Bloomfield Township NJ

THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL WILL HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008, AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING FOLLOWED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT MEETING AT 7:00 P.M. THE PURPOSE OF THE SPECIAL MEETING IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION FOR THE 2008-2009 BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET.

REDEVELOPMENT

MEETING NOTICE:

THE MAYOR AND TOWNSHIP COUNCIL ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT/INPUT SESSION.

The Municipal Clerk, Louise M. Palagano, has announced that residents interested in registering to vote should visit her office Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Room 214 of the Municipal Building.

Also, the Municipal Clerk's Office will be open from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13th, fro voter registration, which is the last day to register to vote in the Primary Election on Tuesday, June 3, 2008.

The Township Council Conference Meeting that is scheduled for Monday, May 12, will start at 6:30 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. in the Mayor's Conference Room, Room 205 of the Law Enforcement Building.

BLOOMFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT

Beginning Sunday, April 28, and continuing for the next several weeks, the Bloomfield Fire Departmet will be testing and flowing fire hydrants throughout the Township. This testing will begin at 11:00 p.m. and last through 3:00 a.m. During this period, residents may experience some slight discoloration in water color. Residents are asked to run their taps until the water runs clear.

Bloomfield Residents: Are You Ready for The Analog to Digital Television Conversion on February 17, 2009?

Please click on the Following Website for answers to the questions that you may have and to receive a TV converter box coupon.

ESSEX COUNTY'S COMPUTER & ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DAY

SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2008

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, scanners, telecom equipment, speakers, televisions, keyboards, main frames, vcrs, stereos, dvd players, toasters, irons, old cellular phones

Includes admission & parking, hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, Italian sausage, corn on the cob, salads, chips, watermelon, soft drinks, draft beer, cookies and coffee.

As part of the Department of Health and Human Services' brand new "Healthy Living Series," the Bloomfield Health Department will be giving an informative lecture that will cover:

The lecture will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, at the Civic Center at 84 Broad Street, Senior Lunch Room on the Lower Level. The Civic Center is wheel chair accessible. There will be light refreshments served.

The 21st running of the Sunset Classic 5 mile race through suburban Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, NJ will be held on Thursday evening, June 26.

Working with the Bloomfield Educational Foundation ( a non-profit 501c3 organization), proceeds help fund the Vocational Education and Special Training Program, serving developmentally delayed individuals ages 15-21 throughout Essex County, providing the students with the means to become independent and employable.

The Bloomfield Parking Authority recently adopted a resolution identifying the Lackawanna Parking Lot and the adjacent properties as the best location for a parking garage designed to serve the needs of the commuters, shoppers and residents in downtown Bloomfield. This location, which was identified by the public during a series of open public hearings conducted by the Mayor & Council and by the Parking Authority's professional parking consultant, should effectively address many of the parking issues currently affecting our downtown.

"Parking has been an issue in Bloomfield for as long as I can remember," said Chairman John Generazio. "The construction of a parking garage is the only solution." "Since the garage will last for decades to come, it is important that we construct it in the best possible location. This is the location that has been identified by the vast majority of residents and our professional consultant, and we are confident that this block is the best possible location for this project."

When asked about the Board's request for the power to use eminent domain, Chairman Generazio added "Eminent domain is a last resort. We will work cooperatively with every property owner on this block. We recognize that this has been a long and difficult road, but, at the direction of the Mayor and Council, we intend to change the way things are done. We need to build a garage, and we need to build it at this location. We also want and need the property owners to participate in the process. We believe all of these things can be achieved in a meaningful way among reasonable people. We were disappointed by recent newspaper articles, which we believe misrepresented our intentions."

The Parking Authority is in the process of sending out letters to all affected property owners and has already spoken with several such property owners. Representatives of the Parking Authority will meet with every single property owner, make a list of thier concerns and ultimately provide a comprehensive plan constructing a new parking deck. Chairman Generazio stated "we are confident that, at the end of this process, the current property owners will feel that they were dealt with fairly and resasonably, and anyone who drives through or parks in downtown Bloomfield will have a better experience.

