Transcript for Piscataway Zoning meeting on March 28 2024

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Mar 28 2024 · Zoning
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Meeting Sections
  • 00:00:04 — Meeting Opening and Pledge of Allegiance
  • 00:00:22 — Agenda Adjustments and Postponements
  • 00:00:30 — 24-ZB-04V: Santino Almonte – Unpermitted Patio and Setback Compliance 24-ZB-04V
  • 00:04:04 — 24-ZB-15V: Venture Net Properties – Temporary Storage Use Variance 24-ZB-15V
  • 00:17:10 — Adoption of Resolutions from March 14, 2024 Regular Meeting
  • 00:19:18 — Adoption of Minutes from March 14, 2024 Regular Meeting
  • 00:19:38 — Adjournment
Meeting Opening and Pledge of Allegiance AI  00:00:04 – 00:00:22
Board members recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Speaker 0Salute flag.
Speaker 1I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States.
Speaker 2United States of America.
Speaker 1One Nation, indivisible. Liberty and justice. Mr.
Agenda Adjustments and Postponements AI  00:00:22 – 00:00:30
Chairman asks about agenda changes. The Appeals Forks car wash case is postponed due to lack of notice.
Speaker 0Are there any changes to the agenda tonight?
Speaker 1The Appeals Forks car wash will not be heard. They did not notice for this meeting.
24-ZB-04V: Santino Almonte – Unpermitted Patio and Setback Compliance 24-ZB-04V AI  00:00:30 – 00:04:04
Applicant had a patio installed without permits, violating setback requirements. The board required: (1) setback correction of 6 feet and (2) landscaping screening of 6 feet in height. Applicant testified compliance and was given 6 weeks to complete the work. Approved unanimously.
Speaker 0Okay. Let's proceed to item number 5 24 dash ZB dash zero four V. Bole Santino. Almonte.
Speaker 3I'm here present.
Speaker 1Fidget. Good evening. I need to swear you in. Could you raise your right hand?
Speaker 3Yes.
Speaker 1Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth?
Speaker 3Yes, sir.
Speaker 1Your, your name and address please
Speaker 3Is Gia Monte. Address is nine y Street, Piscataway, New Jersey 0 8 8 5 4.
Speaker 1Thank you. Could you explain to the board why you're here?
Speaker 3I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.
Speaker 1Could you explain to the board why you're here?
Speaker 3Sure. I had a company put in a pa pavement for me and unfortunately they didn't go to the board for per for permits. So I'm understanding I I, I got a notice and I understand that I have to bring it in at least six to seven inches in and then put up some green giant, maybe RB plants that are six to seven feet tall.
Speaker 1Yeah. And you have to bring it in six to seven feet or six to eight feet. Not inches,
Speaker 3I mean. Right. That's what I meant to say. Feet. My right feet. Yes. I wish it was inches. Yes. Yes. Thank you for the clarification.
Speaker 1And you're willing to do that?
Speaker 3Absolutely.
Speaker 0Okay. I don't even need to speak to Mr. Chadwick at this point. I don't think I should say. John, just for the record, were there anything other notes
Speaker 2On that? No, no. Henry's report made the recommendation that Jim spoke to and that is it.
Speaker 0Okay. Do we need to agree on whether
Speaker 2The land, the landscaping and the removal of six to eight feet of the patio,
Speaker 0Do we have to decide whether it's six or eight feet?
Speaker 2Yes,
Speaker 0I'd say, I'd say I'm, I'm comfortable with six, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2I, I think the, the plan types recommended will fit in that, that about that distance.
Speaker 0Is that okay? Miss Ante?
Speaker 3That's perfect. Six. I was hoping that you said six. Thank you.
Speaker 0Six is fine with us. I think let's go around the board and see if everyone else plays the same band.
Speaker 1Did you, did you open it to the public?
Speaker 0No, I didn't. I I wanted to know if anyone on the board had any questions first. Okay. Anyone on the board have any questions or comments? Hearing none, I'm gonna open it to the public. Anyone on the public portion have any questions or comments about this application?
Speaker 4No. One Chairman
Speaker 0Okay. Close the public portion and I will make a motion to approve this application. Can I get a second? I'll second it. Thank you. Please call a roll.
Speaker 4Mr. Weisman?
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 4Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Regio? Yes. Mr. Bla?
Speaker 0Yes. Mr.
Speaker 4Mitterando? Yes. And Chairman Cahill?
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 1Ms. Santano Al Monte, your application has been approved, as I mentioned. We'll memorialize it in a written document at this meeting and send that document to you.
Speaker 3Awesome. Now I have a quick question. What's the timeframe this should be done? And because I have to speak to the, the company that went ahead and did their own thing.
Speaker 1That's a very good question. The board should give the applicant a reasonable amount of time to do this.
Speaker 0I believe so. I believe we should. Six months.
