Is it good for the township or another layer of bureaucracy?, By Terry McGahan West milford - The debate on whether to designate an area of West Milford for historic preservation is heating up. Now, Tourism Commissioner Paul Bailey has entered the discussion and he has aligned himself squarely with those against the plan. The road stretching from the Union Valley and Macopin intersection to Ridge Road is the “front door” the Historic Preservation Commission is deliberating for historic designation. This would essentially protect the street from physical alterations deemed unsightly by the Planning Department. “That area is no longer even close to historic in nature,” said Bailey. “The old buildings have pretty much all been modified to make them more commercially appealing, larger plate glass windows, that sort of thing. There is no historic look’ to preserve.” Bailey, along with his tourism commission, is charged with the role of attracting more visitors to the town and generating economic improvements. Bailey said, “Look at Haskell. They did it right. In the center of our town, we don’t need studies, historic preservation, or more words. We need paving blocks, cement, curbs, and Victorian lighting fixtures. Oh, and we need to bury those ugly utility lines and lose the poles. I absolutely oppose this.” A decision by the Historic Preservation Commission to propose the idea to the township council was abandoned this week due to the fact their consultant, Wayne McCabe, was unable to attend the meeting. One person who did make a contribution to the meeting, however, was Mike Heller. Heller lives and works from his property on Union Valley Road and is strongly opposed to the designation. So strongly, he set up his own Web site to publicize his resistance and provide a forum for others of a like mind. Heller claims to have had over 1700 visits to his site, www.historicdebate.com, in just 72 hours. Given the better part of thirty minutes to put his case to the commission (which is rare at any municipal meeting) Heller admitted he intended to apply to become one of the two vacant alternate members on the preservation commission, as does his neighbor Gary Earl. Heller also explained how he had spent $50,000 of his own money to upgrade his property and maintain it in a style consistent with the building’s history. Owner of the Columbia Bank Building which is situated within the designation area, Steve Castronova, is equally dismissive of the preservation idea. “I’m totally against it,” said Castronova, “A man should be able to do what he wants with his own property.” In addition to the bank building and Valley View Pub, Castronova owns several commercial properties in town along with his family and is used to planning and building controls. Castronova said, “This is just another obstacle. It would be another layer of bureaucracy which would require more applications, more fees and more people with a controlling influence.” Not all opinions in town oppose the preservation commission. Owner of Werner Realty in town, Mark Werner, eagerly greets the idea. Werner said last week, “There is no downside to historic designation. It’s the front door of West Milford. We should do as much as we can to protect it.” Preservation Commission Chair Jim Van Hooker and Heller do have one noteworthy thing in common. The house Heller now lives in and wishes to keep undesignated was once owned by Van Hooker. On his Web site Heller writes, “The sale took place in June 1999. On March 21, 2000 I began receiving official letters from Mr. Van Hooker.” Van Hooker said, “It [Heller’s home and business] was in my wife’s family, not my family, for 154 years. It was vacated long before we had any designation for main street.” Van Hooker added that his family was forced to sell the house due to taxes, “It was a case of sell it or lose it,” said Van Hooker. The next step lies in the hands of the preservation commission, who will have to reschedule with their consultant.