MINUTES -
REGULAR MEETING
MUNICIPAL
MEETING ROOM
OCTOBER 7,
2002
Chairman
Braun called to order the regular meeting of the Wall Township Planning Board
at 7:30 P.M. Members present were
Braun, Giardina, Thomson, Devlin, Morris, Rible, Wilson, Attorney Rubino, Engineer
Gerken, Special Planner Maczuga, Planning Board Secretary Lang, Recording
Secretary Betty Schinestuhl and Court Reporter Arnone.
Chairman
Braun announced the meeting was being held in accordance with the “Sunshine
Law” and a resolution adopted on January 7, 2002.
Chairman
Braun announced the Mistretta application has been rescheduled for November 4,
2002. No further noticing is
required.
Chairman
Braun said the Meehan application is off and has not been rescheduled.
7:35
P.M. Mr. Tobia arrived.
NEW APPLICATIONS
JAMES ALBURTUS - PB#27-2002 – 1005 – 1007 2nd
Avenue, Block 31, Lot 2 and 4, R-7.5 and R-10 zone. Date application complete: August 23, 2002. Applicant seeks to subdivide property and
create two new lots. Minor with
variances.
George
McGill, Esq. appeared for the applicant.
Attorney
Rubino reviewed the file and stated the Board had jurisdiction to proceed.
Entered
into evidence:
A-1 Jurisdictional Items
A-2 Map prepared by Benchmark Surveying and Engineering dated April
27, 2002, revised July 18, 2002
PB-1 Review letter from John Hoffmann dated
September 12, 2002
PB-2 Review letter from Glenn Gerken, Schoor
DePalma, dated October 7, 2002
Sworn
by Reporter Arnone: Glenn
Gerken, Engineer
John
Maczuga, Special Planner
James
Alburtus
Michael
Gannon, Engineer
Attorney
McGill explained the applicant is looking for a subdivision. The property is located on World Street and
Second Avenue. He said Mr. Alburtus is
under contract with the Township to
October
7, 2002 Page
2
purchase
lot 4. He said he will purchase lot 4
and merge it with lot 2 and create two lots.
He
said
the lots will require a variance for lot frontage, area and width. Mayor Thomson explained there are two
dwellings on this site and they should be razed. Attorney McGill said they will be removed. He explained they will
be replaced with two single family dwellings.
Mayor Thomson explained there are two bungalows located on a single
lot. He said the Township is trying to
improve the condition of the site.
Mayor Thomson said this is the first time the Township has agreed to
sell a piece of property for a subdivision.
Mr.
Alburtus explained he owned half of the property and he is under contract with
the township to purchase lot 2.
Entered
into evidence:
A-3 Copy of contract with Township to purchase
property
Mr.
Alburtus said lot 2 has two very small bungalows on it. They are run down. This subdivision was the best solution. He said these two structures will be knocked down and two single
family homes will be built, one on lot 2 and one on lot 4. He said all setback requirements will be met
on lot 4.
Attorney
McGill asked if lot 2 was both in the R-10 and R-7.5 zone. Mr. Alburtus said yes.
Attorney
McGill said if this application is approved lot 2 will be totally in the R-7.5
zone and lot 4 will be totally in the R-10 zone. Mr. Alburtus said that is correct.
Mr.
Giardina asked if something could be done with the trees on lot 1. He said they are on the neighbor’s
property. Mr. Alburtus said he will
work something out.
Chairman
Braun asked the applicant to go over the Engineer and Planner review
letters. Attorney McGill said regarding
October 7, 2002 letter, paragraph three under Site Plan, the applicant does not
intend to grade the corner of existing lot 1.
Mr. Gerken asked if they were going to grade just their own
property. Attorney McGill said yes. Mr. Gerken said that is okay.
Attorney
McGill said they have no problem conforming with the rest of the Professional’s
letters.
The
application was open to the public.
Kathleen
Wood, Second Avenue, was sworn. Ms.
Wood said she owns the property to the west of the site. She asked about the setbacks. Attorney McGill said they will meet all
requirements of the zone. Ms. Wood
asked about side setbacks. Attorney
McGill said they have no intention of asking for a variance.
Ms.
Wood also stated that she and the neighbors were unaware that the property was
even for sale.
October
7, 2002 Page
3
Ms.
Wood said the Township just built a Mount Laurel home on a piece of property
she thought
was
supposed to be a park. She said now
another piece of township property is being sold to have a house built on
it. Mayor Thomson said the Mount Laurel
homes are part of a six year program.
He said the township is required by state statute to build the
homes.
Mayor
Thomson explained when the township sells property it is usually to an adjacent
property
owner. He said this project has been under
consideration for about two years. He
said there are a number of nonconformities on the site. He said he feels this project is a solution
to those problems.
