Review board & borough council okay library design concept

MILFORD — The borough council took the first step in okaying a new library building Monday evening. Careful to say they were only dealing with the “design concept,” and not a final “certificate of appropriateness,” the council unanimously endorsed a positive recommendation given by the borough’s architectural review board (ARB) on May 27. The ARB decision was based on a compromise on design issues reached by library architect Fred Schwartz and borough consultant Peter Benton. The review board decision was not unanimous and prompted the resignation of member Jim McLain, who wrote a strong dissenting position in his resignation letter. McLain took issue with apparent precedents allowing setback building siting, parking in front, and flat roof construction. He argued that a Rite-Aid pharmacy design which uses the same features and has not won ARB approval, will cite new precedents. Borough President Matt Osterberg accepted the decision. “All I ever wanted was compliance with the ordinance. If the architects say it complies, who am I to argue. I run a hardware store.” Councilman Bo Fean said the Monday vote was only the first step in the permitting and zoning steps for the project. “After all those it goes to the ARB again and then to us,” he said. The early ARB design review was done to avoid duplicating project costs, if the basic design failed historic district ordinance review.