Transcript for Piscataway Zoning meeting on April 22 2021

Note: Transcripts are generated by rev.ai and may not be fully accurate. Please listen to the recording (below) if you feel any text is inaccurate.

Speaker 0     00:00:03    All right. Less than a minute to go, everyone get ready.  
Speaker 1     00:00:09    Make me nervous joining the meeting.  
Speaker 0     00:00:20    I don't know why it's saying that. Okay. It is seven 30 and I hit the record button.  
Speaker 1     00:00:30    Okay. So the board of adjustment meeting will please come to order. Adequate notice of this meeting was provided in the following ways. Notice published in the courier news notice posted on the bulletin board of the municipal building notice made available to the township clerk notice sent to the courier news and star ledger. Will the clerk please call the role  
Speaker 0     00:00:49    Mr. Zimmerman. Mr. Tillary here. Mr. Wasteman. Mr. Reggio, Where is he? Mr. Blount, Mr. Patel, Mr. Mirando here, and chairman K health  
Speaker 1     00:01:10    Here. Well, everyone, please stand for the food to the flag, which is stands one nation just to clearly, do we have any changes to the agenda? Yes, we have two changes to the agenda tonight, but the application of Kieron Kaduri 17 school street is adjourned to May 27th, no further notice by the applicant. The second change is the application of Michael Murray, six, 11 and six 16. William street is also adjourned until May 27th with no further notice by the applicant. Those were all the changes that I have with. Okay, so let's move ahead to item number 5 21 ZB dash zero nine.  yes. Oh, sorry. So where are you in? Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth? Yes. Your name and address please.  the scattering New Jersey. Thank you. Could you explain to the board what you would like to do here? Uh, we are looking to put in a pool, uh, on our property and we need a virus.  
Speaker 0     00:02:55    Mr. Steen,  
Speaker 1     00:02:57    You still have to stand or you're.  
Speaker 2     00:03:01    Yes. Um, yeah, I looked at this application there for if the board members that haven't really looked at it as a unique property. It has three frontage is, uh, not one, not two but three. So, uh, there's definitely a hardship, uh, with this, uh, this property due to the fact that it has those three front pages of the location, where the pool was to go. Uh, I don't see any, uh, any impacts from that location. Uh, all the homes on Emmett court backup to Hanson avenue. So I think it's inappropriate location. Um, I really don't see anything. I think the applicant did receive a fence variance, uh, previously for the fence, uh, located along Hanson avenue. And I think there was a landscape requirement, uh, for that fence. So I would just state that of you give approval that that landscape requirement on the outside of the fence, uh, remained in effect, uh, for that to be maintained. Other than that, I don't see any issues with this application.  
Speaker 1     00:04:06    Okay. Thank you, Henry. Anyone else on the board have any questions for this application? Hearing dumb, going to open it up to the public portion, anyone in the public have any questions or comments about this application? Just Buckley? No one hearing none. I'll close the public portion. I make a motion to approve this application. All second one. Thank you, Warren. He's called a roller.  
Speaker 0     00:04:35    Mr. Zimmerman. Yes. Mr. Weissman? Yes. Did Mr. Ragio make it? No. Mr. Black, Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Mirando? Yes. And chairman Cahill.  
Speaker 1     00:04:50    Yes. Mr. Oliguria, you've been granted an approval. We'll memorialize it in a written document and our next meeting, we'll mail a copy of that document to you. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Let's move on to item six 20 days. Does he be there? There's 10 V. Michelle Hutchinson. Yeah. At the Michelle  
Speaker 3     00:05:12    I'm here.  
Speaker 1     00:05:14    I need to swear you in. Could you raise your right hand, swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth. Yes. Your name and address please.  
Speaker 3     00:05:22    Michelle Hutchinson, 2 0 4 Elizabeth avenue, Piscataway New Jersey.  
Speaker 1     00:05:27    Like you, could you explain to the board what you'd like to do  
Speaker 3     00:05:29    Here? Sure. Um, when I purchased the property four years ago, there was, um, an existing fence and shed and, um, it comes to my attention that it wasn't, um, approved or there wasn't any, um, anything on file for it. So, um, I just submitted paperwork for a variance.  
Speaker 1     00:05:52    Henry, you have some comments on this, sir.  
Speaker 2     00:05:58    Yeah. Looking at this one, I had a few minor comments. I'm thinking we're going to need a five foot temporary construction easement, uh, for future road improvements on Elizabeth avenue. So we would ask for that. Uh, and then the fencer question is one section. And I think I don't see any, uh, any, uh, issues with the, with the fence. Really the only, uh, ask would be the five foot temporary construction easement for future roadway.  
Speaker 3     00:06:29    Can I just ask what, what that is? I don't  
Speaker 2     00:06:33    The township, uh, was probably gonna do some road improvements in the, in the future. They may do sidewalk. Uh, and typically what we would do is we would ask for this temporary construction easement so that if they disturb the grass on your property, uh, or drive a truck tire on your property, when they're redoing the sidewalk, that they have the ability to do that, to do the improvements, but everything has to be restored, um, at the completion of the work. And it's, again, it's only for, for that purpose. The township never comes in and does any road work or re does, you know, reconstructs the sidewalks. They wouldn't need that. But, um, we asked for it because they, my understanding is, is that Elizabeth avenue is, is on the books for, I guess, work in the near future. And so when an applicant comes in, what we ask is for that temporary construction easement, uh, again, it's not a permanent easement. It's solely when that construction takes place. They have the ability, I believe in this case by feet to veer off the property line a little bit, usually it's just for grading. And if they disturbed that area, uh, when they do sidewalk work typically.  
Speaker 3     00:07:47    Okay. And that's just, if there is some work that's going to get done during that time,  
Speaker 2     00:07:53    Correct. And that's, whatever it would be, be known for. I believe the tantric paternity typically prepares that. Uh, so they would prepare that for you and you would just have the ability to review it. I think there's a period of time that it's good. Uh, and if it's not using that time, I think it expires. But, uh, that would be a question for the counter paternity of whoever prepares that easement for you.  
Speaker 1     00:08:16    Okay. That okay. Michelle is,  
Speaker 3     00:08:19    Um, yeah. So just by feet from, from the street during a time, if there was any construction going on  
Speaker 1     00:08:25    And there is this, there's a possibility they might not ever come out there. We don't know, but moving forward, if there was the possibility we'd need to have that acquired.  
Speaker 3     00:08:34    Okay. So just, just during that time during construction,  
Speaker 1     00:08:39    Thank you, Henry. Anyone else on the board have any questions for this applicant hearing none. I'm going to open it to the public portion. Anyone in the public portion have any questions for this board? Can you hear me? I can you, yes. I need to swear you in. Could you raise your  
Speaker 4     00:08:57    Right hand, sir? Do you swear  
Speaker 1     00:08:59    The testimony you're about to give shall be the truth?  
Speaker 4     00:09:01    Yes, sir. Can I have your name and address please? My name is kindness bite. I live at 2 0 1 Elizabeth avenue, Piscataway New Jersey directly across the street from Ms. Hudson at 2 0 4 background. My family has lived here for 105 years on that block. And I have lived at 70 plus years of my life at that address, sir, could you,  
Speaker 1     00:09:21    Could you spell your last name please?  
Speaker 4     00:09:23    B E I T Z. Thank you. Thank you, please continue, sir. Yes. I read these papers and we have a, there's some problems we have here and I'd like to address them. And I appreciate your, your, uh, um, listening on this. She writes in her own hand wide, I would like to a permit for the shed and fence. It'd be on a property like I've been there. Uh, having lived here all this time, I know the fence is not her problem. It was their put in quite a while. Oh, I have no beef about the fence whatsoever. As long as it stays, where it is, uh, being, she has some Christmas thing on it. Like some plastic stuff is not a by a code thing. I have no problem with that either because thing is that she got, I have some notes. If you bear with me, the shed was put up.  
Speaker 4     00:10:11    Uh, first of all, there was never a legal shed there ever. I knew the other people. I knew the whole neighborhood very well. The shed was built on 1120 of 22 months later, January the 25th, the survey was done. I noticed that because I'm retired. I live there. Uh, um, now later after that, she gets a permit for that. Now, when you build a shed or you build anything, she was well aware. The dimensions are correct from what I found and no, no problem about dementia. However, she was completely aware that she needed a permit. You don't, you don't put the horse behind the cart. You got it. And you do it properly. Now the main thing, the main contention of this is ordinance.  
Speaker 4     00:10:58    Um, we have an ordinance here and if you giving me, I don't mean to take long, but I don't have to take long at all. Uh, first I have in front of me here, the, uh, the schematic, the survey, it's the older gentlemen, Mr. K L could all your gentlemen, please get the land, survey her picture out so you can follow me. Thank you. If I'm speaking too loud, please tell me I'm not used to zoom. Let me know when you all got it. Please, please continue. We have other applications. If you look on the top, Elizabeth, add a very top of the paper. It says Elizabeth avenue, 50 foot, right of way per the tax map. Okay? Now, if you go into the curb and the very property line, right on that X, they have a basketball on that there with a pole then that hangs over the street and Nepal is there on the edge of the property.  
Speaker 4     00:11:51    It's not supposed to be there according to law it's ordinance ordinance as a law. Now, what I'm saying is the reason the essence tradition is the reason she needed the variance is because if under today's rules, that law was after you couldn't even build a house. There, you need a variance. The neighborhood is too small and tight. As you can see, she has a 14 foot setback and then putting it right out to the street, closer, even closer to our house, right outside my door, which is 25 feet off the, I pulled it right away. I have the ordinance specifically says no obstruction of any kind whatsoever. She'll be in the public right of way.  
Speaker 1     00:12:31    Okay, sir, let me, let me interrupt you, sir. I need, I, sir, I need to interrupt you. The zoning board is not an enforcement bureau. If you believe that the basketball hoop is in violation of the ordinance, you need to call code enforcement is only board. Doesn't give  
Speaker 4     00:12:49    Any  
Speaker 1     00:12:50    Jurisdiction over a basketball court and the net, what the applicant is here for is the fence and the shed. So please limit your comments to the fence in the shed.  
Speaker 4     00:13:01    Okay? The shed is violating the order that they cause she did not get a permit for it. And she has multiple offensives for zoning, including that basketball that we won't talk about. Therefore, I denied a shed and she could take it down. The neighborhood is too old, too close together. And I'm an environmental person. I was in an orderly hour of the boy Scouts for many years. And I was a leader. I am environmentally concerned. Mr. Kao. I believe his family, his wife are also, there was too much over the building area and it should not be done. And if you do do it, I should recommend it to be a $2,000 maximum. Fine. Thank you. The zoning board.  
Speaker 1     00:13:37    It does not have the jurisdiction to find applicants.  
Speaker 4     00:13:42    I know that shot. I put the thing is now there's three people that would wish to speak here. We only logged in as one. So the two more people will come. I'm only not to Laura. Okay. Okay.  
Speaker 1     00:13:53    Can we, can we just discuss this, the shed and the fence though? Okay. Let's just discuss the shed and the fence no more, no more talk about the basketball. That's something else we have. We can't deal with  
Speaker 4     00:14:05    The, um, like I said, the fence, I have no problem. The, um, the shed, she was very well aware and she did this and went ahead with it for two months and then three months or four months, you don't do it that way. You know what you did  
Speaker 1     00:14:18    A little bit, sir. Listen to the other two people thinks thank you.  
Speaker 4     00:14:22    Yes, no problem. Hold on, please will do. Thank you for your time.  
Speaker 1     00:14:26    You're welcome, sir. Thank you for us. Ma'am could I have your name and address please?  
Speaker 5     00:14:36    Yeah, I'm Kathy blewis. I live at 2 0 1 Elizabeth avenue.  
Speaker 1     00:14:40    Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give should be the truth? Yes. Thank you.  
Speaker 5     00:14:50    Reviewing the, the information. I just wanted to clarify a couple of things and re basically regarding the fence. Um, um, because the only piece of vinyl fence that she has is a small L-shaped decorative piece, um, to scream the air conditioner unit. So that's negligible. Um, aside from that, she's got a, um, a chain link fence. So by the wording here, I just didn't want the board to think that she had a four foot solid vinyl fence or, um, around the bulk of her property.  
Speaker 1     00:15:29    Thank you. Thank you. Ma'am is there a third person that's going to be talking?  
Speaker 5     00:15:37    Yes, I'll be, I'll be very quick. My name Karen Martino. I swear to tell the truth about everything. I'm about to say I live at two 18 Elizabeth avenue. I just want  
Speaker 1     00:15:49    To have your name again,  
Speaker 5     00:15:49    Please. Karen Martino, M a R T I N O. Thank  
Speaker 1     00:15:54    You.  
Speaker 5     00:15:56    I, you know, the board is here to uphold ordinances and laws and, you know, listen to people that want to put up fences, sheds, whatever, you know, this, this property, this area, there's, there's many houses in this area that need variances. And because of the setbacks, because they're so far back, you know, I, it, what is upsetting to me is that this woman went and put up a shed without the proper permit and approval. I had to, I had to put up a whole entire fence around my whole entire yard because I have a pool because, and I, and because I had to do it the right way, I had to do it. I had to buy by the rules and abide by the laws. It's very upsetting to me that this woman went ahead and put up a shed and is now asking for variances without any penalty whatsoever. There should not be allowed. There should be some, some justice, uh, about, you know, doing the right thing and doing it in the right order. And that is all I want to say.  
