Transcript for Piscataway Zoning meeting on
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Jun 25 2026 · Zoning
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Speaker 0 Okay, Laura, you can start.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. The 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 Courier News notice posted on the Bolton Board of your municipal building notice made available to the township clerk notice sent to the Curry News and the star ledger. Will the clerk please call the roll?
Speaker 2 Mr. Weisman? Here. Mr. Hillary?
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Here.
Speaker 2 Mr. Patel? Here. Mr. Regio? Here. Mr. Blo. Mr. Mitterando. Mr. Chairman Cahill. Here,
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Will everyone please stand for salute to the flag pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which one Nation? Under Mr. Il, do you have any changes to tonight's agenda?
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Yes, we do. The Johnson application on Pleasant Avenue will not be heard tonight. It will be carried to July 9th. The applicant will notice for that the Mirage car application on Hancock Road will not be heard. It will be heard on July 9th with no further notice by the applicant. And finally, NDK Realty on South Washington Avenue will be carried to July 9th with no further notice by the applicant. That's all the changes that I have.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Thank you, Mr. Kinneally. Let's start off with item number 6 26 ZB 25 V.
Speaker 0 Who is,
Shawn Cahill (Chair) What's the feedback from Laura?
Speaker 2 I think that was Stacy Lombardi.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Sorry. Oh, okay. I was, it's okay.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Ms. Lombardi, are you present?
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Are you muted? Mrs. Lombardi?
Speaker 0 Sorry. Hang on.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. Mrs.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Lo Lombardi, I need to swear you in. Could you raise your right hand? Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth?
Speaker 0 Yes.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Thank you. Your name and address, please?
Speaker 0 Casey Lombardi. 31 Lucille Court, fifth getaway, New Jersey 0 8 8 5 4.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Thank you. Could you explain to the board why you're here?
Speaker 0 Yes. I'm looking to get a variance for the fence that I currently have up.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. Jonathan, would you jump in here and help us out?
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Yes, certainly. Ms. Lombardi, have you had a chance to review the staff memo dated June 16th?
Speaker 0 Yes.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Okay. Could you please tell us the condition of the shed that you have that's currently encroaching on the side yard setback?
Speaker 0 It's, it's in good condition.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Okay. And you understand the memorandum of restriction, how that works?
Speaker 0 Yes.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Okay. So no, no, no questions besides that, Sean? Yeah,
Speaker 2 Mr. Chairman, their heart fence is in an easement. That's why she doesn't filed the board. It's
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Got it. Okay. And it's in good shape. And if it has to be replaced,
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) They will, she will be responsible for removing it and replacing it, and she will execute the memorandum of restriction that she acknowledges.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Perfect. Okay. Any other members of the board of 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?
Speaker 2 Yeah. If you're on the phone, you could hit star nine, I believe, or star six. I haven't done it a while now. And if you're on the computer, you could just raise your hand. No one chairman.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. Close the public portion. I'd make a motion to approve this application. Can I get a second? A second, please. Call the roll.
Speaker 2 Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Regio? Yes. And Chairman Cahill?
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Yes.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Ms. Lombardi, your application's been approved. We'll memorialize this in a written document at our next meeting in July. You don't need to be present for that. We'll send that document to you.
Speaker 2 Great. Thank you so much.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Good luck. Have a
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Thank ma'am. Have a good night. You too. Let's move on to item number. I will, let's move on to item number 8 26 dash ZB dash 24 V. Steven Gonzalez.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Is Steven Gonzalez present?
Shawn Cahill (Chair) You're muted. Steven, you're muted. Steven,
Speaker 5 Can you hear me?
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Yes, we can. Can you hear me swear you in? Could you?
Speaker 5 I'm on the phone. Yep.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give should be the truth?
Speaker 5 Yes.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) And your name and address please?
Speaker 5 Stephen Gonzalez. 59 Mary Ave, Piscataway, New Jersey.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Mr. Gonzalez, can you explain to the board why you're here?
