For years some portions of the downtown have been marred by lack of development and improvements. Lots have lain vacant and underdeveloped. Recent discussions have been filled with anticipation and hope.

   On Tuesday, September 25, 2001 at 8:30pm at Borough Hall, the Mayor and Council will hold a special public meeting to hear a presentation of a preliminary "redevelopment plan" for the core commercial area of Fanwood. The meeting will be broadcast live on TV-35.

   The redevelopment effort began in the spring of 2000, when the Mayor and Council retained the services of a professional planner, Richard Preiss of the firm of Abeles Phillips Preiss & Shapiro Inc. Mr. Preiss was asked to advise the Borough of its potential redevelopment options. In August 2000, Mr. Preiss issued his report. The report was presented at a televised meeting of the Mayor and Council in September of 2000. This meeting will be telecasted again on TV35 during the month of September, 2001.

   The options presented by Mr. Preiss ranged from simply developing the old "Dean Oil" site to redeveloping the entire downtown block. The most attractive option to the Mayor and Council was redevelopment of the entire downtown area under a state statute known as the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.

   The Local Redevelopment and Housing Law provides municipalities with proactive means of redeveloping their downtowns in collaboration with landowners, merchants and developers. Proceeding under this redevelopment law, the Mayor and Council passed a resolution in October 2000 directing the Planning Board to conduct a study of the core commercial area of Fanwood bounded by Martine, LaGrande and South Avenues and Second Street.

   If the study showed that the area met the criteria of "an area in need of redevelopment" and the Mayor and Council agreed, the Borough would be able to proceed to redevelop the downtown under the state statute by working with the private sector. Mr. Preiss was again retained to do this study.

   In his report on March 2001 Mr. Preiss concluded that this area did, in fact, meet the statutory criteria of an area in need of redevelopment. A copy of this report is also available at Borough Hall, the Library and can be viewed on the Borough´s Web site.

   At a May 16th public meeting, the Planning Board heard Mr. Preiss present his report, and members of the public were afforded the opportunity to comment. On May 23rd a unanimously passed Resolution of the Planning Board found that the downtown area met the criteria of an "area in need of redevelopment," and it recommended to the Mayor and Council that it declare the area as such.

   After holding its own meeting that was also open to public comment, the Mayor and Council unanimously passed a resolution on June 14 declaring the downtown area "an area in need of redevelopment" under the state statute. The next step is to develop a redevelopment plan.

   The plan will set forth the bases upon which the downtown can be developed in a manner the Borough decides. Under the redevelopment law, the Borough will no longer need to "wait and see" whether and how the downtown will be redeveloped. It can take a proactive role it making its downtown area more vibrant, more aesthetically pleasing and better place to shop, as well as to live. Mr. Preiss is nearing completion of that plan. After being finalized, one or more public meetings will be held and the public will have an opportunity to officially comment on the plan. The next step is for the redevelopment plan to be enacted by the Mayor and Council as an Ordinance.

   However, before these public hearings are held, the Mayor and Council have scheduled a special meeting on Tuesday, September 25 at 8:30pm in the Borough Council Chambers. At the meeting, Mr. Preiss will present his preliminary redevelopment plan and the public will have an opportunity to comment.

   Please make every effort to watch the meeting live on TV 35 or to attend this most important meeting in person.