Speaker 1     00:17:01    Thank you. Ma'am appreciate  
Speaker 5     00:17:02    It. And I do want to say that the basketball is in the middle of the street, and it's very dangerous. I do want to  
Speaker 1     00:17:08    Say that you'd have to call a code enforcement. I  
Speaker 5     00:17:11    Hear you. Okay.  
Speaker 3     00:17:13    And if I can just speak really quickly. I'm so sorry. So they did call code enforcement code enforcement came out. I got a letter that there was nothing wrong with it. So there's,  
Speaker 1     00:17:23    That's a lie. I'm stuck back and forth like this. We can't do this. You're recognized Ms. Bumpies or anyone else in the public portion.  
Speaker 5     00:17:37    No one is raising  
Speaker 1     00:17:38    Their hand chairman. Okay. What was the public portion? Henry, do you have any outstanding issues with this application where it stands now? The reason, the reason they need a variance, this wouldn't  
Speaker 2     00:17:49    Have had to come here. It's an undersized lot. Um, all of the variances, uh, with the exception of that small little screen fence around the AC unit or all for pre-existing conditions, that's an undersized lot. The shed itself conforms to the ordinance, it's in a conforming location. Uh, there's no issue with the shed. Um, the only issue was that again, due to the fact that she has an under sized property, uh, whatever she does with trigger variants. Uh, so the shed itself isn't exacerbating any of the coverages on the property. Um, it's, you know, the lot with the area, they're all there already. So everything is, is fine. Like I said, the only item was the temporary construct.  
Speaker 1     00:18:30    Henry, would you say in your experience that sometimes the residents are ignorant of the law in the town about constructing sheds and whatnot, and find out later on that they have needed permits?  
Speaker 2     00:18:41    If we, if we find every person that did something, uh, unknowingly without a permit or knowingly and, uh, half the town would probably have violations, uh, it's a common thing for people, especially for sheds and fences, to be honest with you, it happens all over.  
Speaker 1     00:18:57    Yeah. I can understand it. I'm going to make a motion to approve this application.  
Speaker 2     00:19:02    Thank you,  
Speaker 0     00:19:09    Mr. Zimmerman. Yes. Mr. Tillery. Wasteman yes. Mr. Reggio. Yes. Mr. Blount is still not here, Mr. Patel. Yes. Mr. Mirando, I abstain chairman Keiko. Yes.  
Speaker 1     00:19:30    Ms. Hutchinson, you've been granted an approval by the board for your fence and your shed. We will memorialize it in a written document at our next meeting.  
Speaker 0     00:19:39    Thank you.  
Speaker 1     00:19:41    Have a good night. Let's move on to number seven 20 dash ZB dash 20 slash 21 slash 22 peak Macedonia original freewill Baptist church.  
Speaker 6     00:19:54    Good evening board. And, um, attorney. This is Diane abuelas on behalf of Macedonia church. Um, as you may recall, when we left this application last month, there was a request, uh, by the board to go view the property. There was also some discussion about whether or not there was going to be conversation with residents. I need to investigate that. And also I've been advised today that there was a stack of pictures that were presented to the board. Um, I just got those today as well. They appear according to this unwritten unsigned letter that they were taken by Mr. Saeed. Um, obviously I'm going to have to authenticate same if they are going to be admitted into evidence. I also have Mr. Steiker here to what's in the photos as well as the Reverend, if necessary,  
Speaker 1     00:20:54    Please proceed.  
Speaker 6     00:20:55    Okay. Is, um, Mr. Sahid here?  
Speaker 7     00:21:03    Hi there. This is Mr. Morris, Andrew Morris, uh, four 10 Highland avenue. Uh, hello everyone. Hi. How are you? K on everyone before I saw Mr. Sahi is, um, he might join us, but he said he had a Ramadan, uh, tonight. So he would not be, might not be able to join us, but he did ask me to speak for him.  
Speaker 6     00:21:27    So Mr. Chairman, um, I would advise a, he, he needs to be sworn in, but two, if the photos can't be authenticated by the person that took them, then I would submit that they would not be submitted into,  
Speaker 7     00:21:42    Well, let me call him. Maybe he can step out. I don't know, but, uh, I will call him now. He did just text me a few moments ago. He said that he apologize. He was a Ramadan and I will call her right here right now, so that  
Speaker 1     00:21:59    Mr. Bullas, can we take testimony from Mr. Striker and have Mr. Morris call? I'm going to say Mr. Say,  
Speaker 6     00:22:06    Well, yes we could. Except the problem is that if the photos are entered into evidence, then, you know, um, Mr. Steiger's testimony may be different. Um, we could just assume that they are and have Mr. Steiger testify. That's a possibility. I also need to know whether any member has gone to the, um, location and whether or not they've spoken to anyone.  
Speaker 1     00:22:30    And Ms. Dabul is, did the photos have been distributed to you and to the board members? So I think you should proceed on the assumption that they have seen the photos.  
Speaker 6     00:22:41    Okay. Um, how about whether or not there has been any member who has gone to the site and spoken to anyone? Because I just have to put an objection on the record.  
Speaker 1     00:22:52    Well, I've gone to the site, but I didn't speak to anyone  
Speaker 7     00:22:58    Anyway.  
Speaker 1     00:23:00    And could any other members advise whether or not they visited the site and whether or not they spoke to anyone when they visited the site,  
Speaker 7     00:23:07    Visited the site? I did not speak to any resident  
Speaker 1     00:23:16    And the other members of the board. Okay.  
Speaker 6     00:23:22    Mr. Steiger, if you could identify yourself and if he can be considered as well as I'm a planner and as a traffic engineer.  
Speaker 8     00:23:32    Yes, my name's Joseph Steiger, S T a I G a R I hold a professional engineers license and a professional planner's license in the state of New Jersey. And I've appeared in testified, um, last month on this matter I need where he was shorting last month. Yes. We remained shorting to tell the truth. I understand  
Speaker 6     00:23:55    Mr. Steiger, um, can you tell us, you've reviewed the photographs that were presented, um, uh, by someone, uh, to the board, correct? Yes. Correct. And, um, let's just assume for the truth of the photos, which we do not assume, but, um, for purposes of your testimony, um, can you please advise, um, what your position is, uh, from a traffic perspective, um, on those photographs?  
Speaker 8     00:24:32    Yes. Well, those photographs detect, um, parking on both sides of the street, um, concentrated on Highland and, and, uh, Ludlow streets, Highland avenue and Ludlow street. Um, there's also photographs of the school and Martin Luther king school with school buses. And I would assume that as all schools have parents picking up their children, um, you know, the front ditches of the school are filled with, uh, with vehicles as well. Um, I know the school has a lot of activity. It has PTA nights. It has a lot of afterschool nights and, and, uh, extra curricular activity. Um, I can't tell from the photographs, if those, if the park cars are from the school, which is literally a short block away, about 250 feet away. So, uh, certainly any spillage, um, and the school does have limited parking at any spells and parking, uh, on those types of nights with certainly trickled down to, uh, Ludlow and Highland avenue.  
Speaker 8     00:25:38    I've been to the church on Sundays, um, and we've done parking studies. Um, the number of parked cars, that maximum number of the ton of typical service on a Sunday morning is in the order of about 40 vehicles. Um, and, uh, there, the parking lot holds 38 cars or 38 parking spaces. So in no way in my, um, my understanding of how the church has operated and what I've seen from my inspections, um, that there would be that type of, um, uh, vehicle parked cars generated by the, uh, the church. Now that's not to say on Easter morning, there might be more cars, or if there is a popular, uh, person, uh, who, uh, who has had a wedding or a funeral or something like that on those very rare occasions, there may be additional cars from above and beyond what I saw. Um, but those are very unusual situations, uh, that typically happen at any, uh, household, um, household worship. Uh, you just have those types of days, uh, holidays and special occasions. Um, but on a typical Sunday, the, um, magnitude or magnitude of parked cars can be contained within the parking lot. Maybe some people choose to park in the street rather than park in the parking lot as a matter of convenience, but the amount of cars that I've always seen has, um, has been in the order of about 38 to 40 vehicles, which replicates the number of parking spaces on site.  
Speaker 6     00:27:16    Mr. Steiger, is it your opinion that the, um, application that's presently before this board does not exacerbate the parking condition? As my apologies, I've got two dogs here. Um, the, um, does not exacerbate the situation, the parking situation as the, uh, they are self-sufficient and park in their driveway.  
Speaker 8     00:27:42    Yes. The, um, the four houses, single family homes that are posed have sufficient parking, they meet the ordinance requirements, they meet the RSIs standards. Uh, we're not taking away any parking away from the church. Uh, we're actually maintaining a very large buffer area or an undeveloped area for the church, so that in the future, should the church ever choose to expand their parking for whatever need they have that ability. Um, and, and there's an order of magnitude of at least 55, uh, parked parking spaces that could be attained on the remaining area. So we're not having any negative, negative impact at all, um, by the granting of the variance, uh, for, uh, the undersized lot for the church.  
Speaker 6     00:28:28    And Mr. Steiger, in your professional opinion, how do you address the, um, question or argument from a resident that says, um, reducing the land coverage or acreage of the church property is going to compound current parking issue.  
Speaker 8     00:28:45    And I totally agree, disagree with that, um, that it does not, no parking lot will still remain the parking lot. That's there and it serves the current purposes of the church.  
Speaker 7     00:29:05    Mr. Site is on the phone he called in just so that, you know, I know you were waiting for that.  
Speaker 1     00:29:10    Okay. Thank you. We're in the middle of the testimony from a witness right now. Thank you. Uh, Ms. Dallas, you were muted during your question.  
Speaker 6     00:29:19    Um, I didn't know if this Mr. Steiger had anything additional to add?  
Speaker 8     00:29:24    No,  
Speaker 1     00:29:26    Uh, Ms. , I'm going to mark these photos as oh one since we've been talking about them for identification.  
Speaker 6     00:29:34    Okay. Um, so I would like to speak to whoever took the photos.  
Speaker 1     00:29:44    Uh, Mr. Morris was advised that Mr.  is now available on the telephone.  
Speaker 9     00:29:49    Can you guys hear me?  
Speaker 1     00:29:51    Yes, we can, sir. Yes, we can. Uh, were you sworn in at the blast hearing, sir?  
Speaker 9     00:29:56    Yes, I was here on last hearing.  
Speaker 1     00:29:58    Yes. And yes. You remain sworn in to tell the truth. Can I have your name and address please?  
Speaker 9     00:30:04    Yeah. My name is Satya dominant and my address is 3 9 9 Highland avenue, Piscataway.  
Speaker 1     00:30:09    Thank you. I believe that the applicant's attorney has some questions for you,  
Speaker 6     00:30:13    Mr. Saeed, you've submitted, um, 24 photographs. Uh, they appear to be, um, from different days and some appear to be repeats. Um, I have a couple of general questions. Are you the person who took all of the photographs and when did you take the photographs?  
Speaker 9     00:30:37    This was over a period of time? Uh, not, uh, not like one day or one month. Uh, several years.  
Speaker 6     00:30:47    Okay. Do you have any specific identification of when you took the pictures and which pictures were taken at which time?  
Speaker 9     00:30:56    Um, the pictures were taken dated, uh, ranging from, uh, 2010, um, around, um, until 2014.  
Speaker 6     00:31:11    Okay. Okay. Um, so the pictures were taken, um, over seven years ago at best.  
Speaker 9     00:31:20    Yeah, I, I, yes, I, I had initially wanted to build a case because there were other charge issues. That was a, that we went through, uh, erecting of a tower. Um, there were, um, you know, they were trying to build affordable housing. We made a case for that one. So for all of these times I was trying to build a case and, and that was, uh, that was the picture then after it, after it, you know, a number of, uh, this incident than it has been, you know, uh, taken away and it was dissolved and everything, then I just, you know,  
Speaker 6     00:31:58    How did you maintain these photographs from 2010 and 2014  
Speaker 9     00:32:03    On my computer.  
Speaker 6     00:32:04    Okay. Um, do you know whether or not any of the photographs were taken on a Sunday? And if so, what time?  
Speaker 9     00:32:13    Uh, they were taken on Sunday, Saturday, uh, there were also taken on some of them were on the night days. If you, if you see, some of them were, uh, darker pictures, which are, which were taken over nighttime. Um, there were cases where there were Saturday charts, Sunday charge and morning charge, afternoon charge, even late charges. And whenever I could take the pictures, I took the pictures. And just, just to show that in different time of the day was,  
Speaker 6     00:32:49    Do you have any, um, uh, proof that these photos were taken during a time when the church had services?  
Speaker 9     00:32:59    Um, I could look in my computer to see the dates. Uh, I know usually the pictures come with a, uh, uh, a, a print of whatever the dates are. Um, I do not know if those are going to be accurate enough. Um,  
Speaker 6     00:33:18    I don't have any further questions for Ms. Society. I find the photos he's unable to authenticate when he took the photos. Um, I, I would object to their admission. I also can have the Reverend testify about the condition of the parking. Um, as it presently exists, these photos are stale at best.  