Speaker 5 I'm here because I had applied for a variance for a pool and a gazebo.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. Fair enough. Jonathan, would you get some facts to light here? Yes.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) So the applicant is undersized both in terms of square footage as well as frontage. The proposed, as well as building coverage. They have 21.15% building coverage proposed. The existing garage and steps are slightly encroaching. And the G proposed gazebo structure, it's just outside of the, the rear yard setback as well as the pool. We need some more information from Mr. Gonzalez about the type of pool equipment, where it'll be located and just really why, why it can't be, why it can't be moved to a conforming location.
Speaker 5 So, so the pole equipment I'm gonna have is gonna be a, a regular pole pump is gonna be an 18 foot round pole, 54 foot, 4 54 inches high. Basically due to configuration of the property and the location existing with the detached garage, I'm basically gonna to relocate. Either structure would re, it would reduce the yard space and interfere with access to existing movements and diminish the functionality of my, my yard. So the proposed layout I have allows both amenities to coexist while maintaining safe access and preserving the residential character of my property.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Okay. And just to, just to clarify, neither of these have been installed yet. This is a proposal?
Speaker 5 Yes. None of them have been installed. Okay.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) The accessory structure, the gazebo, it's only one foot away from the rear yard setback line. The pool is less than three feet, sorry, just over three feet, three and a half feet from the property line. I don't, I hear where you're coming from. I don't think that three and a half feet and one foot respectively is gonna diminish any yard area. And then I also have a couple stipulations for the gazebo if the board decides to move forward with the application.
Speaker 2 Excuse me, Mr. Ms. Rahi?
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Yes.
Speaker 2 The pool on and Ms. Corcoran's report, it says it's 6.5 feet from the rear property line, not three feet.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) It needs to be, it needs to be 10 feet from the property line. So know the difference of, it's a difference of three and a half. Oh,
Speaker 2 Well, yeah. Well you said it was three feet from the property line, but it's gonna be 6.5 from the property line. It'll be three and a half encroaching within the three and a half.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) So he would have to move it at three and a half feet for it to be 10 feet.
Speaker 2 He, he's, yes. He's proposing 6.5 feet from the property line, not the three feet. It's just the way it was worded. It was a little confusing. I apologize. Okay.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Mr. Gonzalez, based on Mr. Mizrahi's expertise, are you willing to move the pool a a little bit out of the scope of which you presented to us? What do you Jonathan, can we come up a compromise? Maybe not 10, but eight and a half.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Well, I think, I think it's also gonna be over on the, the building coverage as well. So to have the pool and the equipment be within the, the, or I guess I should say outside of the rear yard setback area, for it to be 10 feet from both property lines, including the pool equipment would be equipment. I guess it a compromise in and of itself considering the coverage.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. Mr. Gonzalez, based on the testimony from our expert, we could move ahead with this if you're willing to move those, those specifications.
Speaker 5 I mean, as far as like the pool, like, like Laura had mentioned, six and a half. I'm, I'm willing to compromise in the spacing. I'm just trying to be able to have coexist both the gazebo and the pool so that way they can both fit. Because if you see, based off the survey that I had put and proposed the configuration of the gazebo and the pool, they would both be aligned on the rear side of my backyard, essentially taking up all my grass space that I have in my backyard. And I'm not gonna end up putting a pool on the pavers. 'cause the pavers that I have are ba basically towards the rear, towards the closer end of my backyard. So I'm trying to use, utilize the grass space that I have versus taking away 10 feet of it. And then I have basically my whole backyard would just be the gazebo in the pole.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) If you, if you move it further off the rear property line, like we're talking about, you are still gonna have the same separation site side, which on your plan is scaling out to be a little over 20 feet. So yeah, I don't know if you'd consider that to be too, too constrained, but it's, it also leaves about like a 20, 25 by 35 lawn area as well.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) I mean, trying to work with you, Mr. Gonzalez.
