Historic Commission Sends Three Board of Education Utility Applications Back Unvoted; Chair Votes No on Ridgewood Avenue Garage

Glen Ridge school officials -- Superintendent Dirk Phillips, Business Administrator Barbara Murphy, and their architect and attorney -- brought four applications to the Historic Preservation Commission's May 1, 2019 meeting for placement of new electrical switch gear, transformers, and chillers at Ridgewood Avenue, Central, Forest Avenue, and Linden Avenue Schools. The commission was frustrated that three of the four applications had not been included in members' meeting packets with the required advance notice, leaving no time to properly review them, and members said they felt pressured by the Board of Education's timeline. Only the Ridgewood Avenue School application -- for equipment placement along the gymnasium wall -- was actually voted on, and it passed with Commissioner Greg Switzer voting no. The Central School, Forest Avenue School, and Linden Avenue School applications were not voted on at all; the commission discussed and commented on each but sent the Board of Education back to resubmit them for a vote at a meeting in June, after raising specific objections such as equipment placed behind a chain-link fence at Central School and all three units proposed for the front lawn of Linden Avenue School's 1958 addition. Chair Peter Herrigel recused himself from all four school applications.

Separately, Sebastian Voltarelli's application to expand his garage from two to three bays at 150 Ridgewood Avenue was approved with conditions covering brick foundation detailing, garage door style, and removal of rear shutters -- but Chair Herrigel voted no, saying the design didn't reflect the house's front elevation.

Other applications were approved unanimously with conditions, including a front porch reopening and rear addition at 110 Essex Avenue for Rush and Elfi Gashi, a kitchen window change at 206 Linden Avenue (with Commissioner Switzer recusing himself), a porch repair at 480 Ridgewood Avenue, and a kitchen and bedroom expansion at 79 Oxford Street. An application to replace aluminum siding with vinyl at 168 Sherman Avenue was withdrawn after the commission indicated vinyl would not be approved, suggesting a smooth-finish composite material instead.

What to watch

• The Board of Education must resubmit its Central School, Forest Avenue School, and Linden Avenue School equipment-placement applications for a vote at a June 2019 meeting.