The plan to turn the Arlington Florist
and Garden Center on Schuyler Avenue into seven townhouses
was denied in March, but will be reconsidered by the zoning
board provided the owner drills the property to search for
airshafts beneath it.
Borough engineers believe there is a possibility of an airshaft
underneath a garage in the southwestern corner of the property.
Centuries ago, copper mines dotted the southeastern corner
of the borough. In 1989, a 40-foot tree sank into the ground
on Forest Street, alarming area residents.
Since then, borough engineers at Neglia Engineering sealed
dozens of shafts all over town. However, when they came
to the Schuyler Avenue florist, owner Eugene Cattanese denied
them access.
Cattanese applied to the zoning board to build townhouses
on the property as early as September 2006. During the three
hearings on the plan, board members have been adamant about
making sure the property is safe before construction begins.
About 15 years ago, town engineers plugged up dozens of
mineshafts around the borough. At the time, Cattanese allegedly
refused to allow town engineers on the property to check
for airshafts on his property.
Since Cattanese applied to the borough to build townhouses
in place of the florist, the zoning board demanded he check
the property for airshafts. Cattanese paid for a ground
radar test on the property, but borough engineers wanted
the property to be drilled. Currently, Cattanese said he
is waiting for a letter from zoning board attorney Charles
Sarlo to let them know what needs to be done.
Cattanese believes there is an airshaft within 100 feet
of his property, but is confident there are no shafts on
his land. Now, he will drill the property to check for airshafts
to appease the board because the borough told him they would
reconsider his application if he did. A map prepared by
Neglia Engineering shows an airshaft about 70 feet from
Cattanese’s property line.
The zoning board initially denied the townhouse proposal
because they believed the number of townhouses, later whittled
down from nine to seven, was too high for the 24,000 square
foot property. However, two doors down from the Arlington
Florist and Garden Center, the board approved an eight-unit
townhouse project, dubbed Schuyler Manor, on just 14,000
square feet.
Zoning board president Nick Antonicello said his biggest
concern had always been the airshaft, which he believes
could be beneath a garage in the corner of the property.
"We were trying to be as safe as possible," he
said.
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