Mahwah Moves to Create Highlands-Exempt Zones

After some debate Thursday night about whether or not a “Highlands Center” might benefit the environmental map of Mahwah, township council members voted to find out. The council authorized the township to send a letter to the Highlands Council requesting $16,500 to pay for a study detailing what adding one or more Highlands Centers would do to Mahwah.

Mahwah’s professional planner, David Roberts of Maser Consulting, first suggested Mahwah add Centers to its Highlands map last fall. A center would designate an area of the township poised for commercial development. Areas in the center would not be subject to building restrictions set out by the Highlands Planning Area guidelines, which the township opted into in 2011.

If the Highlands Council agrees to categorize certain areas of town as “Centers,” those areas will be subject to the zoning ordinances currently in place in the township, officials said.

Two weeks ago, Maser planner Darlene Green explained the “Center” concept to the council, and the process Mahwah would need to go through to have areas of the township designated as such. The first step, she said, is a letter to the Highlands Council requesting funding for a study that would determine where centers would be appropriate in the township, why, and how the Center designation would coincide with the Highlands Regional Master Plan.

If the results of the study, which would be conducted by Maser Consulting, persuade the township council to support Center designation, it would then need to apply to the Highlands Council to amend the Highlands conformance petition the town filed to join the Highlands Act in 2010. The study would be used as proof.

Though the study will specifically outline the areas that could be Centers, township professionals have outlined three potentials – the commercial corridor of the township, which includes Franklin Turnpike and Route 17, Ramapo College, and the Leighton Place section of Fardale. According to township officials, the designation would make it easier for future developments in the designated areas. For example, if Ramapo College wanted to build more dorm buildings, it would be subject only to local building laws, not to Highlands environmental restrictions.

Though the council eventually voted to ask for the funding to commission the Center study, some council members questioned whether or not it should.

“I’m not sure what we are studying or why [designating centers] would be worthwhile,” Councilman John Roth said. Roth requested a list of general pros and cons to Center designation before requesting the study.

However, other council members argued that the study would be the only specific way to determine the pros and cons of the move for Mahwah.

“I think the study will have the answers to Mr. Roth’s questions,” Council President Harry Williams said.

The council voted 6-1 to request the funding for the study, with Roth being the only dissenting vote. If granted, the township could perform the study using only Highlands funding, and would not need to incur any of the costs, officials said.

Submit your questions or news tips to jessica.mazzola@patch.com. And, remember to sign up for Patch's daily newsletter, and get updates on Facebook and Twitter.