Speaker 1     00:33:40    And the, the, uh, for the zoning board members, um, you've seen the photos. Uh, there has been testimony about the photos you can consider the photos, however, uh, please consider, uh, status of when they were taken and the testimony of Mr. Site. Thank you, Mr. Keneally to any other members of the board have any questions? Uh, is it Mr. Striker or Steiger digress? Just if he could just reiterate the point that these homes that are being proposed all come with driveways and garages. Correct. So, so additional parking by this, these new residents would not affect the streets?  
Speaker 8     00:34:27    Sure. No, not at all. Uh, we essentially have four parking spaces for each home garages, as well as the driveways, and that meets the ordinance requirements that meets the RSIs, uh, requirements as well.  
Speaker 1     00:34:42    Okay. Thank you.  
Speaker 6     00:34:44    And Mr. Steiger, could you just sum up on the one variance as to the, um, the amount of the property and  
Speaker 8     00:34:52    Yes, that deals with the church charges, a conditional use? Um, that requires, um, two acres and we're at 1.2, one acres, it's a small of building a small church. It has, uh, 40 parking spaces, um, capacity, um, in the, uh, in the building, uh, has, uh, services Sunday mornings of about a hundred people. Let me maybe a little bit more, 105 hundred and 10 people, um, that come in 38 40 cars, which makes sense. Families come in on average of three per car, two and a half per car is what the typical, um, uh, standard, uh, is, uh, for the charts. So there's sufficient parking. And I really don't believe in, in, in, in my opinion of what I've seen, how the church operates even, uh, on except maybe for very unusual conditions, that those pictures represent cars that are generated by the church. And they very well may have been generated by Martin Luther king school, uh, with the amount of, uh, activities, um, that go on at the school and what we know of how schools operate. Um, so I, I, I find it very, um, non-credible just to say that all those vehicles that are parked on both sides of the streets, all surrounding the church, including the church parking were generated by the church. Uh, I have not seen that condition at all.  
Speaker 6     00:36:18    Thank you, Mr. Sire.  
Speaker 8     00:36:20    You're welcome,  
Speaker 1     00:36:22    Mr. Melissa, I would ask that we could talk to the Reverend if we could. I have some questions about the church itself.  
Speaker 6     00:36:28    Okay. Um, Reverend is Linwood Ruth's. Yup. Excellent. Um,  
Speaker 1     00:36:38    Reverend, I always hesitate to do this, but I  
Speaker 10    00:36:43    Will  
Speaker 1     00:36:43    Affirm, I have to swear you in to tell the truth. Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth? I will affirm. Thank you. Could I have your, uh, Linwood and it's your last name? R O U S E that's correct. Thank you.  
Speaker 6     00:37:00    Thank you, Reverend Reverend I've earlier today sent you the 24 photographs that were forwarded to me by, um, Piscataway board. Did you have an opportunity to take a look at them? Yes, I did. Okay. And were you also on the phone when I went through some, uh, questions with Mr. Sayeed about when those photos are taken? Yes. Okay. So you understood, they were, they're taken, uh, at a minimum seven years ago. Um, but what we'd like for you to tell, um, pre COVID, which would be the appropriate time, because we know in COVID, it was a little bit less. Um, can you tell us when, if at all, um, you have an overflow of parking from your parking lot, um, first during services, and then if you could tell us at any other time,  
Speaker 10    00:37:57    Uh, a lot of you have already, uh, mentioned about on a normal Sunday. Uh, we do have a capacity of maybe a hundred and maybe under 40 cars or less on a normal Sunday. Now those photos are very hard to, uh, give any reference to, because it's just hard to say what it was. I do know the ones that I really could get referenced to was the time that we shared our parking lot in Martin Luther king, uh, school, uh, we were approached years ago by the, uh, the, uh, the, uh,  
Speaker 6     00:38:32    Principal, the principal,  
Speaker 10    00:38:34    Sorry, the, and they asked, could they, you know, if they got some old, if it was some overflow, could some mothers and fathers parked there and quite naturally being neighborly, we always said, yes. And so that was the only thing that I could actually make out of cause where they were high wished a photograph down Ludlow and filtered over into the parking lot and even down in Highland avenue and we never had a problem. I thought they were very, uh, uh, safe, very quiet. They, it was just something we were doing for the school and the kids. And then the other ones that they were, that I saw was it was hard to hard to figure out what that was, if it was a, uh, a wedding, if it was a funeral, which is normally the time that we get overflow, we do have some time community members who pass away to have no church, no place to have a service that. And so we open our doors and sometime we don't know how many people are coming to visit, but we do the very best we can to accommodate them. And, um, that's not for a long period of time. The service may last per hour at the most. So those are the only ones that I can really, uh, uh, speak to and really give, uh, you know, reference to those are the two occasions.  
Speaker 6     00:39:51    Well, one other question, has your membership decreased or increased to since the last time when that traffic study report was done by Mr. Steiger in 2015?  
Speaker 10    00:40:03    Yes, it has. Uh, we have had a, uh, matter of fact, a big migration since 2014  
Speaker 6     00:40:11    Increase  
Speaker 10    00:40:12    Or decrease a lot of our retired members of move south or elder places, uh, from Piscataway, which we don't, they're not there anymore. And the fact, uh, sometimes it's very few,  
Speaker 6     00:40:26    I don't have any further questions for  
Speaker 1     00:40:28    Wherever, and this is chairman K hill. How are you? I'm good. You, can you tell me when the church was established,  
Speaker 10    00:40:35    Uh, 1924  
Speaker 1     00:40:39    And that, that structure or that location has been,  
Speaker 10    00:40:42    This is the second structure, this church that's there now. It's been there since 1984.  
Speaker 1     00:40:49    Okay. Do you have any plans to upgrade the parking lot at all? When not when I was out there, it looks like there's a couple of potholes in this stuff where I would see that people wouldn't want to park in a certain spot because it's, it's got debris or whatnot on the ground. I was wondering if there were any plans, maybe you might want to clean that up a little bit  
Speaker 10    00:41:12    As possible. If we can continue on the track, we, on that we will have probably get a new parking lot if we can raise the fines, whatever, but it is an aisle and has been, and our plans to upgrade our parking lot.  
Speaker 1     00:41:23    Okay. Thank you. Any other members of the board have any questions for the Reverend hearing? None.  
Speaker 7     00:41:33    Uh, Jim, should I have left Republic for the test on  
Speaker 1     00:41:37    Reverend rounds? Uh, Mr. Fabulous. Do you have any other witnesses or evidence to offer the board? No, I do not. So now would be the time to open it up to members of the public who wish to, uh, question the witnesses or comment on the application?  
Speaker 7     00:41:59    Yes. Hi there again, how's that  
Speaker 1     00:42:02    The Mars remains sworn in to tell the truth. Just give us your name and address for the record, please.  
Speaker 7     00:42:07    Andrew Morris for 10 Highland avenue. I like a scam Piscataway. So the answer is, uh, yes, yes, yes. We meaning the community residents. We are in favor of the four houses that, that they applied for. We had no problem with that. Um, so the problem though, I think they came up last time was, uh, the parking issue and the parking issue is, is relevant. And I'll say to Mr. Steiger and to Ms. Dabul is because you are correct. It is back in history and it shows over a period of time that this is not a sudden or new a one-time recurrent to a two time occurrence. He has been, this is what occurs. And the church is not only open on Sunday. It might be Monday or Tuesday or, or Saturday, uh, for whatever it might be a Bible study or a special guests. So churches are active, uh, buildings and they service a lot of different needs.  
Speaker 7     00:43:09    So those traffic parking issues are ongoingly. Mr. Steiger never saw it because he doesn't live here. And so he doesn't know except for the one or two days that he might've come, but it, but if you live here, the pictures show that they are here. Uh, so that part is a hundred percent. Um, but again, I would say, I would ask that the, uh, waiver variance for this, for the, uh, area lot area, uh, acreage, not, you know, not go through because they should be in your church. Uh, river routes should comply to the town ordinance to build the four houses when you already has enough land to build them. So to move it over 10 more feet, uh, uh, or 30 feet, which is like 10 yards, like a football, uh, thing means means not. But to go back in history, um, you guys know, uh, the zoning board and sort of Reverend Rouse at some earlier, uh, Macedonia wanted to build eight houses and, uh, and that got mediated or mitigated to about four or something or six.  
Speaker 7     00:44:20    And that's why they applied for four. But if they moved back, if you move it back 10 feet, then yes. And I think, uh, Sally, who said, so he's also at some future time, it leaves more room for four more houses, which is a total of a total of eight. So to be in all honesty to everyone, we should all be honest and say, the truth is if you apply for four and you have room for four, let's do four. Why moving back when it's not necessary for the four and then go forth with it? And we go, yes, to that, that's a good plan. I think the community residents all agreed with to comply with the ordinance and just build the houses. And then we're fine with that. We're all good with that. Uh, the parking becomes an issue, but you know, it's good with the four houses.  
Speaker 1     00:45:14    Thank you, Mr.  
Speaker 7     00:45:15    I appreciate it. Thank you very much.  
Speaker 1     00:45:17    Okay, Ms. Buckley, any other hands free?  
Speaker 11    00:45:21    Hello? Uh, Brian rag, 1247 Brookside road. I  
Speaker 1     00:45:25    Believe you were sworn in at the last week.  
Speaker 11    00:45:28    I've been sworn in at countless meetings, but if you'd like to do it again, we can.  
Speaker 1     00:45:31    Well, were you sworn in, at the last hearing in Macedonia? You were amazing.  
Speaker 11    00:45:36    Okay. I just had a question. What was the date of the parking study that was done?  
Speaker 8     00:45:42    It was September 20th, 2015.  
Speaker 11    00:45:44    Okay. And the pictures ended in allegedly 2014, correct. So the pictures are somehow stale, but the parking study isn't is that what's being suggested here. Like  
Speaker 8     00:45:58    The parking search study was done on a typical Sunday. Uh, the Reverend you heard from him, the, um, the, uh, amount of people who attend services has actually decreased. So it was higher back then in 2015 than it is today, or, or 2020, let's say before. Uh, COVID pandemic. So I believe the representative of what happens on a typical Sunday.  
Speaker 11    00:46:22    Okay. I was just confused with the  
Speaker 8     00:46:23    Photographs. We don't even know when the photographs were taken. There's no date. There's no, uh, time period. Uh, we took, I took our surveys on, uh, on a Sunday, uh, 20th of September at 10 45, uh, Northern and thereabouts. Yeah.  
Speaker 11    00:46:40    Okay. I was just confused how the parking study could be considered current in 2015, but the pictures from as late as 2014 could be considered stale. Oh, that's all I had. Thanks.  
Speaker 1     00:46:54    Thank you, Brian. Ms. Buckley, anyone else? The hands me. Can you hear me? Yes. Yes. Were you sworn in at the last meeting? Yes. That was you remain sworn in to tell the truth. You give us your name and address again, please.  
Speaker 12    00:47:12    Xander seem a little way. Three 11 Roosevelt avenue, Piscataway New Jersey.  
Speaker 1     00:47:19    Thank you.  
Speaker 12    00:47:20    Well, to, um, to elaborate, uh, to, to continue with what was Mr. Morris? Uh, Andrew said the pocket has been sort of a problem. It's not a big problem when there's a regular regular church, sir. But when you have other activities at that church, it does become an issue. And I would kind of hate to see four or five houses built here. And the church, uh, taken, uh, continue with that type of practice is it's probably not fair. I'm, I'm looking at the future, the churches on 1.5 acres, which is probably a verus in itself. I didn't want to, uh, reduce it to 1.2. I don't think that should be for the future. I would hope that the church in the future will grow and that the building will extend the building. And when you do that, you should extend the pocket. Basically. I think you should extend the pocket now.  
Speaker 12    00:48:26    So when you have, uh, activities that, uh, uh, that require more pocket, more pocket is available, it doesn't, doesn't make sense to me that this just doesn't make sense because there's no hardship here. There's enough money in there to build the whole social housing without reducing the land that the churches on presently, which is a verus in itself. So why do that? I mean, various to me is for hardships, not for people, just this one. So what's that said, I would say no to this barrier. Thank you, Mr. Malloy, Ms. Polk data, any other hands raised?  
Speaker 13    00:49:15    Hi, I might need it. Uh, can you hear me?  
Speaker 1     00:49:19    Hi,  
Speaker 13    00:49:21    Sweetie. No, I wasn't at the last meeting.  
Speaker 1     00:49:23    Oh, okay. I need you to raise your right hand. Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give should be the truth?  
Speaker 13    00:49:30    Yes, I do  
Speaker 1     00:49:31    Your name and address please.  
Speaker 13    00:49:33    My name is Carol Saunders. I live at 5, 2, 5 7 low street. I'm actually the only resident on the street besides the school. Okay. My question is there is an abundance of avail open property. What is the repose plan for that?  
Speaker 8     00:49:54    Nothing. There there's no no plans for any development on that property. So it'll remain as it is.  
Speaker 13    00:50:02    So there was no future plans to build any homes there  
Speaker 6     00:50:06    And may that there are no plans presently before this board, and there are no plans submitted, and there are no plans in the pipeline for those that additional property that is, uh, on the other side of the four homes that we are here for. And that's the only thing.  
Speaker 13    00:50:27    Okay. So if that's the case, why does the church need, um, additional  
Speaker 8     00:50:31    Variants? If the homes can be shifted, that's not what this application is.  