Speaker 1Six months.
Speaker 0Mr. Mont, that's okay with you?
Speaker 3Yeah, that's fine. I'm, I'm, I'm not gonna tell them six months 'cause he Oh no,
Speaker 0No. Tell them six weeks, otherwise,
Speaker 3Definitely
Speaker 0I'll wait till December.
Speaker 3You know, I'm glad you understand my point.
24-ZB-15V: Venture Net Properties – Temporary Storage Use Variance 24-ZB-15V AI  00:04:04 – 00:17:07
Venture Net Properties requested a temporary 6-month use variance to store interior fit-out materials on the ground floor of the rear building of the J&J campus (425 Hose Lane) while preparing a full site plan application. Testimony from architect James Chen and planner John DuPont confirmed fire safety coordination with the fire marshal and public benefits (reduced truck traffic). No public access or retail/wholesale activity would occur during the temporary period. Approved.
Speaker 0Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you. Have a great night ma'am. Let's move on to item number 6 24 dash ZB dash 15 V Venture net properties.
Speaker 5Good evening, members of the board, board professionals, this is Tim arch attorney licensed in the state of New Jersey. I'm here representing Venture Net Properties. Venture Net Properties is the owner of the Johnson and Johnson campus that's on 4 25 hose lane. I'm sure you're all familiar with it. The goal of the applicant ultimately is to use the campus for their American headquarters eventually opening a home furnishing showroom, retail offices, something akin to the FW web building on Centennial. But that's not why we're here tonight. That's a much more involved application, which is hopefully gonna be coming in the next couple months. What we're here for tonight is that the applicant was under the belief that while they were finalizing and designing their ultimate site plan for the use of the campus, that they'd be able to use that time to begin to do the interior fit out of the building.
Speaker 5And so as a result, they have a sizable amount of products and materials related to the interior fit out of the building. Things like flooring, doors, wall paneling, in addition to some of their product potentially down the line that they may ultimately want to, to, to have in their showroom. And they need a place to essentially put it. So what we're here for tonight is we're asking for a temporary six month use variance to allow storage of those products and materials on the ground floor of one of the existing buildings that's on the site. And in the meantime, we're gonna be coming back before the board with, with a full site plan application for the full use of the site. But we just need a place to essentially store that. We've discussed this proposal with the, with the Township. More importantly, we've discussed it with the fire marshal who has worked with our architect to make sure that our storage plan provides adequate fire safety egress. There's existing fire suppression in the building that is gonna remain operational while anything is stored there tonight. I do have, I do have our architect James Chen, who's here, who's available for any questions that the board has specific questions, but, and I also have John DuPont, who's our professional planner. I I would start with I guess John DuPont unless you have any direct questions of myself or of, of Mr. Chen. But that's essentially the, the ask that we're asking for tonight.
Speaker 1Before you get to the planner, could you either produce a witness who will testify to which building we're talking about and what the uses are going to be in the two buildings during a temporary use?
Speaker 5Certainly that would be, that would be Mr. Chen. So if we can have Mr. James Chen, I know we have several James Woo Chens on there, but I believe there's one that is the real James Chen, if he can be called and sworn in.
Speaker 1Mr. Chen, could you raise your right hand? Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give should be the truth?
Speaker 6Yes, I do.
Speaker 1Your name and address please.
Speaker 6My name is James Chen, 22 Millstone Road. My office at 29 a Park Road in Princeton, New Jersey. Thank you.
Speaker 1Put your hand down.
Speaker 5So Mr. Chen, if you can, for the benefit of the, of the, the board, if you can please just give us a quick background of your credentials.
Speaker 6I'm a licensed architect in New York, mainly practice in New York City. And I have licensed in New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, and used to be California as well, but I
Speaker 1Think his credentials are fine. You can proceed.
Speaker 5Okay. Thank you. So Mr. Mr. Chen, you're familiar with the property, you're familiar with Venture Net, their proposed uses of the property, is that correct?
Speaker 6Yes. Yes I do.
Speaker 5Okay. And you actually produced the, the plans that were submitted to the board, the architectural plans that show the layout of, of where we're gonna be storing stuff, correct?
Speaker 6That's correct, yes sir.
Speaker 5Okay. And if you can just, I know on the site there's two different buildings. Can you just confirm which of the two buildings that we are proposing to use as the storage?
Speaker 6The building from the street, there's a two story building. We call that the building number one, and we are not have any proposed alteration at this point for that building. There's another one behind it after the creek. It's a three story building. We call that building number two. That's the one we are subjected to proposed the storage, but we only going to alter the first floor, ground floor for the building number two.
Speaker 5Okay. So just that building number two and just on the first floor of that three story building is what we're proposing to use the, the storage area for, correct?
Speaker 6That is correct.
