Borough of Fanwood Resolution 00-10-144

Redevelopment History as of Summer 2001
   In spring of 2000, the Mayor and Council retained Abeles Phillips Preiss & Shapiro Inc. to advise the Borough on potential redevelopment options. In August 2000, Mr. Preiss issued his report.

   Options ranged from developing the "Dean Oil" site to redeveloping the entire downtown block. Mayor and Council preferred to apply the latter under a state statute known as the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law that provides municipalities with proactive means of redeveloping in collaboration with landowners, merchants and developers. Applying this statute, Mayor and Council passed a resolution in October 2000 directing the Planning Board to commission a study of the core commercial area of Fanwood bounded by Martine, LaGrande and South Avenues and Second Street.

   If the area met the criteria of the statute and the Mayor and Council agreed, the Borough would be able to proceed to redevelop the downtown e 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, meet the statutory criteria of an area in need of redevelopment.

   On May 16th the report was presented to the Planning Board 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 open public meeting, 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.

2005 Annual Report - Dec. 2005

Article from The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood - Sept. 2005

Redevelopment Plan With Accepted Changes - November 2005

Outline Of Amendments - January 2005

Third Open Public Forum Notes - December 2004

Buildout Matrix - December 2004

Scenario 1 - December 2004

Scenario 2 - December 2004

Scenario 3 - December 2004

Scenario 4 - December 2004

Summary of Public Survey on Downtown Redevelopment - September, 2004

Summary of Property Owner and Merchant Surveys on Downtown Redevelopment - September, 2004