MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING BOARD
OF THE BOROUGH OF MOUNTAIN LAKES
October 25, 2012
Chair Jim Bailey read the Open Public Meeting Advertisement Notice adopted at the annual meeting on January 26, 2012: Adequate notice of this meeting was given to the Citizen and the Daily Record, filed with the Borough Clerk, posted on the Bulletin Board in the Borough Hall on January 30, 2012 and made available to all those requesting individual notice and paying the required fee.
ROLL CALL:
Members Present: Horan, Bailey, Nachshen, Dagger, Gormally, Kane, DeVenezia and Happer
Absent: Tovo and Zamierowski
Also Present: Attorney Peter Henry, Engineer Bill Ryden
REVIEW OF MINUTES: Tom Dagger made a motion to adopt the minutes of the July 26th meeting. John Horan provided the second; the minutes were approved by voice vote of all eligible voters.
RESOLUTIONS: none
PUBLIC HEARING:
Hornrock Properties, LLC Morris & Fanny Road
Block 88, Lots 18.01-18.44 Appl. 12-250
Amended Site Plan R-AH Zone
Peter Wolfson, a licensed Attorney in the state of New Jersey, would be presenting the application for the applicant. The foreclosed property known as Park Place at Mountain Lakes was purchased by Hornrock Properties. Maurice & David Hornblass are the principles of the company. Clean up of the property has begun, tonight they were here to apply for a minor amendment to site plan. Mr. Wolfson explained they were requesting changes in the exterior finishes, floor plans and eave design on three of the original buildings. They hoped to get these buildings in ground before it snowed.
Marc Walker, a licensed Engineer in the state of NJ, had worked on the original site plans for the project. Mr. Walker gave the Board an overlook of old site plan, exhibit A-1 approved 11/2/2005 and last revised 12/15/06. He stated the application for tonight only pertained to the three buildings they wanted to change the architecture on. The affordable building and one town home building has been constructed.
Dave Minno, a licensed Architect and Planner in the state of New Jersey, was the project architect specializing in residential planned communities. Mr. Minno presented exhibit A-2 dated 10/24/12, a colorized version of sheet A-1, the signature collection end unit floor plans. The exhibit showed the prior floor plan for the end unit and the proposed plans. They had improved the floor plans for today market. The new plans would have three bedrooms on the second floor rather than two. The loft area will now be optional space rather than the third bedroom. The basement would now be sold unfinished. Exhibit A-3 was a colorized version of sheet A-2, the signature collection floor plans for an interior unit dated 10/24/12. The sheet showed the proposed and old floor plan for an interior unit. Once again the unit would have an unfinished basement. He had reorganized the layout of the 1st floor plan. The 2nd floor plan would now have three bedrooms rather than two. The third floor would now be an optional loft. There would be no change in the footprint of the building. Exhibit A-4 dated 10/24/12 was a colorized version of Sheet A-3 showing the exterior elevations of the signature collection and how the eave details would be changed. Originally there was a 3 ft overhang that was very difficult and expensive to build. The new overhangs will be 1 ft 8”. Sheet A- 5 became exhibit A-5 a colorized rendering of the proposed elevation for the 5 unit carriage collection building. Mr. Minno explained the applicant would be keeping the stone at the base of the building with stucco and timbered walls. The buildings would have hip roofs continuing the Hapgood style. The applicant’s goal was to make the units more affordable.
Tom Dagger asked what the cost difference of the unit would be if these changes were made. Mr. Minno said by not finishing the attic and basement the owners could really bring down the price of the units. Corey Nachshen asked if the stone work would be the same. Dave Minno said there would be less but it would blend in. Jim Bailey asked the architect to explain the modified building materials he had mentioned. Mr. Minno said the chimneys were originally stone and would now be stucco and there will be less stone on the front of the building. The building will now have hip dormers rather than shed dormers. The exteriors will not be exactly the same but would have the same feeling. Charlie Gormally asked if the applicant had considered the change in parking spaces. Marc Walker told the Board, the increase in bedrooms for these units as well as the additional 3 four bedroom units proposed; they have met the parking requirements for residential site improvement standards.
There was no one present from the public.
Peter Henry explained on August 25, 2006 the resolution for this project was adopted. In that resolution the site and architectural plans for project became part of the conditions of approval. Tonight the Board was being asked to amend the site plan originally approved incorporating the changes that were presented. There are no variance issues being presented. The applicant is only talking about design changes and the Board is being asked to tweak the architectural issues. What they are proposing in this application does not create any site plan issues.
Charles Gormally made a motion to approve the application as presented. A second was provided by Corey Nachshen. The application was approved by a vote of 8 to 0 with members Bailey, Kane, Nachshen, Gormally, Happer, Horan, DeVenezia and Dagger voting in favor.
