PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP JUNE 16, 2008
PLANNING BOARD REGULAR MEETING
MEETING CONVENED: 7:34 PM
MEMBERS PRESENT: Altis, Dickinson, Imfeld, Troast, Vanderhoff, Skvarca, Tritschler,
Krause. Also present was Richard Brigliadoro, Esquire, Board Attorney, Jill Hartmann, Board Planner and Michael Simone, Board Engineer.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Farrelly, Carbone, Fitamant
NOTICE: Vice Chairman Altis stated that the requirements of the Sunshine Law had been complied with by posting the required notice on the Bulletin Board of the Municipal Building, posting same with the Township Clerk and sending it to the Suburban Trends and Daily Record on June 11, 2008.
Mr. Altis, Vice Chairman, stood in for Mr. Farrelly as Chairman of the Board.
Due to the absence of our Chairman Mr. Krause, Alternate #2, sat in as a voting member.
Bardi’s Restaurant asked to be carried to the July 21st meeting.
PERSONAL REPRESENTATION: Vice Chairman Altis asked if there was anyone present not listed on the agenda for this meeting who wished to be heard. Mr. Terrence Aldom came forward.
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Mr. Terrence Aldom of 332 Sunset Road, Pompton Plains, came forward. Mr.Aldom had a concern regarding the Gallo resolution, which is before the Board for memorialization. Mr. Aldom stated he is concerned about the width of the road and asked the Planning Board to consider amending the resolution to change the width of the road from 18 feet to 12 feet.
Mr. Brigliadoro stated that the Board heard the application at the April 21st meeting. Mr. Brigliadoro stated the Board considered all the plans filed and all the review reports from the Board Planner and Board Engineer and the Board made a decision to approve the subdivision application based on proofs presented to them at the time. Mr. Brigliadoro stated the Board cannot now go back and reverse the decision made at the April 21st meeting.
Mr. Aldom stated the applicant, Mr. Gallo, is agreeable to amend the resolution. Mr. Brigliadoro stated that if the applicant is agreeable he needs to come in to the Board and ask the Board to amend the approval for a 12 foot roadway instead of an 18 foot roadway. Mr. Aldom asked what that would entail as far as a delay to the applicant. Mr. Brigliadoro stated the applicant would have to file an application with the Planning Board to amend the application previously approved. Mr. Aldom asked if this could be done within the next Board meeting. Mr. Brigliadoro stated that depending upon when the application is actually filed with the Planning Department this type of application could possibly go before the Board within 60 days.
Mr. Aldom claimed that he was not notified correctly as to the date of the meeting because it was postponed early on. Mr. Brigliadoro explained to Mr. Aldom that when an application is on an agenda, as was the Gallo application, and carried to a later meeting the applicant is not required to renotice. Mr. Brigliadoro explained to Mr. Aldom that when an application is carried the Board indicates the application is adjourned and there is a public announcement of the future meeting date when the application will come back before the Board. Mr. Brigliadoro stated that anyone who feels aggrieved by the Board has a right to appeal their decision.
7:45 PM
PUBLIC HEARING:
Patania, 440 Route 23 North, Block 2007, Lot 8
Preliminary and Final Site, Bulk and Flood
Frank Scangarella Esquire, 565 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, represented the applicant. Mr. Scangarella explained that the property is 17,509 square feet fronting on Route 23 with an existing 800 square foot masonry building. The applicant is proposing retail use in the Commercial 3 Zone. Mr. Scangarella stated that the
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preexisting lot is grossly undersized. Mr. Scangarella stated the applicant is proposing to build a 5,260 square foot addition cantilevered over the existing building with parking underneath.
