New Milford's 2012 Topical Storm: United Water Property

It comes as no surprise that the potential development of the United Water property was the hot topic in town this year. With the exception of police matters, this property received the most press in 2012.

Here are the top 10 stories regarding the potential development that readers clicked on and shared in 2012:

1. SOD Takes Protest March to Borough Hall: In September, over 100 residents, many with children, some with bullhorns, packed the sidewalk in front of Borough Hall on River Road holding signs asking the Mayor and Council to join them in their fight to keep the United Water property as open space and agree to hold off on rezoning it until the application has run its course through the Zoning Board.
2. Hekemian Submits Substantial Changes to United Water Property Site Plan: In November, Hekemian submitted substantial site plan revisions to the proposed development of the 13-acre United Water property posing the question asked by Councilman Austin Ashley's attorney in the matter, "Do the changes constitute a new application?"
3. Original Hekemian Offer Back on Table; Grant Calls for Investigation: Mayor Ann Subrizi informed the council during Monday evening's work session that a phone call placed to Peter Hekemian revealed that if the council rezones the United Water property, the original offer he made to the town in April of 2011 is still on the table. Councilwoman Hedy Grant put forth a motion that failed to appoint a special counsel to investigate the failure of the mayor and council to purchase the property or take any further action regarding it. 
4. Hackensack Riverkeeper Supports Development of United Water Property: Hackensack Riverkeeper, Bill Sheehan, told Patch that while it would have been "wonderful" if New Milford had been able to acquire the United Water property for open space preservation, the land itself is "post-industrial" and, as a whole, offers no environmental protection against flooding, as SOD (Stop Over Development) contends.
5. Robalino Addresses Hekemian's Revised Plans for United Water Property: With Hekemian's revised plans, Robalino says that its time for the entire town to come together and embrace the idea to re-zone the property.
6. Resident Responds to Robalino's Remarks on Rezoning United Water Property: Responding to Councilman Robalino's remarks on re-zoning the United Water property, one resident says there is no compromising.
7. Fate of United Water Property Divides Town: Now that the Zoning Board is considering the question of whether Hekemian's revised application constitutes a new application, causing the case to be heard from the beginning, the question of the fate of the property is foremost on minds of residents.
8. Mayor Subrizi Weighs in on Development of United Water Property: Mayor Subrizi lends her voice to the conversation provoked by the Riverkeeper's position on the development of the United Water Property.
9. Application for United Water Company Property Denied: In January, the application requesting change in zoning from Residential A to Mixed Use was denied by New Milford's Bureau of Code Enforcement Planning and Zoning.
10. Oradell Residents Worried by Hekemian's Development Traffic Impact: Oradell Mayor considers suing New Milford if variances approved; Oradell residents expressed their concerns in their home town as New Milford Zoning Board heard the proposed United Water development's impact on traffic in New Milford

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