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MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD
7:30 PM Start
195 Changebridge Road, Montville
Municipal Building
MINUTES OF JANUARY 13, 2011
No New Business to be
Conducted Past 10:00PM
ROLL CALL
Mr. Maggio – present Mr. Karkowsky
- present
Mr. Sandham – present Ms. Nielson – entrance noted
Mr. Lipari – present Mr.
Lewis – present
Mr. Hines – present Mr.
Canning – present
Mr. Visco – present Mr.
Speciale (alt #1) – present
Mr.
Tobias (alt #2) – present
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE – (STATED)
REORGANIZATION - 2011
Appointment of Temporary Chairman - Motion to appoint
Mr. Sandham as Temporary Chair,
made by Mr. Karkowsky, Second by: Mr. Lewis. Roll
Call: Unanimous
Appointment of Chairman - Motion to appoint Mr. Lipari
as Chairman, made by Mr.
Karkowsky, Second by: Mr. Hines. Roll Call: Unanimous
Appointment of Vice Chairman - Motion to appoint Mr.
Lewis as Vice Chairman, made by Mr.
Visco, Second by Mr. Karkowsky, Roll Call: Unanimous
Appointment of Recording Secretary and Secretary -
Motion to appoint Liz Johansen as
Recording Secretary and Meghan Hunscher as Secretary,
made by Mr. Karkowsky, Second by:
Mr. Lewis; Roll Call: Unanimous
Annual Report - Motion made by Mr. Sandham, Second by:
Mr. Visco; Roll Call: Unanimous
with a condition that the report be made more detailed
Designation of Meeting Time - 7:30pm & Meeting
Dates - Motion made by Mr. Karkowsky,
Second by: Mr. Hines; Roll Call: Unanimous
Designation of Official Newspaper for Legal Ads- Daily
Record & Star Ledger - Motion made by
Mr. Hines, Second by Mr. Maggio; Roll Call: Unanimous
Adoption of Rules & Regulations/By-laws- Amending
By-laws to require applicants to submit
revised plans directly to board professionals 10
municipal working days prior to the scheduled
hearing. Motion
made by Mr. Sandham, Second by Mr. Maggio:
Roll Call: Unanimous
Professional Services Re-Appointments - After lengthy
conversation regarding the Township
Committee requesting to lower all professional fees,
the Planning Board is in agreement that
their professionals should not receive lower
fees. On a motion made by Mr. Lewis, Joe
Burgis,
from Burgis and Assoc., Michael Carroll, Esq. and Stan
Omland from Omland Engineering be
reappointed at the same rate as was received in 2010. Second by Mr. Lipari, Roll Call;
Unanimous
Appointment of Committees/Liaisons by Chairman
Motion made by Mr. Sandham,
Second by Mr. Hines, Roll Call: Unanimous
PUBLIC
DISCUSSION
Motion made by Mr. Speciale to close the public
session. Seconded by Mr. Sandham.
Mr. Lewis suggested that the Planning Board send a
letter to the Board of Education
congratulating them on their new building.
Mr. Tobias suggested having
photos of buildings in the annual report.
***Ms. Neilson entered
8:40pm.
Mr. Karkowski questioned if
any action is being taken toward the businesses that are violating sign
ordinance. Ms. Hunscher indicated that
her office has sent out letters of violations.
PLANNING BUSINESS
Ms Hunscher gave an overview
of the committee meetings. There was a typo
on the agenda; the EDC meets every third Wednesday, not every fourth
Wednesday. Also, the Housing Committee
meets quarterly on the fourth Thursday - January 27, April 28, July 28, and
October 27.
Wireless
Telecommunications Ordinance (Proposed) - The ordinance allows for monopoles and lattice-type towers. Mr. Burgis generally feels comfortable
recommending adopting the ordinance, but has provided comments in his memo
dated December 9, 2011 for consideration.
Mr. Sandham states that there are state and federal regulations that
address the health impacts. No comments
were made by board members. Motion made
by Mr. Sandham to forward Mr. Burgis’ comments to the Township Committee,
seconded by Mr. Karkowsky, Roll Call Unanimous.
REPORTS FROM BOARD LIAISONS:
a) Board of
Adjustment – Gary Lewis, no report given
b) Board of
Health – Lawrence Tobias, no report given
c) Environmental
Commission – Victor Canning no report given.
d) Water &
Sewer – Arthur Maggio no report given
e) HPRC – John
Visco gave no report.
f) DRC – Deb Nielson gave no report.
g) Site
Plan/Subdivision Committee – Russ Lipari Chair, Ladis Karkowsky, Deborah
Nielson & John Visco (alt) gave no report
h) Economic
Development Committee –
i) Open Space
Committee – Ladis Karkowsky, Russ Lipari, Deb Nielson
& Jim Sandham gave no report
j) Master
Plan/COAH 3rd Round – Ladis Karkowsky, Russ Lipari, Deb Nielson & Jim
Sandham gave no report.
k) Cross
Acceptance Committee – Ladis Karkowsky & Russ Lipari gave no report.
l) Highlands
Legislation Review Committee – Gary Lewis gave no report.
m) Appointment
to Fire Department Districts – Russ Lipari – Towaco, Tony Speciale – Pine Brook
and Art Maggio – Montville, no report given
CORRESPONDENCE
Case Law and Legislative
update - Mr. Carroll states S-1 was approved which regulated affordable
housing. He is not sure how the formulas
were determined. He also provided a
summary of a recently published case in which the court held that a board does
not have to grant a previously overlooked variance for an approved site plan if
the property applies for an amended site plan in the future, unless this
variance is being affected or exacerbated in anyway.
