Transcript for Piscataway Zoning meeting on February 12 2026

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Feb 12 2026 · Zoning

Meeting Sections

00:00:04 — Meeting Opening, Roll Call, and Pledge of Allegiance
00:01:17 — Agenda Adjustments and Postponements
00:01:52 — Case Hearing: 25-ZB-92V, Alvin Ru - Home Addition 25-ZB-92V
00:12:34 — Case Hearing: 25-CB-91V, Aya Zer (Tobias Kidsy) - Picket Fence 25-CB-91V
00:16:48 — Adoption of Resolutions and Minutes, Adjournment

Meeting Opening, Roll Call, and Pledge of Allegiance AI 00:00:04 – 00:01:17

Chairman called the meeting to order with proper notice. Clerk called roll for board members (Weisman, Tillery, Patel, Reggio, Blount, Mitterando, Ley, Cahill all present). Board recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Thank you. Zoning. Board of adjustment meeting will please come to order. Adequate notice of this meeting was provided in the following ways. Notice published in the Coer News notice posted on the bulletin board in municipal building notice made available to the township clerk notice sent to the Coer News and the star ledger. Will the clerk please call the roll?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Weisman? Here.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Here.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Tillery?

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Here.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Patel. Kalpesh.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yeah.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Okay. Mr. Reggio Roy's here. Roy's muted. Mr. Blo? Mr. Mitterando? Here. Mr. Here and Chairman Kale

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Here everyone please stand for salute to the flag.

Speaker 2I pledge allegiance to the flag. The flag States of America, United States of America. And to the republic of which it stands. One nation. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Agenda Adjustments and Postponements AI 00:01:17 – 00:01:52

Mr. Kinneally announced postponements of four cases: Jose Castro (37 Aris Avenue) to February 26th; Alfredo Pagan to March 12, 2026; Jorge Mina and Luz Rago (24 Old New Brunswick Road) to February 26th; and Sigma construction to February 26th.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Mr. Kinneally, are there any changes to tonight's agenda?

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Yes, we have several changes. Jose Castro, 37 Aris Avenue postponed to February 26th. No further notice Will Alfredo Pagan postponed till March 12th, 2026. They must notice Jorge Mina and Luz Rago. 24 Old New Brunswick Road postponed until February 26th. They must notice no Sigma construction. Yes. Postponed to February 26th. No further notice. Those are all the ques, all the changes I have.

Case Hearing: 25-ZB-92V, Alvin Ru - Home Addition 25-ZB-92V AI 00:01:52 – 00:12:34

Alvin Ru sought approval for a dining room/kitchen expansion addition to his Cape Cod-style home. Contractor Dwayne Ings testified regarding plans. Key issue resolved: an existing wood deck shown on the survey was not physically present on site and will not be part of the project scope. Board approved the application unanimously.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Okay, let's jump into it. Item number 7 25 dash ZB dash 92 v. Alvin Ru.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Is Mr. Ru present? Mr. Ru, you have to un unmute.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)He's gonna echo it.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Mr. Ru, I need to swear you in. Could you raise your right hand, Mr. Ru? Thank you. Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give should be the truth?

Speaker 4I do.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Thank you. Could you explain to the board why you're here?

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes.

Speaker 4Oh, I'm here because I would like to add an addition to my home in the back. The addition will be a kinda like a dining room because right now I living in Cape Cod, so we're trying to expand the kitchen out to another room in the back.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Okay. Jonathan, do you have any suggestions we can move forward on this?

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Certainly. Mr. Ru, have you had a chance to review the staff report memorandum dated January 20th, 2026?

Speaker 4Yes. To the plan. I would like the, my draft man to speak on that as well.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)You have a contractor that wants to testify, is that right?

Speaker 4Yes, I do. Dwayne ing.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)What's the name? What's the name?

Speaker 7How you doing sir? My name is Dwayne Ings. How you doing?

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Good. I need to swear you in. Sir, could you raise your right hand?

Speaker 7Okay.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Do you swear the testimony you're about to give should be the truth?

Speaker 7Yes, I do.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)And spell your last name please.

Speaker 7It's Ings, E-D-D-I-N-G-S. Thank

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)You.

Speaker 7But I believe he was, he was actually calling the draftsman Nazi. Who prepared the plans?

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)I, I don't know if my, my comments are concerning the existing deck that's on the side of the property. Excuse me. Largely speaking, we, we didn't have too many issues with the nature of the, of the extension itself. So I'm not sure if it's gonna be necessary to have testimony to that effect. Oh, okay. So, Mr. Ru, the on one plan, it's listed as a concrete pad on another plan, it's listed as a deck to remain. If you're standing on the street looking at the house, it's on the left hand side. Is that concrete pad and deck still there?

