sits over the town.”
The redevelopment is something that the township has pursued with the belief that it will better the overall development of the town, the mayor added.
The Planning Board recommended the adoption of the redevelopment plan at the Sept. 29 council meeting. The plan affects two properties, the former National Lead site and the adjoining property, which at one point was occupied by Elementis. They are located at 329 and 359 Wyckoff Mills Road (Block 13, Lots 1.01 and 1.02).
“Those properties probably contained accessories and buildings that are dilapidated, deteriorated and found to be obsolete from future commercial use,” the mayor said.
She said the existing buildings, which include a building built on the property in 1972 and a second building that was added later, would be removed.
“It would be redeveloped with a brand new building with commercial uses on the site, warehouse distribution and assorted type uses,” the mayor said.
The Township Council requested that the Planning Board investigate whether the sites should be declared an area in need of redevelopment.
“That report came back and supported that finding,” Mayor Mironov said. “That finding was recommended by the Township Planning Board to council.”
To formulate its report, the Planning Board conducted a public hearing on June 29 during which it heard testimony from Township Planner Richard Preiss and engineering consultant Maxwell Peters.
Mr. Preiss said the council’s adoption of the redevelopment plan is the second step in the redevelopment process.
“First was the step where you declared the 50-acre property as a redevelopment area,” he said.
The redevelopment plan will basically become the structure for any development application for the properties going forward.
“Now with the adoption of the redevelopment plan you are essentially setting forth the uses, bulk regulations, and design regulations that limit development on that particular property,” he said.
He said the redevelopment plan would supersede current zoning, which is research/office zoning.
“It would allow for essentially a warehouse storage building over 600,000 square feet as well as parking, driveways, landscape, stormwater and so forth,” he said.
The developer would have to come to the Planning Board and seek subdivision and site plan approval, according to Mr. Preiss.
Mayor Mironov said the township anticipates the development application procedure to move forward relatively rapidly in the next several months.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident and Republican candidate for Township Council Paul “PJ” Hummel said, “The site is listed as contaminated on the nj.gov website. I didn’t hear anyone mention a cleanup. Is there any plans for remediation?”
Mayor Mironov said she is not sure why the property is listed as contaminated on the website.
“It’s not a property that is in need of a cleanup in order to be redeveloped,” she said.
She added, “We appreciate you raising it and we will follow up to see what we can do to clarify that.”
Deputy Mayor Marc Lippman said it is very encouraging to see the redevelopment plan moving along.
“Seeing the property when it was a productive property and then unfortunately seeing the property when it became vacant and what it has turned into now for many, many years, I think it is a very exciting project,” he said. “One of the most exciting redevelopment projects I think the town has seen in many years.”
He said he looks forward to working with the planners, the engineers, and developers to see that the property becomes functional and useful.
Councilman John Zoller said, “For many years I have looked forward to this day when we would regain that property and its use to put it back on the tax rolls in a positive and constructive way,” he said.
He said redevelopment is recycling the resources in town.
Councilman Peter Yeager said, “This is a property that is very visible out there in the town and I think it is about time that we get this done.”
Councilman Alan Rosenberg said he is excited and very optimistic about the plan.
Mayor Mironov said redevelopment is “something new and invaluable to provide value to the town in terms of tax dollars and jobs and something to make it attractive that the town can be pleased to host.”
“I think this is a tremendous new start for that property,” she said. “We’re very excited about it.”
