Vernon looks to tighten control of construction

VERNON-Mayor Ira Weiner and the township council Monday night heatedly debated the merits of requiring developers to submit full-color artwork depicting the finished appearance of all proposed new buildings and developments. Councilman Neil Desmond instigated the discussion by remarking that all too often, a completed building looks entirely different from the building he envisioned from the blue prints the planning board originally approved. Desmond said that most people find it nearly impossible to "see" a completed building if all they have to go on is blue prints and a display of the materials and colors the builder proposes. "The planning board should be equipped with all the tools they need to understand what a builder actually intends to produce," said Desmond. "They need to be aware of their duty to monitor what the project actually will turn out to be." Weiner suggested that it probably would be wise to draft an ordinance specifying precisely what supporting documents a builder or developer should deliver to the planning board. An artist's rendering of the proposed building should be part of the package, he said, and the developer ought to be held to the plan. "Builders should do what they say they will do," the mayor said. "Changes to an original plan occur for two reasons: cost and the unavailability of materials. Usually deviations are a function of a builder's not wanting to spend any more money. If changes that alter the plan happen during the course of construction, the builder will have to come back to the planning board and request a variance." Councilman Jeff Patterson worried that requiring builders to go back to the planning board for each change that inevitably occurs during the course of construction could delay projects unreasonably and have a deleterious effect on the quality of the finished structure. For example, he said, if a range of acceptable standards were to be permitted, a builder might build to the minimum standard, having no incentive to do better. "The strength of the ordinance must be in its the clarity," Patterson offered. Expressing grave concerns about the dangers of over-regulation, Deputy Mayor Janet Morrison suggested that being too controlling could be construed as being hostile to business. "Vernon is a resort community, and we shouldn't necessarily want builders to have to adhere tightly to rigid standards regarding colors and materials. The buildings ought to have and element of fun and flexibility," Morrison said, pointing out the red band on Burger King's roof as a case in point. Township Manager Don Teolis noted that control of construction plans in Vernon has been characterized by a certain amount of laxity, and in general the planning board has let things slide, especially when the changes appeared reasonable and would not result in anything outré. "Commercial developers are business men, and should do what they say they are going to do," Weiner responded. "No change in the way a building looks is ever minor. The planning board can deny variances." The council agreed that solving the problem would take more study and thought and agreed to table the discussion.