Speaker 4The pad itself is basically we have like a, could you say back point deck yard? That is where the new room will be. We're tearing that down. We're removing that and extending the room out

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)On your, okay, so on your plans, it's showing, I see the deck that's being taken down and a new one is being put up. There's a second deck that's on the plan that's listed as existing wood deck to remain next to the existing wood deck to be removed. It's in your, it's in your side yard. It's, if you're looking at the, the plans, it's, it's like the top middle of the sheet.

Speaker 4A minute. Lemme go grab my, lemme go get my sheet. Okay.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Thank you sir.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Exactly, Jonathan, on the plans, it, it's that little, little one to, it's just small little deck to the left of where the addition's going.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Yeah, it's in the side yard setback.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Yeah. 'cause then it's not on the proposed site plan. It's not on there,

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)But the detail, the call out on it says to remain. So I just want to make sure that it, is it gonna remain or not?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Oh, yeah. On the, where it says existing site plan, it's on there, but then once it says proposed, it's not on there,

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Right? That's, that's correct. I'm just looking at the, the, the language of the call out on the existing site plan. Can you clarify that Mr. Re sir?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Yeah, Mr. Ru, on your existing site plan, there's a little deck. If you're looking at the house to the left, it says existing would deck remain. It's, it's small,

Speaker 4Right? That's like a deck. My back porch.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)You have a lot of people, not the porch that's being removed. And the addition next to that,

Laura Buckley (Clerk)You're on page one of three. Top right. You have proposed site plan and to the left existing site plan, look at the existing site plan.

Speaker 7Ms. Buckley, I think Nazi who, who's on the, on this web on the Zoom could probably answer that better. Okay. He's one of be Naer. If you can unmute and just, and, and, and respond to the panel, please.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Nazi, could I have your full name and address, please? He,

Laura Buckley (Clerk)He's under Alvin Ru. There's two more on the bottom, but I don't know why is he raising his hand?

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Nazi, can you give us your full name and address please?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)He, he never unmuted. He is raising his hand.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Can you unmute

Speaker 9And unmute? Right, right,

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Right. He is the one. Nazi

Speaker 4Is probably not there

Speaker 9For some reason. I, I can't see my video anyway.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Okay. Could you, could I have

Speaker 9Your phone please? My name is Nazi Aga, N-A-Z-I-R as a first name. And last name is Aga, A-F-A-M-O-U-G-A-T. And my address is 2 7 1 North 11th Street, prospect Park, New Jersey 0 7 5 0 8.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Thank you. I need to swear you in. Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give should be the truth?

Speaker 9Yes. Yes, I do. I do. I do.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Can you address the issue of the deck?

Speaker 9Yes, I can. I can, I can

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Please proceed.

Speaker 9Alright. All right. I'm listening.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Okay. Do you have more than one computer or phone or something on near you? Because you're echoing very badly.

Speaker 9I can share what you are. That's okay.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)We'll try it. Very easy. Are they keeping that deck or, or removing it?

Speaker 9Can you see it?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Oh my god, yes. Yes.

Speaker 9Alright.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)In the center of the page, you have an existing site plan to the left of the deck. That's to be removed. There's a call out that existing wood deck to remain. Is that structure gonna remain or will it be removed?

Speaker 9Alright. Are you talking about where it says number 15 here?

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Yes.

Speaker 9I saw it in a, on a survey, but I did not see it physically there, so I just left it as it's there, but it's not part of the job. The job gonna, basically this I

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Understand the scope of work. I understand the scope of work. My question was whether it's going to remain or not. You're saying it's not present on site, so that should Yeah. Be sufficient. Okay. All right. That, that, that was all I had Mr. Schulman.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Okay. That's fine. Thank you. Any other members of the board have any questions or comments?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)No. Please unshare your screen.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes. Pop that off. N ear, n ear please pop this off the screen. I

Speaker 9Didn't hear that question because,

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Because of 'cause of the echo that you're causing.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Can you stop screen sharing? Thank you,

Shawn Cahill (Chair)God. Alvin, do you have any other things you need to say or anything? I'm gonna put that to the vote, I guess. Any other members of the board of any questions about this, this application? Hearing none, we're gonna open it to the public. Anyone on the public have any comments or questions about this application?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)No. One chairman.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Okay. Close the public portion. Make a motion to approve this application. Get a se get a second. I'll second it. Please call the roll. Mr.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Weisman? Yes.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes. Yes.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)You're echoing too. Steve, you have two things open. Steve. Nope. Nope. Here twice.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Maybe his, what's his name is on his ear still?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)No, Steve's name's up here twice, so I don't know what he did. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Regio?

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Yes.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Never Can you Mr. Mitterando? Yes. Mr. Ley?

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Yes.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)And Chairman Cahill. Oh, Rodney's here. Yes.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes, I'm here. Mr.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Blo?

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes. Thank you.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)I did see you

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Mr. Ru. Your application's been approved. We'll memorialize this in a written document at our next meeting and we'll send that document to you. Good luck.

