TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Beginning his remarks to the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce Breakfast With the Mayors on Jan. 26, Mayor Peter Calamari — who was reelected for a second consecutive term in November 2021 — noted that the township lost two former mayors in 2021: Charles Devine and Janet Sobkowicz.
Devine, 73, who passed in April, served 24 years in public service as a councilman and mayor. Sobkowicz, 74, who passed in September, served 37 years, including as councilwoman and nine years as mayor.
“In addition to serving their towns in their elected positions, we miss their involvement in the community,” said Calamari.
Project roundup
Calamari said on the Zoom session, “Things are progressing well in the township” and that many projects were completed in 2021 and more will be in 2022.
He said the township and the Borough of Westwood cooperated in applying for a state Department of Transportation grant to repave Lafayette Avenue, which runs through both towns.
He said County Executive James Tedesco III confirmed via an October 2021 letter that the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection upgrade will begin in spring. “We hope it brings the necessary relief to our township residents and other people traveling through our town.”
Calamari noted Bergen County also informed the township that the entire length of Pascack Road within the township would be paved in 2022.
He said the police department are now wearing body-worn cameras and new digital radios were ordered that will communicate with the county system.
Special officers in schools
He added the local police will cooperate with Westwood police and the Westwood Regional School District board “regarding the placement of special officers within buildings in the school district.”
Milestone; emergency services
Calamari said on March 17 the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps celebrates its 65th anniversary of service to the community.
He noted the volunteer fire department took delivery of a new fire engine in 2021 and will take delivery of a new ladder truck this year.
Calamari said progress on the new Emergency Services Building, continues. “We look forward to supplying our ambulance corps and firefighter volunteers with a state-of-the-art building to continue their operations for many years to come.”
The $5.2 million building, under fire from nearby neighbors over its size, height, and scale, has an opening now tentatively scheduled for April.
Lighting the action
He said the 40-year-old-plus lights at Memorial Field were replaced with “bright, energy-efficient” LED lights and a new base system for the high school’s lightning detection system was installed.
DPW HQ said in the works, but no plans evident
Calamari said the “obsolete DPW building was demolished and soil under it that was contaminated years ago has been remediated.” He said plans for a new DPW building were being developed by an architect and that they “will be reviewed by the council shortly.”
Calamari did not mention the township’s recent $1.3 million bid to acquire the 1.45-acre, 95 Linwood Ave. property, site of a former Charlie Brown’s restaurant, as a possible future DPW site.
Pascack Press revealed the township’s stealth efforts to acquire 95 Linwood Ave. following a phone call by Erica Amon to the Jan. 13 special meeting that revealed the township’s bid for the property.
Amon, vice president for real estate and development with Apple Montessori Schools, said her company was under contract to purchase the site before the township made its offer on Jan. 4, under threat of condemnation should the owner fail to sell voluntarily.
Swim club circles back
Also, Calamari said when the owners of the Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club rejected the township’s $1 million bid last summer, he told them that if anything fell through to reach out to him.
“The deal did fall through and they did reach out to me,” he said on Jan. 26.
He noted, “We came to an agreement to purchase the property and look forward to using that over-6-acre tract in town for additional recreation purposes.”
The township council votes Monday, Feb. 7 on a $792,000 bond, plus a $38,000 down payment, totaling $800,000, to purchase the 6.5-acre swim club.
Neither Calamari nor council members have discussed the rationale for the $800,000 purchase nor bonding costs to taxpayers in public. All meetings and negotiations have been in closed session.
Town wants 450 Pascack Road
In addition to efforts to purchase the swim club and 95 Linwood Ave., the township offered $430,000 on a 3.2-acre mostly wooded parcel at 450 Pascack Road — under threat of condemnation — over the summer and remains in negotiation for the property.
Those three properties are likely to cost the township nearly $2.6 million, or more, to acquire. No public discussion has occurred on what the township plans for 450 Pascack Road after acquisition.
Airplane noise a persistent woe
Calamari said the township continues to work with other towns to reduce noise from planes flying overhead and approaching Teterboro Airport (see related story, “Progress seen on Teterboro Airport noise pollution; residents urged to complain“; and stormwater issues “plaguing our entire region.”
New developments pending, promising traffic
The mayor said the township has many new developments in town. “Unfortunately too many of them are due to COAH (Council on Affordable Housing) and Fair Share housing agreements.”
He said the 66-unit Viviano “American Dream” development (off of Van Emburgh Avenue) recently approved (including townhomes and single-family homes), was originally approved around 2000 under an affordable housing agreement.
The 66-unit housing site contains no affordable units; rather, the developer must reimburse the local affordable housing trust fund in lieu of affordable construction. (See “Deal hits housing trust fund?”, Pascack Press, June 14, 2021.)
The settlement agreement notes affordable units were to be reimbursed “in lieu of construction” at $25,000 apiece. At a 20% affordable set-aside for market rate units, the 66 units would equal approximately 13 affordable units, or $325,000 reimbursed to the trust fund.
Calamari said the Franklin Court development of 44 rental units, also off of Van Emburgh Avenue, was approved, which includes seven affordable units and 37 market-rate units. (See “Franklin Court development approved; work starts in spring,” Pascack Press, Dec. 12, 2021.)
He noted an assisted living complex is being built on the former Washington Township Tennis Club on Pascack Road: 100 beds and 85 units. (See “Assisted living units, replacing tennis club, break ground,” Pascack Press, Oct. 31, 2021.)
Calamari said all these projects “will collectively bring additional traffic onto already crowded roadways throughout the township. The [Pascack–Washington] intersection project will bring some relief and we will work with the county to see if any additional changes can be made at the other county roads within the borders of the township.”
Unsafe intersection
Another possible trouble spot identified recently was the Van Emburgh Avenue–Washington Avenue intersection, due to anticipated traffic increases from development. The intersection is served only by a blinking warning light. (See “Fix for dicey Van Emburgh–Washington Avenue crossing?” Pascack Press, Dec. 13, 2021.)
Connecting with seniors
Calamari said giving seniors options to remain in town “is near and dear to me.” He noted that many seniors “are parents to my childhood friends.”
He said, “We hope if needed they will take advantage of the new rental units that will be constructed, and if needed, they can move into the new assisted living complex that is currently under construction.”
He said none of the township’s restaurants have favored permanent outdoor dining but that the township is willing to work with all local eateries interested in creating more outdoor dining opportunities.
Check out the breakfast on WCTV-NJ, learn more about the GPVCOC at its website, and check out Michael Olohan’s report of the mayors’ breakfast discussion on affordable housing: “At breakfast, mayors urge regional strategy on 2025 housing mandates.”