Speaker 5Okay. And what I said in my introduction that this is for materials to be used in the interior fit out, things like flooring, wall panels and different materials such as that, that's the type of stuff that we're proposing to store there. Is that correct?
Speaker 6That is correct.
Speaker 5Okay. And possibly down the line, because this is a furnishing furnishing business, there may be some product that we eventually want to use in the showroom that may also be stored there as well. Is that correct?
Speaker 6That is correct, yes, sir.
Speaker 5Okay. But nothing that's gonna be hazardous, nothing that would be any sort of issue with, with storage. These are all non-hazardous materials, correct?
Speaker 6That is all, some of them is combustible, some of them is non-combustible, but the pallet was being placed in such a way they have a proper separation. And I had submitted a building department that the, the storage layout will have been properly protected by the existing fire suppression system.
Speaker 5Correct. So you had actually, you've actually had a meeting and sat down with the fire marshal and have worked out the, the proper placement of these things so that there's safety egress and that the fire suppression system is adequate, correct?
Speaker 6That is correct, yes.
Speaker 5Okay. I don't have any direct, more direct questions of Mr. Chaill. The board has any questions. We can certainly, he certainly open. I
Speaker 1Think that was answered adequately. Mr. Chairman, if I can just follow up with a couple of questions please. Thank you, Jim. Okay. The back building where this storage is going to occur on the first floor, will any activity be taking place on the second and third floor during the temporary use?
Speaker 6Negative.
Speaker 1And will there be any activity in the front building during the temporary use?
Speaker 6Negative.
Speaker 1Thank you. That's all that I have Mr. Chairman. Thank you Jim. Appreciate any other,
Speaker 2Any questions? Have couple question? I have a couple questions. Go,
Speaker 1Go. John.
Speaker 2These, these building is not gonna be open to the public, correct?
Speaker 6It's not gonna be open to the public at this point? No.
Speaker 2Well, the application here is, and it will not have any public access until you come in and get a new site plan if and when, correct?
Speaker 6That is correct.
Speaker 2And there's no retail sales from this?
Speaker 6No, there's no retail. Yeah, the retail is not permitted under the current zoning.
Speaker 2And is there any wholesales?
Speaker 6We are proposed to have the second building as a part of the wholesale showroom, but that will be part of the next application as Mr. Team indicated for the, for the next zoning application.
Speaker 2So it will not take place until your subsequent submittals?
Speaker 6Absolutely, yes,
Speaker 5Correct.
Speaker 0I have no other questions. Mr. Thank you John. Any other members of the board have any questions for Mr. Chen? Okay, Mr. Tim, you can put your planner on.
Speaker 5Thank you. The, the next testimony will be coming from Mr. John DuPont. He's our professional planner and I see him there on his, on his screen. Mr.
Speaker 1DuPont, can you raise your right hand? Do you swear the testimony you're about to give should be the truth?
Speaker 7I do. Your
Speaker 1Name and address please?
Speaker 7John p DuPont. 7 5 6 Jackson Road, Stewartsville, New Jersey. Thank you.
Speaker 5Mr. DuPont, I don't know if you've testified in front of this board before. If you can please just briefly give your credentials and see if you can be accepted.
Speaker 7Certainly. So I have been a professional planner for approximately 20 years. I currently serve the Bur Carter in that capacity and have done so for about 20 years. I've served, I've performed as in front of the board throughout the state as a planner, I think as Piscataway as well. But a number of your new surrounding towns,
Speaker 0Mr. DuPont, your credentials are, are impeccable.
Speaker 7You Thank, thank you. I appreciate it. Appreciate, thank
Speaker 5You. John, if you can please take us through your analysis of, of our request for this temporary six month temporary use variance. And please give us the benefit of your professional expertise. Certainly
Speaker 7Will. So this is a unique situation because the requested use is really a non-use storage of excess materials and products while awaiting a site plan application. This is technically use variance as storage is not permitted as a primary use in the zone. So we have to look at the positive and negative criteria. Under the positive criteria. The applicant must show that special reasons exist, meaning that the property is particularly well suited for the proposed use. Given the unique circumstance here, no other property in the Township would make as much sense to be utilize for material stores than a property that will ultimately utilize that material stor. The material elsewhere would result in multiple truck trips throughout the Township versus store the materials then to transport them back to their property, whereas storing them onsite is a much more efficient use. Anything that can limit the amount of truck traffic on the roads is a service to general welfare to the municipality when addressing the negative criteria.
