TOWNSHIP OF MONROE

ZONING BOARD MINUTES

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING
October 29, 2019

Meeting called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chairwoman Carol Damiani who led the salute to the Flag.

Chairwoman Carol Damiani read the Sunshine Law as follows: In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, it is hereby announced and shall be entered into the minutes of this meeting that adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the following:

Posted on January 6, 2017 on the Bulletin Board of the Office of the Township Clerk, Municipal Complex, 1 Municipal Plaza, and remains on file at that location for public inspection;

Posted on the Bulletin Board of the Office of the Township Clerk;

Posted on the Bulletin Boards within the Municipal Complex;

Printed in the Home News Tribune and Cranbury Press on January 4, 2019;                   

Posted on the Monroe Township website; and

Sent to those individuals who have requested personal notice.

MEMBERS PRESENT:     Chairwoman Carol Damiani, Mr. Dhaval Patel, Mr. Marino Lupo, Mr. Henry Sloan, Ms. Jennifer Hluchy, Mr. Michael Maiolo, Alternate #1 Mr. Louis Masters, Alternate#2 Mr. Gary Busman and Alternate #4 Mr. Donato Tanzi.  Also present for the Board were Attorney Karl Kemm, Planner Mark Remsa, Engineer Mark Rasimowicz and Director of Planning & Zoning Mr. Robert Hudak.

MEMBERS ABSENT:        Vice Chairman Vincent LaFata and Alternate #3 Ms. Rajani Karuturi.

A motion to approve the September 24, 2019 Minutes made by Mr. Maiolo and seconded by Mr. Masters and passed unanimously by all members present.

BA-5172-18                          Applegarth Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses; Request for Preliminary and Final Site Plan with Bilk Variances; Block 41, Lot 8; Located on Applegarth Road, in the OP Zone

Represented by Ms. Rachel Onufrak who stated this application is seeking to continue the use variance approval from 1990 for a House of Worship and to modify the parking.

Mr. Darren Harris, member of the Board of Trustees, explained the nature of the daily routine. 

Mr. Eric Brown, applicant’s Engineer, described in detail the application before the board.  The application is to continue the use variance approval and we are requesting preliminary and final site plan with bulk variances and some design exceptions.  The major part of the application is the parking lot.  There are no proposed changes to the building.  We are reducing the number of seats by 30.  We are proposing 32 parking spaces.  We have also proposed sidewalk and depressed curb along the frontage of Applegarth Road.

Ms. Elizabeth Roy, applicant’s Planner, stated the variances and design exceptions are able to be granted without adverse effect on the neighboring property.  The variances and waiver are for parking and buffer.  We are not proposing any new building.

Mr. Gary Busman asked if the traffic pattern will be redesigned.

Mr. Brown stated the congregation is used to the flow of traffic along Applegarth and it will remain as is.

Chairwoman Carol Damiani asked where the handicap spaces are relocated to.  (Mr. Brown pointed nest to the building with depressed curb for accessibility.)

Mr. Mark Rasimowicz, Board Engineer, has no objections subject to applicant’s compliance with report dated September 9, 2019.

Mr. Mark Remsa, Board Planner, has no objections subject to applicant’s compliance with report dated September 6, 2019.

Motion to approve made by Mr. Dhaval Patel and seconded by Ms. Jennifer Hluchy and passed unanimously by all members of the Board present.

MEMORIALIZATION

No resolutions to be adopted.

A motion to adjourn at 7:55 p.m. made by Ms. Jennifer Hluchy and seconded by Mr. Henry Sloan and passed unanimously by all members of the Board present.

Respectfully submitted,

LAURA ZALEWSKI

ZONING BOARD SECRETARY