Planning Board Minutes

Borough of Kenilworth

December 16, 2010

 

The meeting began with an affirmation of the Open Public Meetings Act.� The schedule of meetings is on file in the Borough Clerks� office, was posted on the bulletin board, and has been mailed to the Cranford Chronicle, the Kenilworth Leader, and the Star Ledger.� All present recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The Board approved the November 16, 2010 and the December 2, 2010 minutes.� Approval was given to pay the Recording Secretary.

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Roll Call:� Present:, Mr. Lepore, Mr. Picerno, Ms. Bogus, Mayor Fiamingo,

Mr. Candarella, Mr. Pantina, �Mr. Sica, Mr. Pugliese, Mr. Cuppari, Mr. Manee, and

�Mr. Cammarota. Absent and excused: Mr. Murphy

 

Communications:� Ms. Bogus said she received a letter regarding the master Plan from Frances DuBeau.

 

Resolutions:� Application # 320 & #10-10, ��NTM Properties,��������������������������������������� RE: 100-124 N. 12^th Street, Block 59, Lots 1,2,3; Block 58, Lot 4; Block 56, Lots 14-17 &9.01� Site Plan/ Use Variance/ Parking variance �Lincoln Service to warehouse & repair industrial products in an Industrial zone. A motion to approve this resolution was made by Mr. Candarella, 2^nd by Ms. Bogus.� All in favor: Mr. Lepore,, Mr. Picerno, Ms. Bogus, Mr. Pantina, Mr. Sica, Mr. Puglese, Mr. Candarella, Mr. Manee, and Mr. Cammarota.

�Application # 321 & #9-10,� DIVSPEC, RE: 605 Springfield Road, Block 3, Lot 8.02

Site plan/ Parking/ Other Variances-- in existing non-forming building.� A motion to approve this resolution was made by Mr. Sica, 2^nd by Mr. Picerno.� All in favor:� Mr. Lepore, Mr. Picerno, Ms. Bogus, Mr. Sica, Mr. Pugliese, and Mr. Manee.

 

New Business:� Application #11-19 & 322, Merck/Schering-Plough, building K-15, Blk. 180, lots 11-13 & 18, Blk 181, lot 1Blk. 178, Lot 4, 2000 Galloping Hill Rd (Swenson Rd & S. 31^st St).� A representative of Merck/Schering requested this application be postponed to the January 27, 2011 meeting.� All in favor.

 

Master Plan:�� Public Hearing & Vote for Adoption of the new Master Plan

Mr. O�Brien has been the Borough professional planner since 1999.� He introduced Mr. O�Connor, the Board engineer.� Mr. O�Brien discussed the concept of the Master Plan.�

He said it is a vision for the community.� There are two steps that are a part of the application of the Plan; the Planning Board adopts the Master Plan and the Mayor and Council adopts ordinances and zoning laws to support changes to the new Plan.� The new Master Plan has been the result of two years of discussions: a sub-committee met from April, 2009 to January, 2010.� The Council and the Planning Board met and gave additional information.� In September, 2010, a draft was drawn up.� In October and November, the Planning Board and the sub-committee met to review the draft and offer additional input.

 

Page 2

 

�A copy of the proposed Master Plan was posted on the Kenilworth website in November, 2010.� On December 2, a public hearing for the Plan was held, a number of suggestions were made.� The Municipal Land Use Law requires the Master Plans of all communities be updated every six years. Our last update was quite a while ago.� The new plan should reflect the changes in the community.� The other reason for this undertaking is because there has been a change in the State law.� The N J legislature� changed the law: to allow applications for development to be judged by the rules that are in place when that application is made.� The current law says the rules that are in effect, when the application is presented, governs that decision. Our ordinances must be up-to-date.�

Mr. O�Brien displayed three maps: a colored map, showing the Existing Zoning map, from 1996 to the present, an Existing Land Use map (noting the actual uses in areas), and a Proposed Zoning Districts map.� The zones of the new Master Plan expands the number of zones:� adding the Park zone, Cemetary zone, Office Research zone (Merck), the Gateway Overlay zone, the Senior Living Overlay zone, the Community Serving Zone, the Area Commercial zone, and the Boulevard Downtown district.� The single-family and two-family districts were also modified.�

One of the recommendations for the Boulevard Downtown area is to allow apartments over the commercial buildings.� Other area towns allow residential units above stores.� This genereates activity on the Boulevard and puts use into underutilized space.� Research shows that such apartments generate one-tenth the number of the school-age children that single-family residences generate.� Parking requirements will be revised to genereate acitivity for the commercial zones.�� Presently, commercial areas are limited.

Now, any commercial activity that is allowed in any one unit will be allowed in any other unit.� In Industrial areas, retail sales will be allowed.� A Gateway Overlay zone will be at the entrance of the Borough on the Boulevard, as well as on Michigan Avenue (improving the look by buffering, using trees, shrubs, etc.).� The Senior Overlay zone is currently an Industrial zone.� This proposed area is a �Brownfield Site�; an area that will be cleaned up under the rules of the Enviornmental Protection Agency.� Other are Brownfield sites are being used to create Senior housing.� This area is close to commercial zoning.� Other zoning suggestions will be to limit the size of the houses and to create more spaces between homes.� This applies to new housing.�

Concerns were addressed at the December 2, 2010 meeting.� The meeting is opened up to the Public for questions.

 

Question and Answer period from the public:�

Mr. Candarella suggested the height requirements for housing be changed in the new Plan (on page 36) from a 40� height to 35�, and allow only two-storied buildings.� The Board all agreed in this change.� Another paragraph suggests the BD district extends from 16^th Street : this should be corrected to say from 19^th Street.� The Board agreed. A motion was made and 2^nd to open the meeting to the public.

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