Case Hearing: 25-CB-91V, Aya Zer (Tobias Kidsy) - Picket Fence 25-CB-91V AI 00:12:34 – 00:16:48

Applicant Aya Zer requested a 4-foot picket/space fence to reduce wind-blown leaves from neighboring yards. Property contains a shed over a sanitary easement and proposed fence lies within a PSE&G utility easement. Board approved with conditions: obtain PSE&G written permission, complete 811 underground utility markout, and execute memorandum of restriction with township before fence installation.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Thank you, gentlemen. Good day, Mr. Yeah. Thank you. Okay, let's go to item number 9 25 dash CB dash 91 V. Tobias Kidsy. Good night. Present.

Speaker 10Present.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Sir, I need to swear you in. Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear that testimony you're about to give should be the truth?

Speaker 10I swear I do. So

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Thank you. Your name and address, please?

Speaker 10Aya Za. 27 Johanna Court. Piscataway.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Thank you. Mr. Zer, could you explain to the board what you would like to do here?

Speaker 10So, as I indicated in my application, I have been going through every fall I have to pack bags, open bags of leaves, because for some reason my property is on the windward side of the neighborhood. So all the leaves in the neighborhood get into my yard, even though I don't have a single tree in my yard. So I'm trying to see if I can put a picket fence, space fence, four feet, high meter, just to reduce the amount of leaves that get into my yard.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Okay. Sounds like a plan. Jonathan covered some points with this, my friend.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Yes. So similar to the last applicant. Can you confirm the shed that's currently located over the sanitary easement? Is that still on the property?

Speaker 10So the survey that you have was done in 2008. The shed was installed and approved by the township last year. So that fe that shed will not appear on the survey that was done in 2008. Okay. So the found shed is there.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Understood. Do you you under, you also understand that your proposed fence lies within a PSE and G easement?

Speaker 10Yes. I do understand. So the utility box that is to the right when you're facing the street, that is going to be outside of the fence. We'll leave it outside of the fence.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)You, we we're still gonna ask you get permission from the utility.

Speaker 10I will have to apply for permission and I, once I apply and I get the permission, I will submit it to Laura and probably she'll hand

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)It. Okay. And, and we'll, we'd also ask for you to get an underground mark out, which you could do, you know, 8 1 1. And that shouldn't be at any cost to you, but we'd like to see that prior to the fence getting installed. Just to make sure we're not hitting anything when you drive the posts in. And then once we get the approval or letter of no interest from the utility, we'll ask you enter a memorandum of restriction with the township so we can access the easement in case, in case we need to. Are you agreeable to that?

Speaker 10I, I agree to that. Okay. So my question is, yep. Once the the utility markings are done, do I have to take pictures or how would you, would you know that they haven't done

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)You? You're gonna, you're gonna correspond with the utility. They'll send you an email or a letter. Just send us a copy of that. Submit that with to, to Laura to myself and we'll put it in with your file.

Speaker 10Okay.

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Okay. And then we'll get you the, and then we'll, we'll get you the memorandum of restriction and then we will proceed with the fence permit from there, once that's been recorded.

Speaker 10Okay.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)All right. Sounds like a plan. Any other members of the board have any questions or comments? Hearing none, I'm gonna open it to the public. Anyone in the public have any questions or comments about this application?

Laura Buckley (Clerk)No. One chairman.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Okay. Close the public portion. Make a motion to approve this application. Get a, get a second.

Speaker 10Second.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Thank you. Call the roll please.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Weisman? Yes.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Regio?

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Bla?

Speaker 10Yes.

Laura Buckley (Clerk)Mr. Mitterando? Yes. Mr. Ali? Yes. And Chairman Cahill? Yes.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Your application's been approved. We'll memorialize it in a written document at our next meeting and send that document to you. Good luck.

Speaker 10Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Thank you, sir.

Adoption of Resolutions and Minutes, Adjournment AI 00:16:48 – 00:17:22

Board adopted two resolutions from January 29, 2026 meeting (Franz Canton and Ed Nugent, both approved), adopted minutes from January 29 meeting, and voted to adjourn. All items passed unanimously.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Have a good evening. Good night. Let's move with to item number 12, adoption of resolutions from the regular meeting of January 29th, 2026.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)First resolution, Franz Canton, which you voted to approve. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Mr. Blount? Yes. Mr. Mitterando? Yes. Mr. Ali?

Jonathan Rahi (Planner)Yes.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Mr. Weisman?

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Yes. Yes, yes.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Next is Ed Nugent, which you voted to approve. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Mr. Blount?

Speaker 10Yes.

James Kinneally (Zoning Atty)Mr. Mitterando? Yes. Mr. Ali? Yes. Mr. Weisman? Yes. Yes. Those are all the resolutions for this evening.

Shawn Cahill (Chair)Okay. Item number 13 is adoption of minutes from the regular meeting of January 29th. 2026. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Okay. Number 14, adjournment. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Not go as smooth as I thought. Guys, just thanks. 18 minutes. Thank you. Thank you for, for contributing. We'll see you February 26th.