MINUTES
On a motion made by Mr.
Karkowski, the minutes of December 9, 2010 were approved. Seconded by Mr.
Canning. All in favor by voice vote.
INVOICES
Michael Carroll, Esq – Trust
for $438.75, $202.50
Omland Engineering –
Litigation for : $438.75 Trust for $67.50, $33.75, $168.75
Burgis Assoc – $708.75
Motion made by Mr. Hines to
approve, seconded by Mr. Lewis, all in favor by voice vote.
OLD BUSINESS
PSPP/FC09-10-Trinity
Baptist Church - 160 Changebridge Road - B: 124 L:12.3 - Prel/Final Site Plan with Variances
- request for a change in a condition of the resolution. Initial request 11/10/2010. Frank Scangarello,
Attorney, appearing on behalf of the applicant, states that they re-noticed all
property owners and are asking for a change of an approval condition. Applicant has noticed and requests deletion
of the condition to provide a fully-engineered site plan for the proposed
banked parking spaces. The banked
parking spaces still remain on the plans as allocated for additional parking in
the future if necessary.
Motion made by Mr. Karkowski,
seconded by Mr. Maggio Roll Call: All in favor.
Break 9:00pm
Call back to order 9:10pm
NEW BUSINESS
PSPP/FC10-10 PINE BROOK
PLAZA - 5 Bloomfield Ave
b:162 L 2 amended preliminary and
final site plan for façade and site improvements to existing retail shopping
center with variances and waivers.
Appearing on behalf of
applicant: Mitchell Abrahams Esq. -
Attorney; John Azarian, applicant (“Pine
Brook Plaza”);
Keith Lesser, architect with ISL Architects; Michael McGowan PE, McGowan
Engineering.
The board accepted the
applicants’ professionals’ credentials.
Professionals and applicant
sworn in.
Ms Hunscher gave an overview
of the project. The applicant is
proposing to improve the façade and minor site improvements including pavers,
lighting, and dumpster enclosures. There are variances requested for impervious
coverage and parking setback.
Keith Lesser, architect for
the applicant, presented first. He
described existing conditions and stated that the building is a flat roofed
building which lies perpendicular to Route 46.
He submitted Exhibits A1 and A2 which depict colored renderings of the
façade with site photographs. Existing
signage will be removed and reinstalled on the facade. Lighting will be
installed along the exterior walkway to provide improved visibility at night. Pavers will be installed in front of store
entrances and soffits will have new lighting installed. Mr. Lipari questioned
what type of lights is being used. Mr.
Lesser states that gooseneck lighting is being used. Mr. Speciale questioned
how many Knox boxes are being installed.
Mr. Azarian states one will be installed. Mr. Speciale had concerns that this is
insufficient in case fire fighters needed to access the units. The applicant
thought one Knox box was sufficient, but would comply with whatever the fire
department requested. Mr. Lewis
addressed the condition of the utility door at the Bloomfield Avenue side of the structure,
which he felt, left in its current condition, would be a blemish on the
upgraded building. Mr. Lewis suggested a
new material be used for the door to match the appearance of the façade
improvements. Mr. Lesser indicated that he will look into either painting the
door to make it blend in with the façade and/or re-coating the door with a
different material to upgrade its appearance.
Mr. Lesser indicated that he felt in his professional opinion it would
be better to downplay the door since it was a back-entrance and make it blend
in with the façade.
Michael McGowan, PE,
engineer for the applicant, indicated that the applicant will be repaving and
restriping the parking lot. Concrete
curbing will be used. Upgraded lighting and dumpster enclosures will be
installed. Mr. Omland states that the
dumpsters are adequate. All dumpsters
need to be enclosed. Mr. McGowan
indicated that there was a minor variance, which will actually be improved by
the application, for parking set back from the easterly property line due to a
crooked curb installment. Also, the
impervious coverage will be slightly over due to the proposed installment of
asphalt under the new dumpster location.
Both are easily justifiable due to the improvements to the property and
lack of substantially detrimental impact.
** Ms. Nielson left 9:45pm
In summary, the applicant
proposes: Upgrading the lighting as per
the Master Plan, which includes installation of Towaco style lighting on the
interior of the site and along the corridors (Route 46 and Bloomfield Avenue) and the installation
of sidewalks on Bloomfield Avenue. Installation of concrete curbing is
proposed. No landscaping is
proposed. The applicant also agreed to
address the utility door to be upgraded in appearance to match the quality of
the proposed façade improvements.
Motion made by Mr. Lewis,
Seconded by Mr. Sandham to close public session.
Motion made by Mr. Karkowsky,
Seconded by Mr. Sandham to approve Pine Brook Plaza application with a
condition of approval from the Fire Chief regarding the Knox box, the
installation of Towaco-style lighting, the installation of a sidewalk on
Bloomfield Avenue. The board agreed not to have landscaping installed on the
property. Roll Call: Mr. Maggio, Mr. Sandham, Mr. Hines, Mr. Visco, Mr.
Canning, Mr. Karkowsky, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Lipari, Mr. Speciale and Mr. Tobias
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further
business to discuss, on a motion made by Mr. Maggio, seconded by Mr. Sandham,
the meeting was adjourned at 10:07 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Liz Johansen, Secretary
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