FROM THE INDEPENDENT PRESS (NJN Publishing)
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
By ROBERT KOPACZ
MADISON -- Madison Council and Planning Board members gained further insights into how to reform the borough's zoning laws last week. They met jointly in the Borough Council meeting room on March 14 to hear David Zimmerman, the borough's Planning Consultant, present his report and recommendations to create an overlay zone in the current community commercial ("CC") zone along the eastern stretch of Main St.
Jeff Gertler, a Manhattan architect and Planning Board member, share his thoughts on how such an overlay zone and other zoning issues might affect the future development of Madison, using some sophisticated modeling.
The furthermost eastern part of Madison's Main Street, at the corners of Main and Division Avenue, became the subject of study after the application of property owners in that zone to have their property rezoned to allow age-restricted multifamily housing units. The owners have since abandoned that project, named Glen Willow.
It nevertheless spurred discussion on what to do to optimize development of the proposed "Glen Willow" site (on which a vacant storage facility formerly owned by Mayflower currently stands).
Mr. Zimmerman recommended both the council and the board "seriously entertain" his recommended overlay zone, which would provide age restricted multifamily housing for a group of lots that total 1.92 acres, including the vacant storage facility site.
Mr. Zimmerman noted that seniors are rapidly leaving the Madison area, with the age group of 75 and over showing an 18% decline in recent years. The Master Plan also supported multifamily use, when it seeks to provide individuals seeking to reside in Madison with a choice of housing, something that seniors do not have now.
Mr. Zimmerman further added that such a development would still provide a good ratable for the borough, while not burdening traffic (since seniors generally generate lower traffic volume than other demographic groups) and "put a number of new people into [Madison] civic life."
As part of the new overlay zone, in an effort to avoid an "urban canyon" effect along Main Street, Mr. Zimmerman further recommended that the setback be designed so that the higher the building in the zone rises, the further back the upper floors would be set back from the right-of-way, creating a "wedding cake" look to the building.
He noted that while such a setback would not be appropriate for a small edifice, with the scale of a proposed condominium development, on the order of 20 condominiums per acre, such a recessed setback for upper floors improve the appearance of the streetline.
Jeff Gertler bolstered Mr. Zimmerman's argument in favor of the proposed setback scheme by presenting three models to demonstrate the effect on Madison's overall appearance and appeal as an urban cityscape.
The models clearly demonstrated how Mr. Zimmerman's proposed setbacks would create a more open, esplanade-type of view, in comparison to a standard setback, currently a part of the existing ordinance, which resembled a narrow canyon that restricted light and visibility.
The models, built from photographs and laser measurements taken by Mr. Gertler himself, sought to accurately depict not only the eastern Main Street area, but also the current downtown area as a comparison.
Mr. Gertler suggested that these models demonstrate in graphic terms "the need to look at our ordinances and see how they work together to understand what street line we want to create. If we don't, then one will be created for us."
Planning Board Chairman Judy Mullins, speaking to all present, built on Mr. Gertler's presentation and comments, noting "We've never had an opportunity to really look deeply on how to articulate this. We've always said, 'it's near.' Well guys, now it's here."
Council member John Elias worried that by creating the proposed overlay zone the borough not "shift the burden of the people behind [the properties facing Main St.].It assumes the neighboring blocks have a similar use, and that is something we need to take into account." However, he "loved the aesthetics" of the staggered setback. "I want to strive for openness. I don't want to create a wall."
His comments reflected concerns soon-to-be neighborhood resident Warren Bird, who will be purchasing a home adjacent to the former Green Willow site. Mr. Bird had asked Mr. Zimmerman earlier about rear setbacks, implying concern for views and open space for his future property.
However, Mr. Bird and all others had praise for the modeling done by Mr. Gertler, expressing the old saying, "one picture truly is a thousand words."