Ms.
Wood said the township just built five Mount Laurel houses in her neighborhood. She said West Belmar is not the only
neighborhood in Wall Township. Mayor
Thomson said there are Mount Laurel homes all over town.
Ms.
Wood asked about the sewer easement at the rear of the property. Mr. Alburtus said they will stay clear of
that easement. Ms. Wood said it runs
30’ in. Mr. Alburtus said the house
will not meet the easement.
Ms.
Wood said she objects to the placement of those homes. She said there is not enough parking for the
residents now. Chairman Braun said the
houses will have a double wide driveway for parking.
Albert
Wood was sworn. Mr. Wood said he had a
general comment. He said he has lived
in this neighborhood for 46 years. He
said the bungalows have been rented out every summer. He suggested one single family home and not subdivide the
property. He said the streets are very
narrow. He is also concerned about
drainage.
Marie
Langley was sworn. Ms. Langley said her
concern is the lots are undersized. She
said this is creating two more undersized lots where the area is full of
undersized lots. Attorney McGill said
both lots are undersized for the zones they are in. Lot 4 is 7,322.25 s.f. and lot 2 is 5,000 s.f. Mr. Alburtus said most of the lots in this
neighborhood are undersized. He said at
one time they were all conforming lots.
Ms.
Langley said she has lived there 20 years.
Ms. Langley asked if the bungalows were subdivided into two
properties. Chairman Braun said that
was turned down. Mayor Thomson said
that was turned down for a subdivision.
He said 50’ X 100’ was normal zoning at one time. He said in 1999 the zoning was revised all
over town.
Ms.
Langley asked where the new homes would get their water from. She said she has no water pressure now. Mr. Alburtus said they would tap into the
water and sewer line from one of the bungalows. He said there are taps already there.
Mr.
Devlin said he lives in West Belmar and he knows there is a traffic
problem. He said this
application
is the best way to better that part of World Street.
October
7, 2002 Page
4
The
application was closed to the public.
Mr.
Tobia said the design of the homes should be approved by the Township planner
so the houses will fit into the area.
Mr.
Giardina moved to approve the application subject to payment of taxes and
applicable assessments. The applicant shall
comply with the review letters of the Board Professionals. The applicant will comply with the
requirements of Monmouth County Board of Health and Monmouth County Planning
Board. The design of houses shall be
submitted to John Hoffmann for approval.
Applicant must obtain a street opening permit. Ms. Wilson seconded the motion which was unanimously approved by
a roll call vote. (Mr. Giardina, Ms.
Wilson, Messrs. Thomson, Devlin, Morris, Tobia and Braun voted yes.)
RUSSELL AND HELEN-JANE
ABRECHT – PB#17-2002 – 2414 Highway 35, Block 319, Lot 11, HB-40 zone. Date application complete: June 18,
2002. Applicant seeks to construct a
2,160 s.f. building to be utilized for car wash service. Site plan with variance.
Attorney
Rubino reviewed the file and stated the Board had jurisdiction to proceed.
Timothy
B. Middleton, Esq. appeared for the applicant.
Entered
into evidence:
A-1 Jurisdictional Items
A-2 Environmental Assessment prepared by Charles Surmonte, P.E.
& L.S. dated April 2002
A-3 Construction Specifications prepared by Charles Surmonte, P.E.
& L.S. dated April 2002
A-4 Storm water Management report prepared by Charles Surmonte,
P.E. & L.S. dated April 30, 2002
A-5 Preliminary & Final Site Plan dated April 19, 2002, revised
June 5, 2002 and September 20, 2002
A-6 Colored rendering of northwest side
A-7 Colored rendering of southwest side
PB-1 Wall Township Fire Prevention letter dated July 1, 2002
PB-2 Review letter from Glenn Gerken, Schoor DePalma, dated August 13,
2002
PB-3 Wall Township Police Department letter dated July 4, 2002
PB-4 Environmental Advisory Committee letter dated July 18, 2002
PB-5 Review letter from John Maczuga, Schoor DePalma, dated September
3, 2002
Attorney Middleton stated
the application is for Preliminary and Final Site Plan to construct a car
wash on Route 35 - Block
319, Lot 11. The property is next to
Pier I.
Sworn
by Reporter Arnone: Charles
Surmonte, Engineer
Russell
Abrecht
October
7, 2002 Page
5
Daniel
Bell
James
Higgins, Planner
Glenn
Gerken, Engineer
John
Maczuga, Planner
Mr.
Surmonte gave his credentials which were accepted by the Board.
Mr.