Candidates for positions to the Bloomfield Township Council must file Republican or Democratic nominating petitions for Ward seats by Monday, April 7th, at the Bloomfield Municipal Clerk's Office before 4:00 p.m.

Prospective candidates can obtain a petition in Room 214 at the Municipal Building between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

This is to inform you of the new Township Ordinance establishing 2-HOUR Parking, Monday-Friday, during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., for the areas listed below:

ARCH STREET (Both Sides) Entire Length

HINRICHS PLACE (Both Sides) JFK Dr. S. to Dodd St.

MYRTLE ST.(Both Sides) JFK Dr. S. to Orange & Dodd St.

WILLOW STREET (Both Sides) JFK Dr. S. to Orange St.

Residents of the above-listed streets will be exempt from this restriction as long as they posses the required Township permit. Resident Parking Permits may be obtained at the Record Bureau of the Bloomfield Police Department, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. permits may also be obtained at the Mobile Police Command Center, located in the Myrtle Street parking lot, available Monday, November 12th through Tuesday, November 20th, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Proof of residency is required. Once a valid permit is obtained, the holder of such shall affix it to the driver's side rear passenger window of their vehicle. Please notify tenants (if any) of this new regulation. Residents having questions or concerns regarding this ordinance, may contact the Record Bureau at (973) 680-4105.

Help is available if you live in Essex County. The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) of New Jersey has opened a Resource Center in Bloomfield, staffed by parents and professionals who have received omprehensive training in special education law. For more information, please call (973) 680-4017 and ask to speak with a SPAN Resource Parent.

All of the garage sales listed above have been officially registered with the Township of Bloomfield. For information on obtaining a garage sale permit, please contact Glenn Domenick at (973) 680-4192.

Substantial evidence exists that there are a significant number of properties in the Township of Bloomfield which are not used in accordance with zoning regulations governing the zone in which those properties are located. For example, Township employees have become aware that some two-family residences in the R-2A and R-2B Two-Family Zones have been converted to three-family, and even four-family dwellings. Another example is the use of residentially zoned properties for office use, either exclusively or as a mixed

The Township believes that it is in the interest of all residents of Bloomfield that such properties be identified and subjected to review by the Zoning Board of Adjustment to determine whether they are legal non-conforming uses or illegal uses. The goal is to ensure that all uses in the Township conform to zoning regulations, as required by the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1, et seq. One method of identifying properties being used in a manner not permitted by the Township Zoning Ordinance is to require zoning verification upon the sale of a property or a change in its use, since these events require an application to the Township for the issuance of a Certificate of Continuing Occupancy.

The Township has, therefore, implemented a procedure whereby all applications for Certificates of Continuing Occupancy will be reviewed by the Township Zoning Officer to verify that the use of the property conforms to the regulations of the zone where the property is located. If the use complies with the zone requirements, the Zoning Officer will approve the Certificate. If the use does not comply, then the owner will be required to submit an application to the Zoning Board of Adjustment seeking approval of the non-permitted use.

There are two methods that the Board of Adjustment can utilize to approve a non-permitted use. One is by the issuance of a Certificate of Non-Conformity. The procedure and standards for determining whether a use can be approved by the issuance of a Certificate of Non-Conformity are set forth in the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-68. In simplistic terms, to obtain a Certificate of Non-Conformity the property owner must prove three things to the Board of Adjustment: (1) When the use in questions became illegal; (2) that the use in questions existed on the property before it was made illegal; and (3) that the use was never abandoned or changed. If the property owner is able to prove these facts to the satisfaction of the Board of Adjustment , it will be issued a Certificate of Non-Conformity, which will permit the use to continue as a pre-existing, non-conforming use. (If the application for the Certificate is made within one year of the adoption of the Ordinance making the use illegal, the Certificate can be issued by the Zoning Officer rather than by the Board of Adjustment.)