Speaker 7This proposal will not cause any substantial detriment to the public good and will not impair the zoning ordinance or the master plan. The material will be all stored within the building, not causing any visual impact on surrounding areas. The applicant will continue to work with the fire marshal to ensure that all the safety measures are still in place. The township's master plan echoes the goals of the MLUL and I believe the following are met by this application. Purpose a promote general welfare, as I stated, efficiently transporting and and storing the product and materials in a manner that will reduce the amount of truck traffic is a win for the general welfare as well as the municipality to promote the free flow of traffic and to avoid congestion and blight is purpose. HI think for the same reasons. Purpose m to encourage the coordination with a view of lessening cost of development and more efficient use of land. This is a relatively minor request to the board, but it has a significant impact on overall cost and development for the applicant. By granting the temporary use variance, they'll help them ensure that a final site plan were to be granted in the future. The building will be able to get up and running quicker. In conclusion, the board can look favorably upon a variance. The positives outweigh any potential detriment and it will go a long way through getting a premier property in the Township. Back to useful full usefulness. And that concludes my p
Speaker 5Thank you Mr. Depa. Mr. Pond is available for any questions.
Speaker 0Anyone on the board have any questions or comments? Mr. Chadwick? Hearing none nor do may of the board have any questions. Okay, Mr. Arch, you can proceed.
Speaker 5I definitely couldn't say it any better than Mr. DuPont if I had written it myself. So I will certainly just defer to the board and open it to the public,
Speaker 0I guess. Absolutely. Yes. Alright. So hearing all the questions or comments from the board members.
Speaker 2I I have, I have one question. Are you complaining any signage as part of this repurposing?
Speaker 5No, no signage. We don't want anybody to, to, we don't want to advertise that we're storing things in the building. Okay.
Speaker 2So there'll be no signs, temporary
Speaker 0Or otherwise? Absolutely not. Good. Okay. Thank you. John. At this point I'm gonna open up to the public. Anyone in the public have any comments or questions about this application?
Speaker 4No. One Chairman
Speaker 0Okay. Close the public portion and I'd make a motion to approve this application. Can I get a second? Yes. Second. Here, please call the roll.
Speaker 4Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Regio? Yes. Mr. Blanc?
Speaker 8I have, well, I
Speaker 4Think it Mr. Mitterando? Yes. And Chairman. Cahill?
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 1I'm sorry. Lauren, our next
Speaker 4Meeting. Thank you. Rodney
Speaker 0Rodney's so late. Yes.
Speaker 4Thank you.
Speaker 5Thank you so much everybody have a wonderful night and have a wonderful Easter. You too.
Adoption of Resolutions from March 14, 2024 Regular Meeting AI  00:17:10 – 00:19:18
The board adopted five resolutions from the March 14, 2024 regular meeting: Patel, Sherry Ames Tucker, Duku (non-conforming use), Maggie R Bank (removal of two conditions), and 100 Lakeview Rear LLC (withdrawal). Board members paid tribute to retiring professional Henry.
Speaker 0Good luck guys. Let's move on to item number eight, adoption of re resolutions from the regular meeting of March 14th, 2024.
Speaker 1First resolution is pri Patel. Mr. Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Mr. Blount? Yes. Mr. Rondo? Yes. Chairman. Cahill.
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 1Next is Sherry Ames Tucker, which you voted to approve. Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Mr. Blount? Yes. Mr. Mitterando? Yes. Chairman. Cahill.
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 1Next is Duku, which you voted to approve. Non-conforming use. Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Mr. Blount?
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 1Mr. Mitterando? Yes. Chairman. Cahill. Yes. Next is Maggie R Bank. You voted to approve the re removal of two conditions. Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Mr. Blount? Yes. Mr. Mitterando? Yes. Chairman. Cahill. Yes. Last we have the withdrawal resolution for 100 Lakeview rear. LLC. We would need a motion and a second and a voice and a vote on that.
Speaker 0I make a motion to I second. Yes. Thank you. Do we need to call the roll, Jim?
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 0Okay.
Speaker 4Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Regio? Yes. Mr. Bla? Yes. Mr. Mitterando? Yes. And Chairman. Cahill?
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 1Those are all the resolutions I have for this evening. But I do want to tell the board that earlier tonight I spoke to Henry who has retired. He said he sent his best to all of the board members. He enjoyed working with all of us. And he will miss us.
Speaker 4Yes. And he just texts say everybody. Hello. Awesome. He just, how's it going?
Adoption of Minutes from March 14, 2024 Regular Meeting AI  00:19:18 – 00:19:38
The board unanimously approved the minutes from the March 14, 2024 regular meeting.
Speaker 0Well, I served on his board a long time with Henry and he was a, a class act, a pleasure to work with. And I, I just gotta say the guy coming in to replace him, it's got some pretty big shoes to fill. That's all. Absolutely. Let's move on to item number nine, which is the adoption of minutes from the regular meeting of March 14th, 2024. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Speaker 1Aye. Aye.
Adjournment AI  00:19:38 – 00:19:49
The meeting was adjourned. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 11th.
Speaker 0Okay. Item number 10, adjourn. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Thank you gentlemen. And ladies, appreciate you coming out. See you April 11th.
Speaker 4See you April 11th.