WEST MILFORD The West Milford Planning Department and Planning Board have arranged with Passaic County to conduct a series of visioning sessions open to the public in relation to the upcoming downtown pedestrian sidewalk and streetscape improvement project. On Thursdays June 1 and June 15 at 7:30 p.m., in the Main Meeting Room at Town Hall, 1480 Union Valley Road, Tony Nelessen of Nelessen Associates will lead interactive meetings for all in attendance to imagine and discuss the future possibilities of the central business district, around the intersection of Union Valley and Marshall Hill Roads. The central business district consists of a mixed-use concentration of commercial stores, professional businesses, the municipal offices, Township museum, the Township library, and residential uses. The area however lacks a cohesiveness, and sense of place and character. In 1997, through the township council, the planning department and the planning board retained a licensed landscape architect who prepared a Streetscape Improvement Plan to address the unsafe pedestrian environment and the ever-increasing traffic. Included in the design are sidewalks and pedestrian street lighting, shade trees, better signs and traffic patterns and other pedestrian amenities. Since that time, various sections of sidewalk have been built with private and public funds, a bike path into the center of town has been created, and new shade trees have been planted. However, much remains to be done. This past spring, with the assistance of Congressman Scott Garrett, a $350,000 grant was awarded to the Township of West Milford for Phase 1 of a central business district improvement project. The planning department and the planning board want input from residents. For more information, please call the West Milford Planning Department at 973-728-2798.