INFORMAL:
Hornrock Properties, LLC Morris & Fanny Road
Block 88, Lots 18.01-18.44 R-AH Zone
Peter Wolfson gave the introduction for the informal presentation on behalf of Hornrock Properties, LLC. The property at the corner of Fanny and Morris needed some minor changes made to the original zoning. The applicant has decided to ask the Council to review their requested changes to the zone. If the Council decides to introduce those changes the Board will see a new ordinance and be asked to determine if the ordinance is consistent with the Master Plan. Jim Bailey confirmed the discussion during the informal presentation would not commit either party in any way.
Peter Steck, a licensed Planner in the state of New Jersey, stated the developer would like to complete the project started by Weber Homes. The R-AH zone was created before the recent changes in the market. The new owner thought they could increase the total number of units by 3, change the unit layouts, included decks that encroach the setback on Fanny Road and increase the building height. All this would help to reduce the cost of the individual units.
Dave Minno went on to explain the project currently has 3 large multiplex buildings and one additional unit similar to the three that were just changed in the previous application. The applicant came up with a smaller town home unit with a one car garage. The end units would have 2 car garages. The buildings will have 5 units with the exterior using the same finish materials as before. The new building designs are a bit taller. The old units had garages underneath the building. Peter Steck explained the ILC and FAR would be less than originally approved. The total number of units would increase from 44 to 47. The Mt. Laurel obligation would remain. The height was originally 35 ft and now would be 39 ft. The decks on Fanny Road would encroach into the setback. The applicant would be willing to add screening to hide the decks.
Mr. Steck then explained how the proposed zone changes would affect the 1996 Master Plan. If the Council referred the new ordinance to the Planning Board and the Board found it not consistent with the Master Plan they could still recommend the ordinance because it met the low and moderate housing obligation. The applicant would then come before the Board with a site plan review. Mr. Steck supplied the Borough with sample resolutions for both the Board and Council to support the changes to the Master Plan and ordinance. Nick DeVenezia told the applicant the Board had removed any reference to this property in their latest revisions of the Master Plan.
Charles Gormally asked under the proposed plans how the occupancy/bedroom count change. Dave Minno stated in this section the original count was 44 in 3 buildings now the count would be 66 in the proposed 5 buildings. Nick DeVenezia clarified each unit was less square footage but overall the building had more units. These units were narrower than the old units. Peter Henry clarified the height increase to 39 ft only applied to the new buildings. Dave Minno responded the Council could stipulate the height only applied to these new units. The 5 new buildings now have a stepped roof line. Charlie Gormally asked about the deck height on Fanny Road. Mr. Walker said they would be a few feet higher than Fanny Rd. because the decks were on the second floor off the main living space. Mr. DeVenezia asked if decks were on the old buildings, they were not. Peter Wolfson stated the new setback on Fanny Road would be 32 ft. Tom Dagger asked the applicant to explain the notes pertaining to decks in section 2 of the sample ordinance. The notes made it sound as if the decks could have latticework higher than the standard railing height. Peter Wolfson said they would change the wording.
Jim Bailey asked how the affordable housing requirements would apply once the applicant increased the total units by 3. Peter Henry suggested the applicant check the boroughs ordinance on affordable housing. Mr. Gormally asked about parking in the setback. Bill Ryden said that would be ok. Dan Happer asked if the units on Fanny Rd were below grade. Marc Walker said they are slab on grade. Corey Nachshen confirmed there would be no retaining walls. Jim Bailey asked about the water run off on Morris Ave. Marc Walker explained the run off would be handled when they did the final coat of pavement on the street. Charles Gormally asked how wide the new road they proposed was, it will be 18 ft wide. He continued the Borough would have to have the road width reviewed by the Fire Department to make sure there was enough room for a fire truck.
Jim Bailey asked if there were any public comments, there were none.
Peter Wolfson asked if there was any nonbinding feedback from the Board, there was none. He then commented they would make changes pertaining to the deck descriptions and the height increase applying to the only new buildings and resubmitting their sample ordinance to Council.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Jim Bailey told the Board Larry Korinda ran a workshop on the new Historic Preservation ordinance. Staff and some members of the Zoning and Planning Boards were present to ask questions about the implementation of the ordinance.
Other Business
Ordinance 18-12 Zoning Board of Adjustment Check List
The Board was asked by Council to determine if the new Zoning Board of Adjustment Check List ordinance was consistent with the Master Plan. Charles Gormally made a motion there was nothing inconsistent with the Master Plan about the new ordinance. Dan Happer seconded the motion. The Board voted 8 to 0 to pass the motion with Board members Horan, Bailey, Nachshen, Dagger, Gormally, Kane, DeVenezia and Happer voting in favor.
The Board is still in need of one alternate.
Tom Dagger made a motion to adjourn the meeting Corey Nachshen second the motion. The Board adjourned at 9:25PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Cynthia Shaw, Secretary