Speaker 13    00:50:39    Oh, I thought it was for the variance for the church. Well,  
Speaker 8     00:50:45    It is  
Speaker 13    00:50:49    W well, that was my question, right?  
Speaker 8     00:50:53    Well, there, there, if I may, uh, there's a variance or a conditional conditional variance, um, that we're asking for on the under size of the lot of the church, but as the church has proposed 1.2 acres, it's certainly conserve is the typical needs of the church. And we're not using all the land up. There's a good chunk of land by about 40% of it that will remain undeveloped. If in the future, the church ever wants to increase its parking. If for some reason there's a need for it, uh, that can still occur. So there's certainly sufficient reserve land to accommodate any future needs for, for parking. Right now, there is no need for that parking, the typical church services, which the parking should, um, supplies for is more than sufficient to accommodate the needs. On a typical Sunday, there are extraordinary circumstances. Uh, occurrences has any house of worship has, uh, whether it's Ramadan, Russia, Shauna, or Easter or Christmas, that you have an influx of more people.  
Speaker 8     00:52:05    And yes, during those time periods, you'll see park more parking on the street, but we don't design for that ultimate absolute worst case scenario, that doomsday scenario, otherwise you have every corner in our, in our, in our town township or Paskataway, that's going to be paved. So what we do is we look for a maximum, a reasonable maximum, which is a typical Sunday 40 parking spaces we need as needed. We have that essentially, and we're not changing. We're not increasing the, the parking demand or generation of the church. That's going to remain constant. So what's happening with the four houses has nothing to do with the parking situation of the church.  
Speaker 13    00:52:50    Oh, okay. I, wasn't talking in reference to parking. I'm trying to visualize based upon your statement earlier that if the additional part of parking needed, where would that go  
Speaker 8     00:53:03    To the, to the other side of the, of, of the church, the building itself, there's a, a, uh, a big, a large expansive land. That's still set that will remain as the church property that if it's ever needed in the future could be expanded into a parking lot.  
Speaker 13    00:53:22    Okay.  
Speaker 8     00:53:24    So is that a size of the property that's proposed? The 1.2 acres that will remain for the church will able to continue to suffice for the size of the lot, for the, for the existing church.  
Speaker 7     00:53:41    It's a question, please. Mr. Maurice, we usually take new members of the public first before you get a second round. Thank you. Anyone else?  
Speaker 6     00:53:55    Anyone  
Speaker 7     00:53:55    Else? Chairman Mr. Mars, please proceed. Okay, so hi. Yeah. Hi again. So I, I agree with Carol Saunders, like, I guess the question is why are they applying for a variance when it's not needed? Why are they, what is the issue with this variance? Why they asking for a Barron's ISE attorney that is dabblers, why they ask you for the parents?  
Speaker 6     00:54:28    The application as presented requires a variance. What Macedonia has in mind for the additional properties, um, you know, could be, could be open space, could be homes, have no idea at the moment. There is no application presently before, and we can't make a decision upon conjecture that there wouldn't be in the future, a rollercoaster there.  
Speaker 7     00:55:00    True. So with that being said, then I'm going to turn to Henry. Then if you have the room for the current houses right here, right now, there would be no lead for variants of a socks, because there's no need for right here right now, not conjecture for the future.  
Speaker 6     00:55:23    And that's not the application that we have before this board presently. So that, that's what we need to have decided is this application before this board tonight,  
Speaker 7     00:55:36    Right? Whether that portion of the various should be approved and if there's land and this is the town ordinances it's available, they should build it according to the ordinance. So I go, okay, because there already is all the variants, they would oppose me to there's 1.1, and now we want a 1.2. So it would be like a double and triple variance. That's your statement. Thank you, Mr. Morris. Yes, sir. Yep. Thank you guys. Have a good night. Sparkling closed public portion,  
Speaker 0     00:56:15    Ms. There's another, uh, woman at, I believe  
Speaker 7     00:56:19    Mr. .  
Speaker 14    00:56:23    Hello? She has to unmute. Okay. Can you hear me now? Yes, ma'am please. Adrian Malloy three 11 Roosevelt avenue. Mr. McCoy, could you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth? Yes, I do. Thank you. Okay. So I have a question and I hope it's not a redundant question. I just need a clarification on what is the hardship that's being imposed on the church. What's the current variances that you are asking for? Why do you need those variances?  
Speaker 8     00:57:06    Well, we're yeah, I, as, as the planner, I, I think I can answer that. Um, the, uh, the variance is a condition that the size of the lot for a church has, is to be 2.0 acres. And we're asking for a variance of 1.2 acres. Why 2.0 is in the ordinance is beyond me. I don't, I don't know how that ever came about, but that's for a church, whether it's 10,000 square feet or 3,200 square feet, we have a small church, 3,200 square feet. We have a parking lot of 40 cars we have. In addition to that, we have a large, uh, expansive undeveloped area that will remain as part of this application, undeveloped. So it all fits in. It, it works my that's, that's my planning testimony, uh, that, um, that the size of the lot, 1.2 acres works for this church. And so we've asked him for that variance, uh, for, for, uh, not, not a hardship, um, case, uh, so much, but that it's, it's an inherently beneficial use and it needs a special reasons, the positive criteria, and then the negative criteria. Does it have an impact on neighborhood? Um, the smaller lot. It certainly doesn't because, uh, the church will function as it functions now with sufficient parking for the vast majority of times. So we make that meet the two criteria, the positive criteria and the negative criteria for the granting of the use of the conditions  
Speaker 14    00:58:51    Going from 1.5 to 1.2 stats, a positive criteria.  
Speaker 8     00:58:59    No, the positive criteria is that we are inherently beneficial use. This is a use of church that benefits the public. So it's a, has a higher standard. And if we wanted to put a whitewash store in or, or a Walmart or something, something else, uh, so it's a beneficial to the, to the public. That's the positive criteria, the negative. Does it create, uh, uh, an impact negative impact on the neighborhood? What we're asking for an undersized lot does not create a negative aspect to the neighborhood  
Speaker 14    00:59:32    And the church grows. What's the impact of doing this? Now, if the church grows,  
Speaker 8     00:59:42    They'll have more services that they could, there's other ways to handle that  
Speaker 14    00:59:48    Will not affect that. That's  
Speaker 8     00:59:50    No, it would have to be managed properly if it, if it does bro, it's all conjecture and hypothetical. We haven't seen that. That's not the history of the church. The history of the church is actually decreasing in population, but if it were to another way to accommodate that is to have additional services on Sunday.  
Speaker 14    01:00:14    Yeah. That's, that's also a hypothetical.  
Speaker 1     01:00:17    Thank you, Ms. Malloy, Ms. Buckley, no one else. Chairman close the public portion, please. Uh, Ms. Two bowels, do you have any other,  
Speaker 6     01:00:33    Uh, just very short, the planning testimony supports inherently beneficial use of the church, which has requested, requested so that seemingly so that it can survive and it can obtain funds be through the sale of its property so that it can survive. It has testimony that my Reverend, that in fact, there's been a decrease in the, um, the, uh, number of people. The parking is sufficient on our, um, application in and of itself. It is not going to exacerbate the condition they have. Um, it will increase the appearance and if the variance is supported through the testimony of the planner,  
Speaker 1     01:01:18    Thank you. Anyone else on the board have any questions? I have a quick question. Sure.  
Speaker 15    01:01:26    Uh, up until Alicia was on the Skyway traffic advisory committee, I don't know if that's still around, but I'm not on it anymore. And I just want to know if this all new plans would go before them. I just want to know if this went before them and if they had any recommendations,  
Speaker 1     01:01:43    W we no longer have that answer there, I guess. Thanks. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Anyone else on the board, Ms. Dabul this, I do have to advise you that we have six eligible members to see any  
Speaker 6     01:02:04    Yeah, I heard I heard.  
Speaker 1     01:02:07    Okay. We're going to move forward. Yeah. Okay. I have a couple of statements I'd like to make, uh, I was out at the property site and the particular area where this, these homes are, are proposed to be built or an absolute eyesore. There's dead trees, there's garbage. Um, there's, um, rake leaves in Piscataway township, paper bags that are phone. Um, the area needs to be, uh, improved. I believe, I believe that these four homes would be an improvement. Um, and, and Mr. Morris, and several others have said they have no problem with the houses. It's the possibility that something might be built in the future. The problem is I have an application in front of me for four houses. I don't read tea leaves to find out if 5, 6, 7 years down the road, the church would want to build more homes. If they did, they'd still have to come before this zoning board.  
Speaker 1     01:03:03    And we would discuss it like we've been discussing these last few months. Um, I think that the four homes would be a, uh, major improvement to that neighborhood. Um, the parking to me is always going to be a problem. We handle dozens of churches in the Piscataway township, and every neighbor has a problem with the parking because it is a product of the beast. It know on Sundays on holidays. Uh, you're going to get cars parked in front of houses where they shouldn't have been. So, um, you know, I can appreciate the neighbors, but the fact that hand is these four homes are coming with driveways that can hold up to four cars, mandatory garage. And, uh, their parking for these four homes should not exacerbate the current situation. That is, uh, the parking at Macedonia church. So that being said, I would like to make a condition, oh, I'd like to make a motion to approve this application, but I'd like to make a, um, a condition that the parking lot defects, the second floor, therefore allowing the neighbors a little, um, compromise with getting some of the cars off the street. So I got a second, man.  
Speaker 1     01:04:26    That was just a, my pool. I know there's other noise. There are numerous conditions that they agreed to at the prior hearing. And I'll take those transcript  
Speaker 0     01:04:38    And we need a second on the most  
Speaker 1     01:04:41    Cal for a second. Thank you, Laura Colorado.  
Speaker 0     01:04:45    Mr. Zimmerman. Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Reggio? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Mirando? Yes. And chairman Cahill. Yes.  
Speaker 1     01:05:00    Thank you. Ms. Dabul is your, application's been approved. We'll memorialize it at our next meeting and send you a copy.  
Speaker 0     01:05:05    Thank you very much for your patience in this one. I appreciate it.  
Speaker 1     01:05:11    Uh, Jim, did you say the number eight was off Kieron Kaduri yes. That has been adjourned until may 20. Got it. Let's move on guys to a number 9 21 dash DB dash 16 V. How would street holdings?  
Speaker 17    01:05:32    Good evening, Mr. Chairman. My name is Richard and Guskey Jr. I represent the applicant 28 Howard street holdings, LLC. Um, we are here this evening on what is a temporary use permit application for, for the tenants of the property? Um, I have with me tonight, two witnesses, I have my professional planner, Mr. Paul . And I also have the, uh, contract purchaser, the principal of that entity, Mr. Michael gore. Uh, we are a contract purchaser. Um, members of the board may know that on, I believe it was Tuesday night. There was a memorandum of understanding that was entered into between the township and the contract purchaser to conduct improvements at this property, uh, going forward, we're here for the limited purpose of the temporary use permits to get some ultimately temporary certificates of occupancy for the four tenants that were here, uh, on this evening, they are generally landscaping businesses, which are not technically permitted uses. I do want to be clear though, that we're not here on what would be considered a traditional  application. We're here only on a temporary use application, which is provided for specifically pursuant to a township ordinance. Um, unless you have any questions for me right now, Mr. Chairman or Mr. Kenny Lee. I'd like to introduce my first witness. Mr. Gribble, please proceed. Uh, very good. Um, Mr. Gravel, I think you need to be sworn and then qualified  
Speaker 1     01:07:05    Mr. Ribo, could you raise your right hand? Yes. You swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth. I do not have your name and address please. Yes,  
Speaker 16    01:07:13    Paul  last name spelled G R Y G I E L. Business address 33 dash 41 Newark street, Hoboken, New Jersey.  
Speaker 1     01:07:22    Thank you,  
Speaker 17    01:07:24    Mr. Griego, could you provide the board the benefit of your professional experience?  
Speaker 16    01:07:29    Yes, I'm a licensed professional planner.  
Speaker 1     01:07:31    Can you offer Mr. Greg, will you you've appeared as a professional planner before the board on prior occasions? I haven't yet.  
Speaker 16    01:07:36    Yeah, I have both of these only board and planning board and Paskataway yes, I'm licensed. I have been since 1999,  
Speaker 1     01:07:42    Folks, since you appeared before the board  
Speaker 16    01:07:45    License is still current. Yes.  
Speaker 1     01:07:47    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it can be accepted. I think his credentials are acceptable. Absolutely.  
Speaker 17    01:07:52    Thank you very much, Mr. Conneely Mr. Gribble, instead of wasting anyone's time, I'll just let you, uh, describe the, uh, application in narrative form.  
Speaker 16    01:08:01    Yes. Uh, thank you. Uh, very briefly the, uh, applications regarding a existing property that's uh, as block 11 0 2 51 0.01. It has a lot area of 26 acres. It's already developed with a number of, uh, existing improvements. The property is located on the Northern border of the township and as frontage and multiple streets, Howard streets, fifth avenue left Garth street, as well as the Lehigh valley railroad. As I mentioned, a variety of improvements in the property and non-residential uses and also in the surrounding area. So this is a property that's been developed for some time, and it's an area with a character that's been established with a mix of commercial industrial, and some residential uses as well. Uh, the subject property is in the  industrial zone. This zone permits a wide range of non-residential uses, including all of the uses permitted in the BP and  zones.  
