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Planning Minutes | Nov 29, 2017

TOWNSHIP OF MONROE PLANNING BOARD MINUTES

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING | November 29, 2017

Meeting called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chairman David Rothman who led the salute to the Flag.

Chairman David Rothman 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;

Printed in the Home News Tribune and Cranbury Press on January 6, 2017;

Posted on January 6, 2017 on the Bulletin Boards within the Municipal complex, 1 Municipal Plaza;

Posted on the Monroe Township website; and

Sent to those individuals who have requested personal notice.

MEMBERS PRESENT:       Chairman David Rothman, Vice Chairman Len Levene,  Mr. Andy Paluri, Mrs. Karen Polidoro, Mr. Anthony Zarillo, Mr. Terence Van Dzura, Alternate #1 Ms. Roslyn Brodsky, Councilman Michael Leibowitz and Mayor Gerald Tamburro.  Also present for the Board were Attorney Jerome Convery, Planner Mark Remsa, and Engineer Mark Rasimowicz.

MEMBERS ABSENT:         Mr. Louis Caron.

A motion to approve the October 26, 2017 Minutes made by Mr. Anthony Zarillo and seconded by Mr. Andy Paluri and passed unanimously by all members present.

PB-1193-17                           Jonkat Construction, LLC; Request for Minor Subdivision with Bulk Variances; Block 178, Lots 29 thru 32 located on Tyndale Avenue in the R-7.5 (Residential) Zone

Mr. Terence Van Dzura stepped down.

Mr. Anthony Zarillo stated he listened to the CD of the September meeting, when this application was first heard.

 

Mr. Walter Toto, applicant’s attorney stated this application was previously heard a the September meeting and full presentation was concluded.  There was a notice issue with the offer to buy or sell and I have provided that additional information to the Board.  I have my professionals present if further testimony is needed.  But we concluded our presentation at the last hearing.

 

PUBLIC:

Mr. Harold Mueller stated the attorney represented that he was unable to purchase any land, I will sell my land right now.

 

Chairman Rothman asked is he contacted the applicant or his attorney prior to this evening?  (No.)

 

Mr. Anthony Malanga stated he urges the Board to deny this application.  It does not fit in the neighborhood.  People will be looking down into my yard.

 

Mrs. Gibson, 267 Fernhead Avenue, also stat6ed this application should be denied.  They bought the land, leave it as is.

 

Mr. Kevin Covington, 261 Fernhead Avenue, stated there is no need to build another house on the lot.  Let the lot be the way it is.

 

(Public Portion closed.)

 

Mr. Mark Rasimowicz, Board Engineer, has no objections subject to applicant’s compliance with report dated May 18, 2017.

 

Mr. Mark Remsa, Board Planner, has no objections subject to applicant’s compliance with report dated April 25, 2017.

 

Motion to approve made by Mr. Anthony Zarilloand seconded by Councilman Michael Leibowitzand passed with 5 yes votes and 3 no votes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PB-1183-16                           KRE Acquisition Corp.; Request for Preliminary and Final Site Plan with Bulk Variance; Block 58, Lots 22.10 & 22.14 located on Fitzgerald Avenue in the LI (Light Industrial) Zone

 

Represented by Mr. Glenn Pantel who stated this application has been pending for several months and we have been trying to work everything out and please our neighbors and the Township.  We went through a constructive and worthwhile process and present the plans before this Board.  We are seeking amended preliminary and final site plan for the existing site.  There is a 150,307 square foot warehouse currently on the site in the LI Zone. There is frontage along Fitzgerald Avenue and it’s a cul-de-sac with frontage and no access along Half Acre Road. We are opposite the entrance to Whittingham retirement community.  We are seeking increased parking spaces from 202 to 225, increasing loading bays from 6 to 19, adding 8 tractor trailer parking spaces and adding additional sound walls.  We are requesting several variances which the Engineer will describe in detail.

 

Mr. Jeff Persky of KRE stated it is an active real estate company and I have manage projects in New Jersey and Pennsylvania over 10,000 residential buildings, 2 high rise buildings in Jersey City 2 projects in Lehigh Valley.  We have reached out the neighboring community and held several meetings and came up with a solution of the sound barrier.  We will be operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  That is permitted in the LI Zone.  The previous tenants had certain hour restrictions and not open all week.  They were a smaller scaled perfume company.  We have agreed to additional plantings and supplement dead plantings. We are requesting a waiver on parking spaces to 9x18.  There are several variances requested for parking in front yard, distance between buildings, height of fence and wall and fence in front yard and more than 6 inches in on property.  We do not propose any sidewalks or shade trees.

 

Ms. Christine Cofone, Applicant’s Planner stated the reasons for the variance and that they can be granted without any detriment.

 

Mr. Gary Dean, Applicant’s Traffic Engineer, stated he was available if anyone had questions on his report that was submitted.

 

PUBLIC:

Mr. Jeffrey Intravatola, 152 Jamesburg Half Acre Road, stated he would have loved to been invited to the meetings and raised his concerns also.  He pointed out the sound is closer to his home than the community across the street.

 

(There was discussion regarding additional sound wall.  Board took a 10 minute break for applicant to respond to resident’s request.)

 

Mr. Arnold Riback, 28 Chichester Road, stated most of if not all the concerns have been addressed and proposals drawn on plans.

 

Mr. Freddy Howards, 21C Rutland Way, also agreed.

 

Mr. Mark Rasimowicz, Board Engineer, has no objections subject to applicant’s compliance with report dated October 31, 2017.

 

Mr. Mark Remsa, Board Planner, has no objections subject to applicant’s compliance with report dated August 23, 2017.

 

Motion to approve made by Mr. Andy Paluriand seconded by Councilman Michael Leibowitzand passed unanimously by all members of the Board present.

 

 

 

PB-1195-17                           Countryside Developers, Inc.; Request for Preliminary Major Subdivision and Preliminary Site Plan; Block 36, Lots 1.09, 3, 6, 9.01, 9.02 & 11.01 located on Spotswood Englishtown Road in the R-ARAF (Residential – Age Restricted Affordable Housing) Zone

 

Applicant requested to be carried to the January 25, 2018 meeting regular meeting.

 

 

 

 

MEMORIALIZATION

 

PB- 1197-17             COSTCO WHOLESALE,a motion to approve made by Mr. Anthony Zarillo and seconded by Ms. Roslyn Brodsky and passed unanimously by all members of the Board present.

 

 

A motion to approve Recommendation of Adoption of Resolution for The Sustainable Land Use Pledge made by Ms. Karen Polidoro and seconded by Councilman Michael Leibowitz and passed unanimously by all members of the Board present.

 

 

 

 

A motion to adjourn at p.m. made by Councilman Michael Leibowitzand seconded by Mr. Len Levene and passed unanimously by all members of the Board present.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

LAURA ZALEWSKI

PLANNING BOARD SECRETARY