The second method is invoked only if the property owner cannot prove that the questioned use pre-existed the adoption of the Ordinance which made the use illegal. In that case, the owner will need to apply to the Board of Adjustment for a use variance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55DD-70(d). Use variances are not easily obtained.

Of course, the property owner can choose to discontinue the non-permitted use and convert the property to a use permitted in the Zone.

We recommend consultation with an attorney should an application for a Certificate of Continued Occupancy be denied because the use of the property is not permitted under the Zoning Ordinance.

The Township understands that, like many other new procedures, residents of Bloomfield initially may be inconvenienced by having to secure approval from the Board of Adjustment in order to sell or lease their property. However, once residents and their attorneys come to understand the new requirements, and realize that elimination of illegal uses benefits all residents, we expect that any potential disruption and delay will be minimized.

It has come to the attention of the Bloomfield Health Department that members of the community are feed the ducks and wildlife in local parks and on Township property. We understand the joy this brings to children and adults, but the Health Department is asking Bloomfield residents to refrain from feeding the ducks or any activity which leaves food on the ground. This activity is creating a problem with feces in the parks that children play in and is also causing rodent problems.

Captain Robert Hochstuhl, the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Township has announced the continuation of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Bloomfield's first CERT team, which consisted of 11 members and graduated on December 1, 2003, became the first CERT team established in Essex County.

CERT teams were initially formed in Los Angeles in the mid 1980's to assist first responders after earthquakes. There are currently 200,000 trained CERT members in the United States. The Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland predicts that 1 million Americans will be trained by the end of 2004. Members of Police, Fire and EMS teach CERT team members how to protect their homes first, their neighborhood next and finally their community. CERT team members undergo 22 hours of training and then participate in advanced training and exercises annually.

The Township's Office of Emergency Management will offer its second CERT ss in February. The tentative start date is February 24 th with completion in mid-April. The training program will be comprised of 9 - 2½ hour classes, which will consist of seven Tuesday evening classes over a 7-week period with a Saturday class at the beginning and end of the program. Should the Office of Emergency Management receive an overwhelming response, an additional class on Thursdays may also be added. CERT Coordinator David Hoibak would like to encourage our Township's citizens to apply for what he stated is "a most rewarding experience".

Applications to become a member of a CERT team are now available at the ayor's Office located in the Law Enforcement Building, The Fire Prevention Bureau, located on the second floor of Fire Headquarters, the Recreation Department in the Civic Center or by calling 973-680-4177.

Beginning Monday, September 29, 2003, the Township of Bloomfield will begin its new Senior Dial-A-Ride Service. The Township, along with the Bloomfield Board of Recreation, is very pleased to have this service now available for our growing senior citizen population and handicapped residents. The service will be in effect in order to make it easier for those seniors who have no means of transporting themselves to necessary doctor and dentist appointments. While medical appointments are given priority scheduling, the senior citizens, along with our handicapped population, are eligible for this service for other necessary transportation needs. Those needs could include a trip to the cemetery, the library, a nursing home or hospital to visit a sick friend or relative or any of a number of other destinations in Essex County.

This new municipal transportation enhancement comes through the joint efforts of Congressman Bill Pascrell and the Essex County Office on Aging along with New Jersey Transit. This Grant is part of the new working relationship between the Mayor, Congressman Pascrell and Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo. This cooperation is part of the plan by the Mayor and Council in their commitment to improving the quality of life for the residents of Bloomfield. This Dial-A-Ride bus is just the beginning of what will be a long line of improvement issues that the Mayor and Council have on their agenda.

As one might expect, there are certain limitations to the rides that will be offered. The most important factor for the citizens to note is that 3 days notice will be required for scheduling the needed ride. Arrangements and information can be obtained through the Board of Recreation at (973) 566-7194.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

MEETING NOTICE:

REDEVELOPMENT

MEETING NOTICE:

BLOOMFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT

ESSEX COUNTY'S COMPUTER & ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DAY

SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2008

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.