Speaker 16    01:08:54    So for example, offices, manufacturing, warehousing, shipping receiving are all permitted as well as other uses determined by the board of adjustment to be of the same general character. Uh, the issue is though that it's been determined. We require a temporary use permit, but as was noted, uh, the Africans will be coming back later with a more detailed application. But tonight, uh, we're simply seeking this temporary use permit for the existing uses on the property, uh, with regard to the, uh, what's needs to be shown for this temporary use permit. Uh, in my opinion, what we're trying to demonstrate is that something similar to a use variance, but a temporary basis can be granted by the board. Um, so I'll briefly address why I believe that the uses that are existing and will continue on the property, uh, can remain, uh, the subject property is currently utilized for the existing uses that are listed in the application.  
Speaker 16    01:09:48    So they're primarily landscaping type uses. It has been for some time. And in my opinion, as a planner, the proposed continuation of these uses is appropriate. Given the sites particular size its shape, its arrangement and its location. As I mentioned, the property is over 26 acres in and area. So it's rather large. It has multiple street, frontage is, but also large interior areas. Having the multiple street frontage is also allows for different access points to help disperse traffic. So this isn't an example of a property with only one way in and out with all types of different uses and the associated traffic. Instead, it can be dispersed onto multiple roads. Notably the property also has frontage and access from a main road that south avenue, which is characterized by other industrial uses along its uh, its length. Uh, south avenue also connects to the broader road network and major transportation routes.  
Speaker 16    01:10:42    Uh, so I think the existing overall use of the property that is on there right now, the industrial commercial uses are well-established. They fit into the character of the area. Uh, we also have existing and proposed future fencing and landscaping to help mitigate any visual impacts. Uh, these will be addressed in greater detail down the road in the future site plan application. But I think for the purposes of this board granting a temporary use permit, as I think the, those factors I cited are relevant in terms of your determination. Uh, I think there also be no substantial detrimental impacts from the temporary use permit. Uh, given the existing uses are already there. Uh, you have a property that's zoned to permit this type of these types of uses. And even if they're not strictly permitted on the M one zone, they're essentially the same in terms of layout and potential impacts.  
Speaker 16    01:11:31    Uh, the township also has determined the sites appropriate for these types of uses the M one zoning it's consistent with the master plan and the existing character of the area. So I think if the, with those considerations in mind, the board can grant the temporary use permit without substantially impairing your master plan or zoning efforts and certainly without any negative impacts on the surrounding area. Uh, so in summary, I, I would say given all those factors, the allowing the proposed uses to remain on the property, uh, would not have any substantial detrimental impacts. And again, they can be accommodated on the site, given its considerations.  
Speaker 17    01:12:10    Thank you, Mr. Carmichael, do any members of the board have any questions for Mr. Gravel? Do we have a timeframe on the fairness? So  
Speaker 16    01:12:20    The temporary use permit is good for six months, six months,  
Speaker 17    01:12:24    That's it. And to answer further, Mr. Kale, the applicant and or the applicant contract purchaser will be Bri bringing a full site plan application during that time period, we're going to be back before you. And at that time, the board is going to have, uh, many, many opportunities to help us put the site into a shape that they would want to see it in. And that's one of the important things. It sounds great.  
Speaker 4     01:12:54    I have a couple of questions, Mr. Chairman, uh, attorney mentioned that they had come to an agreement with the township on what did you call it? A memorandum of understanding or  
Speaker 17    01:13:05    Agreement? That's correct. Mr. Chadwick,  
Speaker 4     01:13:08    Are there conditions in that, that  
Speaker 17    01:13:11    There, there are many conditions. Um, if, if the board would permit, I could share my screen and I could just run through this  
Speaker 4     01:13:17    Suggested in the report. I don't know if you've seen it, is it that, is it called a memorandum of agreement?  
Speaker 17    01:13:25    Mr. Chadwick  
Speaker 4     01:13:27    Is to make it a condition of if the board approves is to make it a condition. Do you agree with that,  
Speaker 17    01:13:33    Mr. Traveler? I'm sorry. I don't understand it. It was already the township,  
Speaker 4     01:13:37    The, the agreement that you've come to with the township, they get a part of the zoning board approval. If they approve this,  
Speaker 17    01:13:47    To answer your question as best as I can, as I understand it, the township already approved the form of agreement. It needs to be executed. So to answer your question, yes, it already is. They are already intertwined.  
Speaker 4     01:14:00    And the other thing is your application is for four tenants. Clearly there's more than four on this site.  
Speaker 17    01:14:06    What is that correct?  
Speaker 4     01:14:08    What is the township to do for six months going, following chase?  
Speaker 17    01:14:15    No, those tenants are permitted uses. And what we're doing is the township is going to send out, um, inspections and we're going to apply for the CEO's, the temporary CEO's for those tenants. So when we're back before the board, at that point, the board is going to have the opportunity to see all the tendencies. The reason why we're here this evening is because the four tenants that we're here on are not technically permitted uses pursuant to the ordinance, but those tenants, although they're permitted uses, they will be addressed during the full site plan application. We still have to go through the township. We're going through the building department.  
Speaker 4     01:14:52    Does that memorandum of agreement require you to do any site improvements over the next six weeks?  
Speaker 17    01:14:59    The months, it requires us to do many site improvements. So over the next six months, it requires us to begin work on the exterior perimeter of the property with some sidewalks and some curving, um, the applicant will be doing that. That's all in the agreement. Uh, it is if you'd like, I can read from it for you, if you,  
Speaker 4     01:15:23    I don't think we need to take  
Speaker 17    01:15:24    Everybody's time, but well, just let me be clear about exactly what it will require. It will require us to install curbings and sidewalks in the right of way surrounding the property. Um, and within 120 days of closing and take all necessary steps to complete the installation within 60 days of the start of construction. So yes, we will be completing improvements.  
Speaker 4     01:15:50    I have no other questions, Mr.  
Speaker 17    01:15:52    Chairman. Thank you, John.  
Speaker 1     01:15:57    Mr.  we'll have another witness or additional evidence.  
Speaker 17    01:16:01    Uh, I, I would like to just call a, the contract purchaser, Mr. Gore briefly. Um, if he could be sworn Mr. Kelly,  
Speaker 1     01:16:09    Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth? Could I have your name and address please? Michael gore, 11 unami lanes, scotch Plains, New Jersey. Can you spell your last name please? E as in George O O R. Thank you. Welcome. Go ahead, Mr. And .  
Speaker 17    01:16:33    Thank you, sir. Um, Mr. Gore, uh, you are the contract, you are the principal of the contract purchaser of the property, correct? Right. And as a contract purchaser of the property, you also intend to occupy the property with your business. Um, is that correct? Yes, it is. And as of this time, it's your intention to be on the property for a long period of time, correct? That's correct. And you also intend to conduct major site improvements over the course of the coming years to make this property compliant with any variances and or waivers that this board may grant in the future. Correct?  
Speaker 1     01:17:09    Right. Is there anything else that you'd like to say to inform the board about your intentions for the property?  
Speaker 18    01:17:16    Only that first of all, it's nice to meet you all. And secondly, that, uh, we get done with that property. It's going to look a lot different than it does today.  
Speaker 1     01:17:25    Okay. Do any members of the board have any questions for my client? That's my job by the way. Oh, I apologize. So used to going direct for quiet. All right. You gave me a little break there. I liked that. Um, does anyone on the board have any questions for this, uh, applicant and or this witness who's asking anyone else. Okay. I'll open it to the public portion. Anyone in the public portion of it, any questions about this application or comments Hearing none public portions closed. Uh, I make a motion to approve this application with the conditions, the conditions. Yeah. There were no conditions, right? Uh, just that they returned to the board within six months for the six months I stand by my approval. We'll call the roll off second. Thank you. One.  
Speaker 0     01:18:25    Thank you, Mr. Zimmerman. Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Weissman? Yes. Mr. Reggio Patel. Yes. Mr. Mirando, we lost bill.  
Speaker 1     01:18:44    You've got upset about that zoning commission. Okay. Yes,  
Speaker 0     01:18:47    Yes.  
Speaker 1     01:18:51    Yes. Mr. And Guskey, you're a temporary firm. It's been great though. Thank you everyone. Have a wonderful evening. You have great night, sir. Thank you very much. Let's move forward to number 10 20 dash DB dash seven five slash seven six V. Harris Realty company.  
Speaker 19    01:19:09    Uh, thank you, Mr. Cahill. Um, my name is Tim arch. I am a attorney licensed in the state of New Jersey here representing the applicant Harris Realty company, LLC. Um, we're here before you with a, uh, preliminary and final site plan approval with waivers, uh, and a use variance. Uh, we're requesting a, a use variance for, um, not to run with the land. Uh, we're actually re requesting that a condition of that use variance be, um, uh, a, uh, period of time of four years at which point it would, uh, it would expire. Um, the reason being is that, uh, as you'll hear, um, we, we do have a specific use for the property, uh, but ultimately the, uh, the property in question, um, uh, the goal is to have it, uh, be a conforming. You say a shopping center at some point in the future.  
Speaker 19    01:19:58    Um, but we do have specific conditions as to the property now. Um, we do have, uh, I do have two witnesses, uh, planned. I have, um, our engineer, Mr. James Theone. Uh, and I also have, uh, Jim Higgins. He's our professional planner. Um, also present is Mr. Marvin Strauss. He's the, uh, the applicant's representative, if there's any specific questions that the board has for him at the end of our presentation, he's here to answer those, um, as well. Um, just as part of, uh, some housekeeping. Um, I would ask if, uh, if the board attorney has reviewed the notice and if we are properly, uh, have jurisdiction in front of this board, I  
Speaker 20    01:20:34    Have reviewed the notice and the board has jurisdiction to proceed  
Speaker 19    01:20:37    On your application. Thank you. And I will note that I am in receipt of, uh, three staff reports, one from Mr.  that is dated March 2nd and revised on April 16th, one from Mr. Chadwick, uh, dated April 19th and then a DNR, um, engineering report that is dated, uh, April 16th as well. The only staff that were, uh, that were provided in this, uh, in this matter, um, just as a, as a real brief overview, what we're proposing is, um, we're proposing on, uh, three, three Lakewood avenue, uh, which is currently a, an open field, uh, we're proposing, uh, to do, uh, outdoor storage of steel material, um, uh, as a principal use. Um, so currently it's an empty field. Uh, there's a, there's a future quick check. Uh, that's going to be built next to it. Uh, it's across from the, uh, the Pepsi distribution facility. Um, and, and really the purpose is simple.  
Speaker 19    01:21:36    It's, it's open outdoor storage, uh, for steel, not for, uh, construction equipment, not for construction vehicles, um, not for, uh, additional various, uh, uh, things essentially it's simply that it's just steel. Um, and, uh, uh, it will be brought in on a, on a trailer bed. It'll, it'll be, uh, either unloaded or it'll be kept staged on a trailer, uh, on the property. Um, the property will be, uh, bermed and landscaped, uh, along the front and on the side, and it has railroad to the back. Uh, so it's going to be, uh, greatly, um, uh, shielded from view. Um, I don't want to steal the thunder of my other witnesses. So I think at this point, um, I will, uh, turn the floor over and ask Mr. Uh, , uh, to be, uh, sworn in.  
Speaker 20    01:22:33    Could you raise your right hand? You swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth, so help you God. Yes. Your name and address, please. My name is James . My last name is spelled T H a O N. And my address is 24 30 highway 34, uh, building beats, suite 1 0 2 in Manasquan, New Jersey and fun fact. I'm also a resident of the township of Piscataway.  
Speaker 19    01:23:02    Oh, you'll participate in the public portion as well, I guess. Uh, Mr. Diane, can you just tell us what your title is? You're at bowler engineering, correct?  
Speaker 20    01:23:11    Sure. I'm a licensed professional engineer in the state of New Jersey. I'm a branch manager of the firm of bowler engineering. I manage the, uh, Manasquan office. I've received my bachelor's of science in civil engineering and a minor in environmental engineering community group. The Institute of technology I've designed many sites similar in nature to the one that's before this board tonight in this site was, uh, designed under my jurisdiction. Uh, my license is currently in good standing.  
Speaker 19    01:23:38    And have you been admitted as an expert in front of this board?  
Speaker 20    01:23:43    I haven't been admitted in front of Piscataway township, but I have been admitted in front of numerous boards throughout the state of New Jersey.  
Speaker 19    01:23:50    And you can proceed Mr. , if you can just give us a, I'm going to basically turn it over to you. If you can just give us an overview of the site and your testimony, and then if we could go through those reports.  
Speaker 20    01:24:01    Yes, I would be happy to, so to do so I'm going to share my screen. So let me get some head nods when everyone is seeing what I'm sharing Europe. Excellent. So what you see before you tonight was submitted as part of the application. So Mr. Clark, and do you prefer to this be marked as an exhibit? If this is something that's already in your information packet, if this was submitted as part of the application process, uh, uh, package, it does not need to be separately marked. Excellent. So what I'm referring to is, uh, the preliminary and final site plan that was submitted and specifically the cover sheet, just to briefly, AkaMy acclimate the board to the location of a site. So this area that we're looking at is from 2015 and north is to the top of the page. The site that we're looking at tonight is known as three Lakeview avenue and specifically blocks 7 0 3, lots of 1.05 and 1.06 and lot 1.05, where my mouse and is, is really the star of the show.  
