Dear Editor:
The recent action taken by the U.C. Board of Adjustment (Feb. 14) in granting variances at 1410 Manhattan Avenue is at best irresponsible and at the worst, absurd. Union City already suffers from over density and lack of parking. Still, the consultant to the Board recommends the granting of variances which increases density and decreases parking. Such irresponsibility or absurdity can very well open the door to the development of a “concrete jungle” on the cliff area of Manhattan Avenue.
The procedure for the presentment of an application to a Board of Adjustment should be understood. The developer applicant has unlimited time for the hiring of lawyers, architects, engineers and planners to prepare his application and his case and then appear before the board with his fancy drawings and line of “experts.” The taxpayers have all of 10 days notice advising as to the date of the hearing, the relief being sought and the ‘opportunity’ to examine and review the documents on file. This does not seem to present a level playing field.
Would it not seem appropriate that the members of the board and their professional advisors would be there to protect the codes of the city and require the applicant to truly prove his case by an extensive cross examination of the witnesses paraded before them? By the hiring of experts who would give unbiased reports as to density, traffic, parking, etc. But no, history teaches us that these professionals are philosophically and professionally sit back and remain practically silent while the “experts” of the developer are permitted to testify most often without contradiction. The people of Union City do not need professionals on these boards who are tuned in to the “development” theory more so than the thinking of preservation of open space which is unquestionably a necessity for protecting the quality of life of our residents. Why should the burden of the expense and hardship of an appeal fall upon the shoulders of the already overburdened taxpayer? A denial of an application, after a thorough defense by the board, would shift this burden of an appeal upon the out of town developer.
Now that we have a new young, energetic caring mayor who puts people first, and this year probably a new administration to assist our mayor, we could receive a thorough house cleaning by the appointment of members to our various boards and professionals who reflect the thinking or our mayor rather than the thinking of administrations past.
Libero Marotta