Surmonte said he is familiar with the property. It is south of Pier I. It
is 100’ wide by 238’ deep. It is
vacant. It is located on Route 35. The applicant proposes a 2,000 s.f.
building. Access will be from the
rear. There will be a single entrance
from Route 35. Customers will circulate
through the site counterclockwise.
There will be three parking stalls.
There will be three spaces for customers to vacuum the inside of their
cars. The rear 75’ will be reserved as
a buffer.
Attorney
Middleton asked Mr. Surmonte to describe the type of building. Chairman Braun asked Mr. Surmonte to go over
the parking area. Mr. Surmonte said
there will be two parking stalls at the southwest corner and one parking stall
at the northwest corner.
Mr.
Maczuga said revised plans had been submitted but he has not prepared a report.
Mayor
Thomson asked if three parking spaces would be enough. Mr. Maczuga said for a car wash three is all
that is required by ordinance. He also
stated that the parking spaces cannot be located within 10’ of the right of
way. He said two of the proposed spaces
are. Attorney Middleton said there is
only one employee.
Attorney
Middleton asked Mr. Surmonte to describe the landscape plan and the berm. Mr. Surmonte said 6’ evergreens and
deciduous trees will be planted to enhance the buffer between the residential
area and the car wash. He said the berm
will be 6’ at its tallest point. It
will be located at the rear property line.
Attorney
Middleton said there is a driveway aisle proposed. Mr. Surmonte said yes.
Mr. Surmonte said there is a two lane driveway aisle to provide access
to the car wash proposed. He said the
outside aisle will be used as a bypass lane for anyone who decides the line is
too long and wants to leave. The
interior aisle will be used for access to the vacuums and for vehicles to line
up or stack. Chairman Braun asked how
many vehicles can be stacked. Mr.
Surmonte said about seven.
Mr.
Surmonte described the landscape plan.
He said approximately 50 trees and 160 – 200
shrubs
will be planted.
Mr.
Surmonte said the drainage system will be handled by an underground recharge
system. It
will
be located along the south property line.
It will be 34’ X 90’. It will be
surrounded by stone. It will handle a
100 year storm. He said it will also be
able to handle runoff from Paul’s Cabinets property.
October
7, 2002 Page
6
Mr.
Surmonte said lighting is proposed around the perimeter of the site. There are four 12’ traditional lights proposed
and there will be some building lights.
Attorney
Middleton asked if the runoff from Paul’s Kitchen runs onto this property. He also asked if this site would be able to
accept water from Paul’s Kitchen. Mr.
Surmonte said yes.
Mr.
Gerken said the township has had several commercial sites use underground
recharge systems. He said the owner is
totally responsible for them.
Chairman
Braun asked if this car wash recycles.
Attorney Middleton said yes.
Chairman
Braun asked if the applicant has filed for an access permit from DOT. Mr. Surmonte said no.
Russell
Abrecht stated he lives in Brielle. He
has been a resident of Manasquan and Brielle all his life. He is a general contractor and
developer. He said he thought this was
a good location for a car wash.
Attorney
Middleton asked Mr. Abrecht to tell the Board what you want to do with the
site. Mr. Abrecht said the building
will be a traditional Victorian style building. He said the exterior will be a combination of masonry and
clapboard siding. It will have a trussed
roof. He said even though the building
looks like it has a second story he assured the Board it will be a crawl
space. It will not be habitable. He said it will be a maintenance free
building.
Mr.
Albrecht said you will pull in off Route 35 go pass the south side of the
building and go around the back and through the building. The entrance will be in the rear. Mr. Albrecht said this is an exterior car
was only. No employees are
necessary. He said he decided to have
one employee on site. Mr. Albrecht
explained how the car wash works with no employees.
Chairman
Braun asked if this was similar to the one on Route 71. Mr. Albrecht yes but this one will be very
modern.
Chairman
Braun asked if there was a conveyor outside the building. Mr. Albrecht said no.
Chairman
Braun asked for the difference of this one and the one on Route 71. Mr. Albrecht said the one on Route 71 has
older equipment.
Chairman
Braun stated the design of the vacuum parking area is right in with the
stacking of the vehicles. How can
vehicles back out of there on a Saturday?
Mr. Albrecht said he doesn’t see that being a problem. He said there would always be a merge.
Mr.
Giardina said some car washes have turned into stores. Is this going to only be a car wash? Mr. Albrecht said this will only be a car
wash. Mr. Giardina said if this is
approved that will be a condition of approval.
October
7, 2002 Page
7
Captain
Morris asked about hours of operation.
Mr. Albrecht said the hours will be 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M., seven days a
week.
Captain
Morris asked Mr. Albrecht where he got his experience. Mr. Albrecht said he did a lot of research.
Chairman
Braun asked how many cars will go through the car wash per year. Mr. Albrecht said on a good day between 130
- 180. He said about 50,000 cars per
year.