Speaker 20    01:24:56    Tonight as part of the application, the site has approximately 1070 feet of frontage along Lakeview avenue, and is currently boarded to the north by the Conrail mainline. This is an active railroad and a residential zone it's border to the west, where my mouse end is, uh, by the new market pond, uh, as well as a residential zone boundary line to the south by lake view avenue with the Pepsi co that Mr. Archer, uh, said it was in close proximity to the site. And then to the east of us is the quick check. That's currently under construction with new Brunswick avenue beyond that. So as you can see by this aerial exhibit underneath this hatch overlay that we had, there were sites currently vacant. Uh, if you drive by there today, you're going to see it's really overgrown. And there's actually a nice mature, uh, vegetative buffer along the frontage, which is primarily going to stay, uh, in place there.  
Speaker 20    01:25:48    And then along the rear property line as well. You'll see. And as long as the west property line, there's also mature vegetation that will stay as part of this application on now within the same drawing set flip over to again, what was submitted as part of our information packet. It's the overall site layout plan again, prepared by Bohler engineering with north to the top of the page. So the reason we were here before you tonight in front of the zoning board is we are proposing a temporary, temporary outdoor storage area. That'll be approximately 5.99 acres. And when we say temporary, we're defining that as a four year total time that this would be used. Uh, the temporary storage out outdoor storage area is not a permitted use within the shopping center zone. Just briefly about the use itself before I discuss the plans, um, as Mr.   
Speaker 20    01:26:38    stated, uh, the, the use of the site will be to store, uh, steel materials potentially for active construction sites, um, in New York city, uh, should it become required. And so, uh, we are anticipating this would happen over a period of four years, and it's really just to store material and that material at its highest point, the steel would be stacked at eight feet in height, and we're anticipating that could be stacked on the back of trailers. Um, and those trailers, uh, have about a bed height of about four feet. So the four foot bed height, plus the steel on top of it, puts it about a 12 foot total height of material that could be stored at this property. Um, additionally at this property, you'll see that we are proposing that there be a temporary structure. And so I'll actually point you to that where my mouse hand is, uh, it's 11 feet wide by 13 feet long and approximately 10 feet tall.  
Speaker 20    01:27:33    And this is just a temporary structure, uh, for those, uh, activities onsite to, uh, act as shelter, if there's inclement weather, uh, when there are some loading operations happening there. And so what we're expecting is that there'll be about two forklifts that will be staged onsite as well as one tractor for loading, just to support the activity, um, when it became necessary for, uh, the steel, um, to be brought in and out of a site, we're really anticipating this to be very minimal in the grand scheme of things where we're expecting at a maximum to be about five truck in an out movements on any given day, if the site is an active use, um, throughout a period of time. And the, the operations of that would be generally during daylight hours on weekdays and an occasional Saturday or Sunday weekend, again, only if it became necessary.  
Speaker 20    01:28:24    Um, so just to acclimate the, the boards of the site, what you're seeing on the screen with this, uh, circular hatch, where mouse, and is the, is the extent of the outdoor storage area it's tucked away in the back of the site and what comply with the theoretical limit of the setbacks of the zone. So there's a hundred foot front yard setback. And so we don't have this storage area anywhere closer to the right of way. Then that hundred feet, the only existing nonconformity from the code with respect to the bulk requirements is the fact that the depth currently does not comply with the, uh, with the required depth of a lot or code. However, that's going to be unchanged as part of this application to get into the site. We're proposing access off of lake view avenue, which is a township road we're proposing a 50 foot wide dry bile where my mouse and this year, this is to allow for smooth transitions in and out of a tractor trailers to access the site to drop off or pick up steel as they enter into the site.  
Speaker 20    01:29:25    They're greeted by a five foot gate, which is an order of Friday, a measure of safety and security for the storage area itself. We are requesting a design waiver for the size of that driveway. It's 50 feet wide burn. The code requires or minimizes or maximizes the driveway width to 35 feet. We're proposing it at 50, but again, we need that 50 foot to adequately allow trucks to enter and exit the site with minimal impact. Then on lake view avenue, I will point out along the frontage that entire thousand feet we are providing a brand new, uh, four foot wide concrete sidewalk, as well as we will be happy to replace any damaged curb along that frontage, uh, when it is inspected by your township engineer, um, Al flip now to our landscaping plan that was included as, as part of the set as well, just to describe, uh, the proposed buffering, that's going to be, um, proposed as part of its application to mitigate the views of the storage area from the road.  
Speaker 20    01:30:31    And so to do that, I flipped over to sheet 7 0 1 C 7 0 1, which is the landscape plan north again, to the top of the page, prepared by bowler, including the application packet. And so what you'll see here where my mouse end is on the entire frontage of Lakeview avenue, we're proposing an undulating burn to give it a natural look, which would have a height of up to a maximum of eight feet. On top of that berm, we're providing an additional 91 shrubs that'll be planted at eight to 10 feet in height, which was a request of Mr.  at 15 feet on center. So we talked about the height of the, the, the storage in the rear of the site at a maximum, it would be a 12 feet on the top of a trailer bed. Um, and the majority of it would be at eight feet.  
Speaker 20    01:31:18    So again, that berm is eight feet, but on top of that to mitigate any of the additional views that you may get, uh, from the site, we're proposing those, uh, shrubs along there, um, that will grow quite nicely and act as a nice visual screen. And those Trubs will be at eight to 10 feet in height. So you're looking at about 16, uh, feet of buffering along the entire frontage of the site. And it's also, uh, of notable importance that where my mouse and is along lake view avenue, as I originally said, there are some mature vegetation that's out there today, and that's not going to be removed as part of this application again, to further mitigate the views into the site. And with respect to the quick check that's along the Eastern property boundary, that's under construction. Since that's a retail operation, we want it to be sensitive to them also, if they're not looking into a storage area.  
Speaker 20    01:32:08    And so what we're doing is we're wrapping our burm around that Eastern property line, again, up to eight feet in height with, uh, the evergreen shrubs on top of it, in order to mitigate the views into the site of that burn. Um, it was a request of one of your professionals or professional planner to discuss what the import would be expected for the site to make this berm and to bring in the gravel we're expecting approximately 5,800 cubic yards of fill would need to be brought into the site. And we will comply with township requirements with respect to permitting, to bring in that fill and for soil movement, uh, for the site. Um, one of the waivers we are requesting from this board is the fact that a 75 foot buffer is required when industrial uses or commercial uses of, but a residential zones. So if you can see where my mouse end is on the north side of the site where we have, but the railroad that actually is a residential zone boundary line.  
Speaker 20    01:33:07    Um, so 75 foot buffer is required there, we're proposing it at 25 feet. So we are requesting a waiver from this board. However, it's my opinion is very minimal impacts. Um, I think the, the, the idea behind that buffers to mitigate impacts to a residential use or a home, there's no homes in close proximity to the site. So I think it is a minimal impact, um, to them and therefore requesting that variance for consideration from this board, um, with respect to the review letters, uh, reviewed and received by your professionals. I am now referring to the review letter prepared by Mr. Hinter seen, um, last revised April 16th. Uh, the applicant takes no issue with complying with the requirements, uh, within this letter, referring to the letter prepared by Mr. Chadwick dated April 19. Again, I think most of these are really factual in nature or statements of facts. Um, and so therefore we have no issue with them. I did discuss under comment for the need, uh, to provide the calculation for the import export of the site and our anticipated truck route for that would be off of new Brunswick avenue. We're expecting that trucks would likely come from 2 87, uh, would enter onto new Brunswick avenue, traveling northbound towards the site, and then use Lakeview avenue at the main access that we had proposed where I mouse hand is to enter and exit and bring soil in port to that site.  
Speaker 20    01:34:36    Uh, lastly, with respect to the DNR review letter, I had a very positive conversation about this letter, uh, with Mr. Carlene, who is the author of this letter, that's dated April 16th. Uh, and we have, um, come to an understanding on, on this, the comments that are listed here in, so we agreed to work with him in a professional manner to satisfy his comments, uh, as part of this application, Tim, that includes my direct testimony.  
Speaker 19    01:35:04    Uh, thank you, Mr. Fan. Um, and just to clarify, Mr. Henderson's report, um, we would agree, uh, to number two, that an LOI, uh, would be provided as a condition of the, uh, of the approval. Is that correct? That is correct. And, uh, and number six indicates that a Middlesex county letter is to be submitted. That's been submitted, um, previously, is that correct? Mr.  
Speaker 20    01:35:28    And Middlesex county has offered an exemption for this project.  
Speaker 19    01:35:32    Um, then, uh, I would, uh, turn you over to the board for any questions.  
Speaker 1     01:35:39    Any members of the board have any questions for this witness or this application?  
Speaker 21    01:35:44    This is Warren. I just have one quick question. What's to the west of this property,  
Speaker 20    01:35:49    It's the new market pond. So if you were to drive further down Lakeview avenue, you'd have those nice, uh, water fountains that you would see, uh, within the pond there and the river. Yeah, very, very close by here. Yup.  
Speaker 21    01:36:04    So there's no buffer from the, from Newmarket pond and, uh, and all this, uh, I guess iron or what have you, there's no buffer, there's nothing that's going to, uh,  
Speaker 20    01:36:21    So yes, that's correct. So we're not proposing a berm in that location because along this property line where my mouse and here is I went back to the cover sheet. That's part of your packet. There is a lot of mature vegetation on that side and it's open public space. And as a matter of fact, the river cuts through there. So there's really not a view corridor. As you drive down that road into the site where you do, you would really be seeing, um, this property or the, the outdoor storage area in the back.  
Speaker 21    01:36:50    Okay. All right. Thank you.  
Speaker 1     01:36:52    I have a question. How high is that wild vegetation, would you say?  
Speaker 20    01:36:56    Um, yes. At a minimum, I would say there's a lot of mature trees that are along that property line. They could go up to 25 feet at night.  
Speaker 1     01:37:04    Okay. Thank you. Any other members of the board have any questions hearing none. I'm going to open it to the public portion. Anyone in the public portion have any questions about this application or this witness? It's perfectly, I do not see any one chairman, other portions closed.  
Speaker 19    01:37:25    Um, I would ask that, uh, that we move on to my next witness. That would be Mr. Jim Higgins, my professional planner. He is available. There he is  
Speaker 1     01:37:34    The Higgins. Could you raise your right hand and swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth. I do your name and address please.  
Speaker 22    01:37:41    Higgins H I G G I N S 14. Tilton drive ocean New Jersey.  
Speaker 1     01:37:47    I believe Mr. Higgins has been accepted as a professional planner before this board on private.  
Speaker 22    01:37:52    I am still licensed  
Speaker 1     01:37:54    That's news.  
Speaker 22    01:37:56    Take his credential.  
Speaker 19    01:37:59    Thank you, Mr. Higgins, if you can, if you can please take us through, uh, your planning opinion as to this.  
Speaker 22    01:38:06    Yeah, surely I did. I reviewed the application. I looked at the site, I looked at the expert reports that were submitted. I had met with the tech talk with the applicant. Um, if we had number several meetings on this application, so on, um, uh, totally familiar with the application rather than going and repeat everything. And Mr. Fallon said he, he accurately described the site, the surrounding areas and the application. The one thing that wasn't mentioned is that while there's going to be, uh, materials on trailers and trailers stored at the site, there will be no more than eight empty trailers and no more than eight trailers with materials on them and on the site at any one time. And I believe Mr. Chadwick, uh, suggested those trailers be parked towards the rear of the site. And I think the applicant has agreed that that's something that's possible that can be done.  
Speaker 22    01:38:57    Uh, it's an unusual application because while it is a use variance, it's not one that's going to run with the land. It's one, that's going to be a limited to four years in duration, uh, because of the very nature of this application of the, of the use and the need for the use. So when I looked at this, the first thing I really looked at was the negative criteria rather than the positive criteria. Uh, the site is in the shopping centers zone to propose use obviously outdoor storage of, of steel building materials. It's not a permitted use in its own, but the site itself is it's large. It's 10 acres, it's relatively level, it's somewhat isolated from surrounding properties. Uh, you have the railroad tracks to the north. You have the Wawa gas station and industrial uses in south Plainfield to the east. You have open space and a park to the west, and then you have the PepsiCo plant directly across the street.  
Speaker 22    01:39:55    So I think when you look at the site, I, I think what's being proposed here because it's basically a passive type of use. It's not going to have a substantial impact on the surrounding areas or on the surrounding uses. Um, the site itself, uh, the use will be screened from surrounding properties by the berms and by the landscaping's in areas where it would be visible from sorry, from surrounding properties or from the street. And about the only part of the site that would be visible from the street is where you would look through the, the entrance gate in the front. So I don't think there's any substantial negative impact to what's being proposed here. And again, the, the amount of activity on the site was a maximum of five trucks coming in and five trucks leaving during the course of a day. When you compare that to the PepsiCo site directly across the street, which I counted on, on a Google aerial, there were 140 trailers that are actually on that site that are ready for use.  