7:49 PM
Lawrence Bozik, Project Engineer for Hanson Engineering/Dresdner Robin Division, sworn. Mr. Bozik prepared the site plan for the applicant. Mr. Bozik stated the property is 108 feet wide by 176 feet deep. Mr. Bozik stated the applicant is proposing to construct an elevated office building with parking underneath measuring 63.5 feet deep and 83.5 feet wide. The existing masonry building will remain at ground level with a 20 foot by 17 foot lobby area. There will be an elevator that will go to the second floor. The applicant proposes 22 parking spaces, 8 in front of building, 9 under the building and 5 behind the building. Mr. Bozik stated the site is required to have 28 parking spaces and is asking for a parking variance; lot width variance; lot area, front and side yard setback and building coverage. Mr. Bozik stated the applicant received a Stream Encroachment Permit but will have to go back to the State for a modified Stream Encroachment Permit because of the septic system relocation to the rear of the site. Mr. Bozik stated the applicant received their DOT access driveway application and their Conditional Morris County Soil Conservation Permit. Mr. Bozik stated that Storm Water Management regulations do not apply because less than one-quarter of an acre will be new impervious coverage. Mr. Bozik stated that storm water will be collected into four seepage pits in front of the building to collect runoff.
Mr. Bozik stated that lighting on the site will be accomplished by two building mounted lights, one in the rear and one in the front of the parking lot, which will be 16 feet high. Mr. Bozik stated that under-lighting for the building will be designed by the architect. Mr. Bozik stated the building will have an elevator and also a stairway on the outside of the building.
Mr. Altis asked what the clearance height was under the building. Mr. Bozik stated that the height under the building will be approximately 12’ to 12’ 6”. Mr. Altis asked if a garbage truck would be able to fit under the building. Mr. Bozik stated a garbage truck will fit under the building. Mr. Vanderhoff asked the applicant how the garbage truck will turn around. Mr. Bozik stated that the garbage pickup will be scheduled for when the offices are closed affording the garbage trucks full use of the lot. Mr. Vanderhoff asked the applicant how many additional parking spaces would be gained if they did not need a septic. Mr. Bozik stated they could gain five extra parking spaces. Mr. Vanderhoff informed the applicant that the Township is planning to embark on a sewer project that will construct a line under Route 23.
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8:02 PM
Tom Patania, 17 Highview Court, Wayne, New Jersey, sworn. Mr. Patania stated he has a ticket brokerage firm currently located at 25 Route 23 South in Riverdale. Mr. Patania stated he will occupy the retail space as well as half the above space at the new location. Mr. Patania stated that his administrative offices will be on the top one-half of the building and the retail sales will be downstairs. Mr. Patania stated he has 8 employees. Mr. Patania stated that because of the internet most of the tickets purchased are shipped to patrons or printed off the internet. Mr. Brigliadoro asked Mr. Patania on an average day how many customers will actually go to their place of business. Mr. Patania stated that in Riverdale they only have four parking spaces in front of their building and they are never fully occupied. Mr. Brigliadoro asked Mr. Patania for his hours of operation in Riverdale. Mr. Patania stated that he is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm. Mr. Patania stated that six of his employees are full time including himself. Mr. Patania stated that he is planning to lease out the right side of the upstairs which is approximately 2500 square feet for professional office use.
8:11 PM
William Byrne of Byrne Design Associates , 711 Route 10 Randolph, New Jersey, sworn. Mr. Byrne stated that what drove the design of the building was the need to place the new addition above the flood plain elevation of 187.5. Mr. Byrne stated that the DEP required them to place flood louvers in the lobby area to allow inflow and outflow of water in case of flooding. Mr. Byrne stated the building was designed to accommodate parking under the building as a design feature. Mr. Byrne stated the exterior of the building would be made of brick at the landscaping or grade level and stucco from that point up. Mr. Byrne stated that for fire safety reasons the applicant is constructing a stairway from the second floor. Mr. Byrne stated the stairway will be made of block on the bottom and then will be constructed of wood.
Mr. Dickinson inquired as to whether the elevator is water-proofed. Mr. Byrne stated the DEP required the applicant to place all mechanical equipment and controls above the flood elevation, therefore, they placed the mechanical equipment room on the second floor. Mr. Dickinson wanted to know if there was adequate lighting on the inside of the building by the parking area. Mr. Byrne stated there will be overhead lighting. Mr. Vanderhoff wanted to know what the clearance height was under the building. Mr. Byrne stated the height would be 12’6”, which exceeds the height of the maximum piece of fire department equipment as per his conversation with the fire official.
