We Finally Won!!!!

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We Finally Won!!!!

Posted By: Mitchell
Date: Wednesday, 28 August 2002, at 9:15 a.m.

On Monday evening we finally won our battle to stop the destruction of the single family home at 401 Nelson Avenue, where a builder wanted to erect one of those two family monstrosities. This struggle had been going on since last September (see previous postings). For almost a year we had been attending the monthly Board of Adjustment meetings in order to fight this. It turned out to be a very close vote. There are seven voting members of the board and for the number and types of variances this project required, the builder needed five votes in his favor. They got four (a little too close for my comfort).
So it is possible to successfully fight these things. You definitely need an attorney representing you (the builder generally comes armed with one as well as a planner and an architect). Getting as many neighbors to show up at the hearings as possible is also very important (petitions are really worthless, you need to have bodies in the seats).
The builder now has 45 days to appeal the ruling, but they clearly did not prove their case and don’t have any grounds for an appeal. Variances are granted for special needs, and there really were none (just a profit motive). If it should get appealed, it moves away from Cliffside Park to a real judge who has a great reputation for being very fair and sharp (the builder would lose whatever local edge or influence he had).
I think that most of these projects are just pushed through because people don’t know or exercise their rights. If enough people fight these things, the builders and town might get the message that we are tired of these things popping up all over the place. But with persistence the system can work. I really thank my neighbors for their continued support as well as the members of the board.

Messages In This Thread

We Finally Won!!!!
Mitchell -- Wednesday, 28 August 2002, at 9:15 a.m.

Re: We Finally Won!!!!
noelle -- Wednesday, 28 August 2002, at 1:35 p.m.

Re: We Finally Won!!!!
former resident -- Thursday, 29 August 2002, at 4:59 p.m.

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