Speaker 22    01:40:56    And there were a number of trailers in the, in the one Google, uh, uh, Ariel that I looked at that were actually coming and leaving the site. So I don't think there's any substantial negative impact in terms of the traffic that will be generated by this use, uh, the use itself. I think that there are, uh, are special reasons. I think that particular suitability of the site, uh, it's a, it's a large site. It's relatively level again, it's isolated, uh, and what's being proposed here is a passive use, which I think is ideal for this type of use. And the fact that it's a temporary use, it's going to be for up to four years, I think is actually works to the benefit of this. It has access to major streets and access through 2 87 V via both new Brunswick avenue, which would I think be the primary access, but also via Clinton avenue in south Plainfield, which is through an industrial area.  
Speaker 22    01:41:53    So I think that adds to the suitability of the site. I think there's a need for the proposed use of present, uh, the unique conditions which the applicant has described to the theme that are created by COVID-19, which have resulted in a substantial slowdown in construction activity in the New York area, uh, definitely creates a need for storage of these building materials in locations where when the slowdown is over and building starts again, there it's those, the ability to rapidly get those, uh, materials to the, to the, uh, construction sites. Uh, in addition, uh, the well, the zoning of the site for shopping centers while it's not obsolete obsolete at this point in time, the demand for retail space and for office space is very, very limited because of the COVID-19 situation, but particularly where conventional retail is, is not in demand as it has been pre COVID.  
Speaker 22    01:43:01    And it will probably be in demand again, sometime in the foreseeable future. But at this point in time, it's not really in demand that it's not likely that this site would be developed as a shopping center in the foreseeable future in the next four years. So I think to quit this site to a inappropriate use that has no substantial negative impact on the surrounding properties. And in fact in ways actually helps prepare the site for development as a shopping center at sometime in the future, I think makes a lot of sense. So, so when I look at it, I think you do have a special reasons with regards to the particular suitability of the site to meet a current need for it for a limited period of time and no substantial negative impact either to your zone plan or to the surrounding properties. I think the  
Speaker 4     01:43:51    Application can be granted.  
Speaker 19    01:43:54    Thank you, Mr. Higgins. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Kao, I don't want to steal your thunder. I don't want to take  
Speaker 1     01:44:01    No, no, no. I was just wondering if anybody on the board had any questions for this app applicant or for his planner hearing? None. I will put,  
Speaker 4     01:44:12    Uh, one of the points in the memo we didn't talk about is the suggestion that all the, uh, trailer loads be in the rear of the property, not in the front, is that a consideration was to either either one goodness respond, I guess  
Speaker 19    01:44:30    What w w if I could respond to that, what I would buy my hesitancy is that I don't want to, um, I don't want to limit the flexibility of the site, um, especially cause I don't know exactly, um, when, how, how many things are going to be there and when they're going to be how they're going to be staged. Um, I would say that with the, the berming, with the, uh, the group of the vegetation, that's on top of that, I think any area on the site is going to be, um, visually obscured and shielded from, uh, from Lakeview avenue. Um, so we would certainly agree, uh, as a condition that we will make, uh, um, uh, the best efforts to, uh, coordinate the trailers in locations where they would be, um, not be able to be seen from lake view avenue. Um, but to designate a specific portion of the overall site as trailer versus non trailer, I think would limit the flexibility. Um, since, since quite frankly, it's, it's, it's unknown. Exactly. Um, how it,  
Speaker 4     01:45:40    Let me interrupt you living with making a mountain out is I've never seen steel eight feet eyes. How did we arrive at that number?  
Speaker 19    01:45:52    Uh, by, by measuring the actual, the, the actual material and, and the trailer? Um, I mean, obviously not in on this site, but, uh, the, it was, it was measured, uh, from the, on the trailer and the trailer itself.  
Speaker 4     01:46:10    All right. I, I, you know, I accept you, you, you accomplish, the other thing is you've limited the equipment on the site to some tractors and some forklifts there will be no cranes.  
Speaker 19    01:46:23    Uh, my understanding is that there is no, uh, no grains that will be on the site. And that could be an, and I don't see any reason why that can't be a, a condition of condition.  
Speaker 4     01:46:35    I have no other  
Speaker 1     01:46:39    Anyone else at the board hearing none. I'm going to open it to the public. Anyone in the public portion have any questions or comments about this witness or about this app? Okay. Paul public portions closed.  
Speaker 19    01:46:55    Um, thank you very much. I think this is a it's, it's a relatively simple, straightforward, um, way to use a completely underutilized, uh, space, uh, right now. And it's, uh, it's, it's a, it's a need that we have at the moment. It's not going to be there forever. And, um, I thank you for listening to our presentation,  
Speaker 1     01:47:17    Give us the arch, appreciate I'm going to make a motion to approve this application. Jim, do we have conditions that we'll have a number of conditions? Uh, one is the, the main one is that it's four years in duration, no cranes on site, a limited number that they're going to work to keep it to the rear, to the extent possible. And that's what, okay. That reinforces my, uh, and comply with staff approval. Do I have a second? I'll second, the second. Thank you. First. Hold the roll man. Mr. Zimmerman. Yes. Mr. Taylor. Yes. Mr. Weissman. Yes. Mr. Reggio. Yes. Mr. Patel. Yes. Mr. Mirando. Yes. And chairman Cato. Yes. Mr. Archer application has been approved. We'll memorialize it our next meeting and send you a copy.  
Speaker 19    01:48:32    Thank you so much, everybody have a wonderful evening.  
Speaker 1     01:48:34    Great night now. Take care. Let's move on to the item. 1221 days, ZB dash zero six, Sam N J 44.  
Speaker 23    01:48:47    Good evening. My name is Brian . I'm from the law firm. Dear Dan O'Halloran and CSULA. This evening, I'm here appearing on behalf of the applicant, Sam and J 44 Stellan LLC. Uh, the property subject of this application is blocked 1901 lot 64 0 1 in Skagway 44 Stoughton road. And the applicant is currently the owner of that property. Uh, the, this board has previously granted site plan approval as well as variance relief in both 2016 and 2018. And the property is currently under construction in accordance with those plans and approvals this evening, the applicant is here and seeks an amendment to its site plan in order to allow for modest modifications, to a portion of its existing parking lot that was approved. Uh, this would be to remove one of the center islands in favor of expanding the sidewalk by roughly 6.2 feet. And part of that, uh, part of the reason for that would be to allow for outdoor dining, uh, for the already permitted dining uses. Uh, notice tonight has been provided in accordance with the Moul submitted to the board secretary. And I would ask that Mr. Keneally confirm that this board has jurisdiction and that the notice was satisfactory.  
Speaker 1     01:50:08    I reviewed the notice. The notice is satisfactory and the board has jurisdiction to continue.  
Speaker 23    01:50:13    Thank you, uh, in support of this application this evening, we'll present the testimony of both our professional engineer, Mr. Michael Dippell, as well as our planner, Mr. Nicholas grabber, Yano, unless there's any questions. Uh I'm for, for me generally about the project I'd like to introduce Mr. Debele, please proceed. Mr. DePaul, uh, would you mind giving the board your qualifications?  
Speaker 1     01:50:42    Let me swear him in first. Sure. Yes. Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth, so help you God, I do your name and address please.  
Speaker 24    01:50:52    Yes, it's Michael , D I P P L E. My professional address is 60 grand avenue. Anglewood New Jersey. Thank you.  
Speaker 23    01:51:03    Thank you, Mr. Dippell. And would you provide the board with your qualifications?  
Speaker 24    01:51:07    Yeah, I, I appeared, uh, on this application the previous two times, um, I've appeared in front of Piscataway. I don't recall if it was a planning board or zoning board on other occasions.  
Speaker 1     01:51:19    Chairman, let me interrupt the witness. Uh, this board granted an applicant, an approval to this, uh, on two prior occasions, most recently in 2018 or 19. And if Mr. Dippell appeared and was qualified then and remains a certified engineer in the state of New Jersey, I think you can accept this qualifications. Absolutely. I know.  
Speaker 24    01:51:39    I agree, please proceed. Uh, do thank you. Okay.  
Speaker 23    01:51:44    Uh, Mr. Jebel, would you tell us about the proposed amendment to the site plan and what's shown in the site plan application that was submitted?  
Speaker 24    01:51:52    Yes, I think it's best for me to share my screen. So I'll do so, um, so what I have here is, uh, I'm sorry, let me just get to the correct page. Um, this is a copy of the site plan application that was submitted, it's called amended preliminary and final site plan, um, pizzeria diner, bakery, uh, and now we added patio expansion. It's at 44 Stilton road. Um, and I will go to the existing conditions and demolition plan. Um, so I'm just going to zoom in here. This is sheet CO2 of the package you have. So on the left side, uh, of the, sorry, let me get my directions. Right. The south side of the site, there is a small, um, one building which was approved for, um, not only the existing bank to remain, but then three, a restaurant style uses that's the pizzeria, the bakery, uh, and the diner, and that's the most recent application.  
Speaker 24    01:53:02    So, uh, what we have tonight is these restaurants will remain as, is that pre approval will, uh, will continue to be valid, but we're asking for the removal of this island in the back. And maybe I'm sorry if it's a little bit unclear, but there's a concrete island here with a little bit of landscaping and some lighting, um, in the island. And that really kind of provides a barrier for the parking lot. So if you parked behind it, you would have to cross that little barrier. Um, so we're proposing to remove that and extend, uh, the sidewalk in front of the building. Let me just go to the next sheet. So here is my site plan. She, as you can see under proposed conditions, we would make this more of a traditional parking lot configuration. And then this is where the expansion I'm just running it here and zooming in at the back of the existing building, you would see an expansion of a 6.7, five feet, I believe that's to the edge of the curve.  
Speaker 24    01:54:10    So, um, so that that's, what's proposed, it's really just kind of taking the, the island out of the back and making this wider, of course, for the outdoor dining. And I I'm sure, I don't have to describe to people why the applicant might be interested in outdoor dining. That's what everyone's doing right now and the current state of affairs. Um, so it is a fairly simple application that does have us come back here in front of the board for this modification. So as I mentioned, it's still pizzeria bakery, diner, and bank on the end of the architecture. We're not proposing any changes to that. It's really just while we're under construction, I should just point out that the site is currently under construction under the prior approval. And while we're under construction, this, this all occurred, all this pandemic occurred, and this is the idea to expand that, to provide these restaurant tours with, uh, the availability of outdoor dining. So, um, and I would be remissed if I didn't show my, uh, colored rendering that, that my staff put together. So I just want to zoom in and show we still have the landscape islands. Uh, the sand colored area here is the expansion that I described. The islands would be here, and we are proposing, uh, to replace a few trees, uh, throughout the site. One of which I see here, uh, on the end and then throughout the site, we did propose to more. And Mr.   
Speaker 1     01:55:43    Was the colored rendering part of your original submission to the board?  
Speaker 24    01:55:47    It was not. You're going  
Speaker 1     01:55:49    To need to submit a copy of that to the board. And we'll mark that as a one, please.  
Speaker 24    01:55:54    Okay. Well, we'll say it's a one. Alright. Okay. Okay. Uh, I, I think, uh, in terms of, uh, grading and drainage, there's really no, um, there's really no impact to this. The, um, the site kind of drain toward that island and there was a number of inlets. Um, we would convert those inlets to possible, or as needed rather, uh, to the proper type of inlets to not obstruct any, any flow or traffic or anything in that area. Um, so engineering wise, there's very minimal improvement here. All right. I don't think I have much else. Um, unless, um, Brian, you want me to hit on any other,  
Speaker 1     01:56:42    Well, let me ask the board members quick, quickly, any board members have any questions for this individual about his testimony,  
Speaker 2     01:56:51    Mr. Mr. Kao, are we going to go through the staff report?  
Speaker 1     01:56:54    We'll get to go do the site impact with this individual that's following me  
Speaker 2     01:57:00    The attorney.  
Speaker 23    01:57:01    Well, we, we can do it with, um, I think either Mr.  or Mr.  and I'm happy to, to start, um, Mr. Dippell, as part of this application, can you confirm that we're not proposing any additional seating to what was originally  
Speaker 24    01:57:17    Yeah, that's correct. This is really just to bring seating outdoors. So the original, a number of seats, which is shown on the plan here for each of the uses. If, if I zoom in we'll remain, um, of course during the pandemic, um, we are, uh, restaurant tours are reducing the amount of seating indoors, and trying to move some seating outdoors. So this expanded sidewalk just allows them that kind of room to keep their current customer base and their seating. So there is no increase in seating and there is no loss in parking.  
Speaker 2     01:57:54    So, so what you're saying is when the pandemics over and a successful restaurant on a Friday night is parceling, the same amount of tables are going to be here. We're not going to increase the seating capacity by adding a few tables outside for one of these establishments and keep the same amount of tables inside.  
Speaker 24    01:58:15    Well, that, that is, that is the proposal. Mr. Henderson, at this time,  
Speaker 2     01:58:21    The cables will be the amount of tables will be reduced inside the building to accommodate the same, that same seating outdoors, correct?  
Speaker 24    01:58:30    That's correct. Okay.  
Speaker 2     01:58:33    And to basically condition Mr. Kenyon. Yes.  
Speaker 1     01:58:37    And interrupt a second, please. John, go ahead. I think you need to clarify  
Speaker 4     01:58:41    The varied. Are you just trying to get out, do a seating during the period that, uh, the municipality has passed resolutions authorizing it, or do you want to have outside seating period?  
