New dates set for public hearings

Andover - The borough has set new dates for public hearings on the Beazer Homes proposal. The new meeting dates are Monday, March 5 and Tuesday, March 6. The are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Andover Borough Fire House, 166 Main St. These meetings are required to establish a public record for review by Judge Theodore Bozonelis, the New Jersey Superior Court jurist who heard a lawsuit brought by the developer and property owner of the 235 acres of farmland that is the subject of Beazer Homes proposal. Bozonelis, sitting in Morris County, directed the borough and developer to set several public meeting dates. The original dates were Jan. 17 and 25. The judge told all parties the proposed development could not be a financial burden to the borough or the regional school system. He also said it may not have a negative environmental impact to the area. Beazer homes is proposing a 590-unit subdivision for the borough which currently has fewer than 300 homes. The property is between Brighton Road and Route 206. The proposal calls for 30,000 square feet of retail space, 38,000 square feet of office space, 175,000 square feet of warehouse/industrial space, 10,000 square feet of public space, 80 single-family detached houses, 197 age-restricted units, 121 townhouses and 192 for-sale apartments. The plan was submitted to the borough on Dec. 30, 2005. On February 13, 2006, the Andover Borough Council passed a resolution declaring the nearly 20-year old general development plan approval null and void. Since that time, Andover Borough has been revising it’s master plan, addressing issues of zoning, and working on limestone, steep slope and COAH ordinances, as well as reviewing its town center designation.