Speaker 5 No, I get it. I I'm not, I'm not, I, it's just, I, I don't see the, like the, the construction of like, how, like the pool will basically be more centered versus towards the rear corner, which is what I'm trying to do. And then the gazebo would basically be right behind it. And I mean, I have no use. I mean, not that I don't have use, it's my property, but at that point, my rear corner of where I won't have that pool, I'm basically, it's like dead space to me. Like it's, it's, it's property, but I could use, but it's like, I, it's, no, it, it's not really as useful as where I would have set the pool and the gazebo.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) I understand you're, you're, you're losing a little bit of property, but you're also gaining a pool. It's just, it's difficult to say it's a hardship. So
Speaker 5 I mean, I mean, even if I hadn't proposed to get a 15 foot round pole, I mean, I would still essentially have more room in my backyard. But I'm, what I'm proposing on the variance is basically to, to get the space at least to six and a half feet from the property line. So I know I had put 18 foot, but I'm trying to see if I can get a variance at least approved to use that space versus lose it.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Well, any other members of the board have any questions? None. Is that everything you've got to offer there, Jo, Jonathan?
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) Yeah, I would, I would just say if the, if the board decides to move forward with the gazebo, I think it needs to be conditioned so that it remains open and not to be enclosed in any way with a, with a solid, solid construction. Not withstanding like a net or a mesh or a, a drape or something like that. And we need to see,
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Gotta come in with a written plans. Right.
Jonathan Rahi (Planner) It's, it's small enough. I don't, yeah, it would have to be determined by the, the building department if they, if they need to see drawings or not. So I think it's small enough where they don't need that. I,
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Mr. Gonzalez, move it to eight feet instead of six and a half. And I think we can vote on this tonight. I agree. Okay. Eight feet is good. Yes. Okay. 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?
Speaker 2 Hold on one second. So our six to unmute or raise your hand if you're on the computer. No. One chairman.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. Close the public portion. And I would make a motion to approve this application with the specific instructions that Jonathan left on the gazebo and eight feet for the pool. Can I get a second? I second. Thank you. Call the roll please.
Speaker 2 Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Tillery?
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Yes.
Speaker 2 Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. Regio? Yes. Mr. Ali? Yes. And Chairman Cahill?
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Yes.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Mr. Gonzalez, your application as amended has been approved. We'll memorialize this in a written document at our next meeting. You don't need to be present for that. We will mail that document to you.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Thank you.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Good luck.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Have a good evening, sir. Alright, let's move on to item number 11. Adoption of resolutions from the regular meeting of June 11th, 2026.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) First resolution. Christopher George, which you voted to approve. Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Chairman Cahill? Yes. Next am Amit Pre Cower, which you voted to approve. Weiss. Mr. Weisman? Yes. Mr. Tillery? Yes. Mr. Patel? Yes. Mr. O'Reggio? Yes. Chairman Cahill? Yes. Those are all the re resolutions I have for this evening.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Okay. Item have number 12. Adoption of the minutes from the regular meeting of June 11th, 2026. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Item number 13. A German. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. All right. Everybody have a great 4th of July. We'll see you in a couple of weeks. Keep it safe. Stay safe. Yes.
James Kinneally (Zoning Atty) Good Everybody.
Shawn Cahill (Chair) Thank everyone.
Speaker 6 Laura. Laura, you still there?
Speaker 2 I'm here.
Speaker 6 I, I'm sorry again. I couldn't, I couldn't log on as panelist.
Speaker 2 Okay. So now I know you're called Samsung. SM something.
Speaker 6 Oh, that was me. I'll, that's my new name. Sorry. I, I'm so surpris. Well, it looks like
Speaker 2 If your name came up, I would've known I would've let you in. Yeah.
Speaker 6 I, I don't have my iPad with me. I, my, my, you know, away. So I had a login. Somebody's calling. I'll,
Speaker 2 I'll write a note that you were here.
Speaker 6 I was here, sorry next
Speaker 2 Week. No, it's okay. So what you do if you come on like that, shoot me an email. Say Aman, let me in and then I'll your permission and I can get you over.
Speaker 6 I did something with the chat. I was able to send you a letter or something. I don't know if you saw that. Maybe you didn't see it. I didn't see it. Steve, if you see something from Samsung.
Speaker 2 No, I got some from Waki.
Speaker 6 I give up. What was, oh, sorry about that. I
Speaker 2 Promise you tried more than others. I appreciate it, bill.
Speaker 6 Alright, have a good summer. Bye-bye now.
Speaker 2 Bye. Have a good bye. Goodnight ro. Goodnight everyone.