Speaker 23    01:58:56    It's the former, uh, we're looking to, uh, for approval for seating outside during the period townships recent resolution is effective. Uh, as soon as the use is no longer permitted pursuant to that resolution, uh, we would not seek to continue that use.  
Speaker 4     01:59:14    Okay. So you have authorization to do that without coming to the, to the zoning board To mend your plan.  
Speaker 23    01:59:26    That's correct. We're we're here.  
Speaker 4     01:59:29    How do, how do we rationalize setting up really, uh, a patio area for outside dining, and then it's going to disappear COVID if it ever goes away.  
Speaker 23    01:59:46    So it's still a fairly  
Speaker 4     01:59:48    It quacks, it walks like it, it,  
Speaker 2     01:59:54    I think this, this John is your state. I mean, I don't have an issue more or less with the outdoor dining to the rear of this problem either. It's just that there's, there's barely a fraction of green space left on this property compared to what was here previously. Uh, my issue is, is that we just took out that whole island that may not have had a lot of landscaping, but it did have a few trees and it did add more, uh, pervious car purchases, the site. Um, again, I think you might've mentioned that John, I know I mentioned it in my report is I think at a minimum,  
Speaker 2     02:00:27    Some tree on this needs to be added in between some of these spaces to at least add three trees to that, to that center line of that proposed parking lot. And then, uh, I have concerns about there being no, no barrier whatsoever between the parking area and the proposed, uh, patio or increased sidewalk area. We think it's large enough where perhaps, uh, some earth filled planters with some plantings things could be added between the, the parking lot and the a, and the tables for number one for safety reasons, God forbid, uh, and also to, again, to, to dress up that area. So it's just not so, uh, so concrete, uh, heavy and, uh, uh, and just soften it up.  
Speaker 24    02:01:15    Yeah. I, I, I, I see the comment in both letters and the applicant has informed me that they're willing to put the, uh, the trees in and Mr. Henderson, I believe something like the diamond shape, you know, uh, landscaped islands throughout the, you know, along that line would be appropriate. I believe you mentioned you see an opportunity for three, if, if I read your comment, correct? Correct. Okay. And then, and then of course, Mr. Chadwick had the same comment about the tree island. So, you know, by all means we, um, we would be willing to do that. Uh, so I have authorization from the applicant to amend my plan, you know, if we're successful tonight and I resubmit that I would include that. And then we could make sure that we get the right species or whatnot in there. All right,  
Speaker 4     02:02:07    Mr. Gibble, do you know if any of the, uh, restaurant uses or are planning any kind of structures?  
Speaker 24    02:02:18    Uh, I'm sorry, can you say that again, Mr. Chapman,  
Speaker 4     02:02:20    Uh, do you know if they're playing any of the tenants, restaurant, tenants planning, any structures would be outdoor dining?  
Speaker 24    02:02:30    Yeah, I, I think, uh, that was another comment we just haven't made a damn the comment three of Mr. Hinter seems a letter yet, but, um, in terms of the outdoor dining, uh, the, uh, physical barrier is something that, that the applicant is interested into. What, what we're doing right now is trying to figure out exactly how the interior fit out is going to go. So we don't really, we haven't really gotten that far yet with the tenants, but we agreed that there would be some kind of physical barrier, um, either in the form of a planter box or something that would be, um, that would be, uh, uh, meet the satisfaction. Mr. Henderson, I guess. Right. You, you might be the one, that's your comment who would approve that safety? Yeah, I think it's, I think it's a good idea to have that physical barrier between the parking and the people that will be dining outside.  
Speaker 24    02:03:25    We just haven't figured that out. We got the comment, uh, yesterday, and we concur that. And if you'll allow us, um, to return, you know, with the plans and make sure that that's to your satisfaction, we could, we could do that if we're successful tonight. So we, we concur with number two on your, I think on, um, among Mr. Hendra scene's letter of April 21st, we discussed number one with no increase of the seating. Number two, we agreed to the trees and number three, we agreed that we would put some kind of physical barrier, whether it be, uh, an attractive fence or a planter box. And that we would determine that, um, prior to, I guess, prior to CFO, I would assume, um, you know, that we've come up with some solution there. Um, and then I think number four, you had a discussion about the boxwoods. Um, I'm sorry, Mr. Henderson, do you see damage to the box was I thought they were a fairly Hardy plant, but they are, but  
Speaker 2     02:04:28    Because they're in such small spaces and you're going to be salting the parking lot, I actually, this isn't even really a salt spray actually think salt's going to land in these islands. And I don't, I don't think the box you're going to do well with the salt, that much salt is going to be constantly sort of, uh, thrown upon them. Um, again, it's, I'll leave that up to, up to the, if the applicant really likes the boxwood, if they all die, he's going to get a letter from the code enforcement change, got to replace his landscaping. So something you may want to consider not going to really twist your arm on that one. If, if, if the applicant loves boxwood, it's just that if they die, he may want to then consider the different species that  
Speaker 24    02:05:12    Okay. So, so that, um, we will consider that I will speak to our landscape architect who assisted us with this and see if he has a better idea. And then, um, I appreciate that. And then number five, the Middlesex county letter, we have submitted, we have resubmitted this, um, we don't think that they're going to have any issue with it, but, you know, we did have approval from Middlesex county, I think twice before on this application. So on this site rather for the prior application. So we see no issue with that. We just haven't received any correspondence back. Okay. Um, I just want to clarify something, I heard Brian, perhaps we can discuss the, the COVID versus permanent, um, aspect of the, of the seating. I don't believe that the applicant was looking for just during COVID. I think this application is for the seating outdoor for seasonal uses. Am I correct on that? Or am I not? Yes.  
Speaker 23    02:06:16    And I apologize, misspoken. And so the distinction here is that pre COVID or post COVID, we would not be seeking to increase the seats. Uh, but as Mr. Dibel alluded to we'd have that barrier and seek to use this seasonal basis going forward, uh, during the period of the resolution and afterwards.  
Speaker 24    02:06:37    So just so I'm clear, so you are proposing an increase in seating? No, we're not proposing, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off. Um, no, that's okay. Go ahead. We are not it's it's it's imperative right now for the contractor while he's under construction to get approval for this, so he can complete construction. So if, if for some, if we are successful tonight and expanding the sidewalk, he can complete construction of the site improvements, which are ongoing right now. So time is a bit of the essence for him, you know, to finish up now, in terms of the seating, we're not proposing to increase any seating at this point, if in fact the, uh, one of the tenants wants to increase the seating, they would have to come in and get an amended approval for an increase in seating. We're not proposing that tonight at all. This is really here to expand the sidewalk and provide the outdoor dining because the summer coming, we all know that we're not going to be at a hundred percent capacity inside of our restaurants, probably throughout the summer. Um, so that's why seasonally. This is very important right now. Um, without floor plans and seating arrangements, we're, we're not, we're not proposing an increase, so  
Speaker 4     02:07:56    I, I wouldn't interrupt again. I think you agreed that this application is for outdoor seating period. It's not tied to COVID  
Speaker 24    02:08:12    Patient. That's correct. Mr. Chad.  
Speaker 4     02:08:15    And that goes back to what I asked before. Why already with these kinds of issues is you were going to have a structure you're going to have to have air conditioning in the summer. You're going to have to have heat in the fall. You've got to have a structure out there and you're going to be back here again.  
Speaker 24    02:08:35    Well, I don't, when you say a structure out there where we're looking at,  
Speaker 4     02:08:39    It's going to require a building permit. If you have to have a building permit, you have to have a site plan.  
Speaker 24    02:08:45    Uh, I, I understand where, so we're seeking right now tonight to expand the sidewalk and the ability to put tables and chairs out in that sidewalk, providing the barrier around it, which, which I promise to include in a resubmission, but,  
Speaker 4     02:09:05    And you also want outside seating not to be tied to a COVID resolution.  
Speaker 24    02:09:13    Well, that's correct because we're expanding the sidewalk.  
Speaker 4     02:09:17    Let me just go beyond that. It gets into the notice issue. Is that what to notice call for?  
Speaker 24    02:09:29    I don't think I'm the appropriate person to answer that on our team, but  
Speaker 23    02:09:38    Just pulling that up. Uh, the, the, the notice does speak to outdoor dining, uh, speak to the timeline for that.  
Speaker 1     02:10:10    Any other members of the board have any questions for this witness? Should I take it to the public gym?  
Speaker 24    02:10:22    Uh, Mr.  do you have any other witnesses?  
Speaker 23    02:10:26    Yes. Uh, thank you, Mr. DePaul, at this time, I'd ask Mr. Graham piano to come on the screen.  
Speaker 1     02:10:36    Mr. Grabby auto, could you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth? I do your name and address please. Yes. My first name is Nicholas last name, Graziano, G R a V as in Victor I a N O I'm with grand piano and Gillis, architects and planners would a business address of 1 0 1 Crawford's corner road in home, down New Jersey.  
Speaker 23    02:11:05    Thank you, Nick. Would you please give your, uh, qualifications for the word?  
Speaker 1     02:11:11    Uh, yes. I have been qualified by this board before in relation to this application, uh, back in 2018. Uh, however, I, I think we're going to do, I think we're going to do the same thing we did with the last witness, except your credentials. Please proceed. These are appreciated. Yes. I know it's getting late. I'll keep this very short. The applicant is before you this evening for an amended site plan, uh, there are no new variances that are required as part of this, uh, proposal. It is a very modest proposal of the sidewalk in the rear of the existing, uh, retail strip. Um, I believe that the ability to do a very modest amount of outdoor seating, if you look at the amount of space being proposed back here, it is not large in size whatsoever, uh, will not create a substantial detriment to the surrounding community. As this site is surrounded pretty much by, uh, the parking lot and the, um, street right of way to, um, the neighboring property owners on Hopkinson avenue, you have the park and the rear of the property, and you have the three story brick office building on the other side of the property. So there's going to be no negative impacts by the increased sidewalk and the potential for seeding in the rear of this commercial establishment.  
Speaker 23    02:12:39    Thank you. Ma'am I'm just looking at Mr. Chadwick's letter. I believe that we have discussed all of his items, uh, but Mr. Chadwick was, was there anything additional for Mr. Grabby piano that you'd like to ask?  
Speaker 4     02:12:56    No, uh, I don't want to harp on this, but I just don't want to see bouncing back and forth between is boy, if you're going to have outside seating and there's going to be some kind of cover structure out there, the ought to be uniformity, but doing the three of them. Oh, it's tables and chairs.  
Speaker 1     02:13:17    I understand your concern, Mr. Chadwick, but I do believe this is a straight outdoor dining area where the tables will be open to the elements. And there is really not going to be any structure proposed as part of the seating like everywhere else. That's accommodating the outdoor seating at the moment. This will not contain any structures and it's going to be open to the elements, some umbrellas. And that's it. That's correct. Okay. Thank you, John. Any other members of the board have any questions for this man hearing none. I'm going to take it to the public. Anyone, the general public have any questions about this application or the witnesses Ms. Barkley? No, sir. Public portions closed. Um, I would make a motion to approve the application with the conditions mentioned by Mr. Uh, Hammerstein. I'm sure Jim's got a whole list. Yes. I don't know your conditions. Good. So I'll make a motion to approve it, but the conditions are you give it to CalFresh to stop call the roll.  
Speaker 0     02:14:30    Okay. So who lights up first when they talk? Mr. Zimmerman? Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Weissman? Yes. Mr. Reggio? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Mirando? Yes. And chairman Cahill. Yes.  
Speaker 1     02:14:48    Your application has been approved. We will memorialize that at our next meeting with one copy of the resolution to you. Thank you very much. Appreciate it, gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you. Let's go to item 13 at the option of resolutions from the regular meeting of April 8th, 2021. First resolution is Shoba Chopra. This was an amended application. Would you voted to approve the amended application? Mr. Teller? Mr. Zimmerman? Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. You can Weissman. Yes. Patel. Yes. Mr. Mirando. Yes. Yes. Next application was Mohamed and Morel Slen which we voted to approve Mr. Zimmerman. Yes. Mr. Tillary. Yes. Was the Weissman Patel? Yes. Mr. Mirando? Yes. Mr. Cahill. Yes. Next application was Samantha Rodriguez, which you voted to approve Mr. Zimmerman? Yes. Tillery? Yes. The Weissman. Yes. Mr. Patel. Yes, it was the middle Rondo. Mr. Cahill? Yes. Uh, next is Craig and Cheryl gallon, which you voted to approve Mr. Zimmerman? Yes. Mr. Tillery, the Weissman Mr. Patel. Rondo? Yes. Jeremy Cahill. Yes. Next is Ralph dill. You voted to approve Mr. Zimmerman. Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. The Weissman. Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Mirando? Yes. German. K. Yes. Those were all the resolutions I have for this evening. Good item. Number 14. Adoption of minutes from the regular meeting of April 8th, 2021.  
Speaker 1     02:16:35    All in favor. Say aye. All opposed. Okay. Number 15. Motion to adjourn. I'll make a motion. Everyone favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. As always gentlemen, ladies, thank you for your volunteerism. Thank you. Love you guys. Take care. Bye bye everyone. 


	

Minutes for Piscataway Zoning meeting on April 22 2021