Mr. Vanderhoff asked if there was testing done on the existing foundation to see if it could support the proposed addition. Mr. Byrne stated that they have not done excavation testing but the bulk of the new addition would be supported by new footings. Mr. Altis wanted to know when you exit the fire stairs on the side of the building if there
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is going to be a walking path between the cars. Mr. Byrne stated that when you exit the stair tower there is a walkway in front of the parking spaces. Mr. Altis wanted to know if there was a clear path from the walkway past the parked cars. Mr. Byrne stated you would have to exit between the cars. Mr. Altis suggested the architect install a clearly marked pathway for pedestrians. Mr. Simone stated the parking spaces are oversized and perhaps the applicant can gain a three foot access for a pathway. Mr. Byrne stated that they would be willing to either adjust the parking spaces or adjust the columns to allow a designated pathway.
Mr. Vanderhoff asked if the building was going to be sprinklered. Mr. Byrne stated it is not required but they are going to sprinkler the building. Mr. Vanderhoff asked where the fire department connection will be located. Mr. Byrne stated it would be somewhere along the front of the building but it hasn’t been determined exactly where at the moment. Mr. Vanderhoff stated that could be an issue because no one can park in front of the connection and a parking space may be lost.
Mr. Simone asked whether anyone addressed the issue of zero net fill. Mr. Bozik stated that because of the septic modification they will now purchase 45 cubic yards of fill credits and resubmit for a Stream Encroachment Permit modification.
Marked as Exhibit A-1 - Perspective Rendering prepared by Byrne Design Associates
Marked as Exhibit A-2 - Rendered Elevations prepared by Byrne Design Associates
8:35 PM
Kenneth Ochab of Kenneth Ochab Associates, 14-16 Fair Lawn Avenue, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Professional Planner, sworn. Mr. Ochab took photographs which outline the surrounding land uses.
Marked as Exhibit A-3 – consists of four photographs
Market as Exhibit A-4 – consists of four photographs
Mr. Ochab outlined the variances needed as: preexisting lot area and preexisting lot width; front yard and side yard variances; building coverage and parking variance. Mr. Ochab stated that the front yard setback aligns itself to the existing building to the south of it and if you pushed the building back any further you would cause the building not to be visible from the highway. Mr. Ochab stated that everything to the north of the existing building probably would not have development on it that would affect the result of granting a side yard variance. Mr. Ochab stated that the applicant will need ten parking spaces which would leave 12 spaces available for any tenant interested in the lease space. Mr. Ochab stated that the office lease area of 2500 square feet would require 12 parking
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spaces. Mr. Ochab stated that redevelopment of the existing site will improve the highway corridor.
Ms. Hartmann stated that when she calculated the building, including the lobby space she came up with a calculation of 30 required parking spaces. Mr. Troast asked the applicant if they looked into acquiring the 25 foot right of way to the north of them. Mr. Scangarella stated he sent a letter to the owner but never received a response from them.
Marked as Exhibit A-5 - Letter dated March 4, 2008 from Mr. Scangarella to owners of 25 foot wide right of way.
Mr. Altis inquired as to who would be utilizing the second floor conference room. Mr. Patania explained that at the present time they hold meetings off site and when they move into the new building they will hold all employee meetings on site after hours.
Mr. Skvarca inquired as to how many spaces would be made available if the applicant did not need to install the septic system due to possible sewer hook up. Mr. Bozik stated there would be five available spaces. Mr. Simone suggested that the applicant submit a letter to the town indicating interest in hooking up to the sewer. Mr. Simone stated completion of the sewer hookup will be some time in the year 2009. Mr. Simone stated the town intends to run a pipe under Route 23 and terminate the pipe on the northbound side of Route 23.