At last night’s regular council meeting, the Bloomfield council unanimously approved the execution of a redevelopment agreement between the township and Bloomfield College, allowing the college to move forward with plans to build a mixed-use dormitory and retail development at Broad and Franklin Streets.

Architect Keith Lesser presented a concept plan for the structure, including renderings and floor plans, prior to the council’s vote. A “walk-on” resolution (not originally on the published agenda) approving the concept plan was also approved unanimously by the mayor and council following the approval of the redevelopment agreement.

The Franklin Street Development Project will comprise 234 bedrooms in suite configurations, as well as meeting rooms, conference rooms and a fitness center, explained Lesser, who said it would be a “state of the art” residence hall.

Lesser’s architectural firm, Ives, Schier Lesser Architectural Studio of Fairlawn, NJ, also renovated an apartment building on Liberty Street in 2009, converting it into a modern dormitory building for Bloomfield College while maintaining the historic integrity of the facade facing the street, as the building is in the Bloomfield Historic District.

The Franklin Street development area does not fall into the Historic District but is immediately adjacent to it. The property is included in the second phase of the Bloomfield Center Redevelopment District. Lesser said the building is designed to meet all aspects of the redevelopment guidelines, including setbacks, bulk, height and other restrictions. It will include 7000 square feet of retail on the ground floor, with the residual area of the building being taken up by the residential uses.

Lesser said the building will include an interior courtyard on the fourth floor for the use of the students residing in the building. There will be an enclosed parking garage consisting of 21 parking spaces; 18 of these replace existing surface parking spaces eliminated by the development. Lesser explained that the new dormitory building will house students who are currently living off campus and being bused to Bloomfield College, and most are not expected to own cars. He said the parking spaces would also be used for move-in and move-out days, so parents can park their cars in the garage while loading or unloading students’ belongings.

Lesser also said the building will be certified LEED Silver, meaning it will meet certain criteria that correspond to the number of credits accrued in five green design categories, including sustainability, indoor environmental quality and water and energy efficiency. Lesser said the concrete building will consist of 30% recycled concrete, and will “use every technology available” to ensure energy efficiency and other criteria are met.

The dormitory is planned to be completed in time for incoming students in September of 2014. Agreements are currently being negotiated with a nationally known contractor to construct the building.

In other news, the council passed a resolution supporting the adoption of the dog Memphis to Jeff and Diana Coltenback, urging the Board of Health to provide a written agreement “as soon as possible.”

Memphis, the dog that the Coltenbacks have been trying to adopt from Bloomfield Animal Shelter since mid-August, is currently undergoing training and rehabilitation at an undisclosed location in South Dakota. He was transported there under the auspices of the Neighbor to Neighbor Network, which is the volunteer arm of the Bloomfield Health & Human Services Division, according to the H&HS website.

The passage of the resolution did not go smoothly. Last night’s regular council meeting was preceded by a conference meeting that began at 6:00 p.m. Councilman Bernard Hamilton had placed on the agenda a proposed resolution that simply said Memphis should be allowed to go to the Coltenbacks. The subject was brought up just before the council went into a closed-session discussion. The resolution also appeared on the agenda for the regular meeting.

Jeff Coltenback had recently announced that the Board of Health had verbally offered him an agreement that would allow him and Diana to adopt Memphis as soon as his current trainer says he is ready. However, during public comment, Coltenback said that so far he has not received anything in writing to this effect from the Board of Health.

The council chambers were filled with supporters of the Coltenbacks, some wearing “Save Memphis” T-shirts. They voiced disappointment when Mayor McCarthy initially stated the Memphis resolution had been deferred. Township attorney Brian Aloia said the council did not vote on it and McCarthy explained that the Board of Health and Jeff Coltenback’s attorneys were working on an agreement and it was moving forward. At that point, a number of people, including Jeff and Diana Coltenback, left the room.

However, at the end of the regular meeting, Bernard Hamilton once again spoke up about Memphis, saying he still believed a resolution was needed. He stated he wanted to introduce a resolution that the Board of Health allow the dog to go to the Coltenbacks “immediately,” which sparked conversation among the council members and the mayor. McCarthy stated that the Board of Health is working on a memorandum of agreement that the Coltenbacks could adopt Memphis once he is considered “adoptable.” He said that it was not up to the council to decide when the dog is ready for adoption. Councilman Nick Joanow agreed that the original plan was for Memphis to be trained until he was considered adoptable and at that time he would then support the Coltenbacks adopting the dog.

During the discussion, new Township Administrator Ted Ehrenberg said that he had participated in a meeting with the Health Department and the Health Officer and confirmed that the agreement between the BOH and the Coltenbacks was moving forward, but it was not yet settled.

Hamilton agreed to take “immediately” out of the resolution to address the concerns that had been raised. Township attorney Brian Aloia verbally stated the resolution as follows:

“Whereas, the Coltenbacks have requested that they get the dog Memphis released to them so they can care for the dog, and whereas the Mayor and Council would like to see that happen, now therefore be it resolved by the Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield, that they hereby resolve that it is their desire that the Coltenbacks receive the dog once the dog is deemed trainable. Be it further resolved that the Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield request the Board of Health work as quickly as possible to provide the Coltenbacks with a written communication that that is what is going to happen.”

The resolution passed unanimously. However, after the meeting, supporters of the Coltenbacks expressed concern that there was no time frame included in the resolution. In his original announcement of the pending agreement with the Board of Health, Coltenback said he expected it to be up for resolution at the next Board of Health meeting, which will be held on December 20, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.

During the public comment period, members of the public continued to raise issues pertaining to the actions of the Board of Health and the Health Department, as well as speaking in support of the Coltenbacks adopting Memphis.

Pat Gilleran reported that she had obtained, through an Open Public Records Act request, a copy of a police report dated August 25, 2012, which she said contained false information. She said she had come into the animal shelter that day with another person in order to see Memphis, and the other person was taking pictures. He was told not to do so even though there are no signs forbidding the taking of pictures.  She stated as they were leaving, a police car pulled up with the lights flashing. The incident was written up in the August report, citing Mike Spinella, the animal control officer at the shelter, as the source of information. The report said, “Animal Control Officer Mike Spinella said ‘the suspect’ [meaning Gilleran] continues to come into the shelter harassing them about the dog Memphis. He said today she came in with her husband who was taking pictures. They were asked to leave and only complied after police were called. Suspects were gone upon our arrival.”

Gilleran stated that she had not been to the animal shelter since December of 2011 prior to the August visit, and that the person with her was not her husband. She asked that the police prosecute the complainant for making a false police report.

There will be no further Bloomfield Council meetings for the remainder of the year. The first meeting of the new year will take place in the council chambers on Monday, January 7, 2013, at noon.