Captain
Morris asked how the site will handle parking when repairs are needed. Mr. Albrecht said if it is not operational
it will have to be shut down. He said
there is no need for additional parking.
Mr.
Maczuga said he has not reviewed the revised plans. Mr. Maczuga said two parking spaces would require variances
because they in the R.O.W. Mayor
Thomson asked if there was something in our ordinance regarding parking. Mr. Maczuga said yes, it only requires three
parking spaces but the parking spaces cannot be within 10’ of the R.O.W.
Captain
Morris said a traffic study is needed.
Daniel
Bell, Distributor for Balanger, said he has been in the business for six
years. He said he is third generation
car wash operator.
Chairman
Braun asked if the car wash was fully automatic. Mr. Bell said yes. He
said it takes approximately three minutes for a car to enter and exit the car
wash. Mr. Bell explained when a driver
enters the car wash they will reach an automated cashier at the start of the
conveyor. It is self guiding. He said after entering payment the driver
will activate the equipment by pushing a button on a touch screen. He said a siren will alert the driver that
the car is about to start moving forward.
He said three cars can be in the tunnel at any time. Mayor Thomson asked about time. Mr. Bell said it is designed to do 50 – 60
cars per hour.
Mr.
Bell stated it takes about a year for the customer to become familiar with the
automated system. He said his goal is
to wash 40 – 50 cars per hour.
Chairman
Braun announced this application will be carried to December 2, 2002. Attorney Middleton waived the time
limits. Chairman Braun said the
applicant must renotice.
9:15
P.M. Mr. Giardina left the meeting.
The
Board recessed at 9:15 P.M.
The
meeting resumed at 9:25 P.M.
MONMOUTH OCEAN CHILDREN’S
HEART CENTER - PB#18-2001 – 3204 Allaire Road, Block 832, Lot 19, OB-120 zone. Date application complete: June 21,
2002. Applicant is
October
7, 2002 Page
8
proposing
to raze the existing dwelling and construct a Medical Facility containing a
2,038 square foot footprint. Along with
the facility the applicant is proposing to construct a parking lot and
sidewalks. Site plan with variances.
Attorney
Rubino reviewed the file and stated the Board had jurisdiction to proceed.
Timothy
B. Middleton, Esq. appeared for the applicant.
Entered
into evidence:
A-1 Jurisdictional Items
A-2 EIS prepared by Kurtz Engineers, Planners
and Land Surveyors dated December 14, 2001
A-3 Construction Specifications prepared by Kurtz Engineers,
Planners and Land Surveyors dated December 14, 2001
A-4 Drainage Calculations prepared by Birdsall
Engineering dated June 14, 2002
A-5 Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan prepared by Birdsall
Engineering dated June 14, 2002 revised June 6, 2002
A-6 Colored Rendering
PB-1 Letter from Wall Township Fire Prevention
dated July 1, 2002
PB-2 Review letter from John Maczuga, Schoor
DePalma, dated July 30, 2002
PB-3 Review letter from Glenn Gerken, Schoor
DePalma, dated August 1, 2002
PB-4 Wall Township Police Department letter dated
July 4, 2002
PB-5 Letter from Wall Township Environmental
Advisory Committee
PB-6 Letter from Wall Township Fire Prevention
dated October 1, 2002
PB-7 Letter from Wall Township Fire Prevention
dated October 4, 2002
Attorney
Rubino explained this is on an undersized lot.
The Board is concerned about the applicant trying to purchase the
adjacent property.
Sworn
by Reporter Arnone: Paula
Lopez
Loyda
Rivera
Joseph
Lalka, Engineer
Glenn
Gerken, Engineer
John
Maczuga, Special Planner
Attorney
Middleton stated the applicant is seeking approval to construct a specialty
medical office on Allaire Road near the intersection of Route 34. He said the property is located in the OB-120
zone.
Attorney
Middleton explained Dr. Rivera is a pediatric cardiologist. She will operate a specialized
practice. She will have a limited
number of patients. He explained there
are only approximately 800 pediatric cardiology practices in the United
States. He said there are nearly 1,000
pediatricians practicing in Monmouth County alone.
October
7, 2002 Page
9
Attorney
Middleton introduced Paula Lopez and asked her to explain to the Board the
efforts she has made to purchase additional property.
Ms.
Lopez explained letters were sent to Marian Newman, owner of low 20 and Dorothy
Newman, owner of lot 19 offering to purchase the property. Ms. Lopez said Dorothy Newman agreed to
sell. Ms. Lopez said she now owns that
lot. She said Marian Newman showed
interest in selling the property. Ms.
Lopez said Marian Newman went back and forth.
She said Marian
Newman
decided at the last minute to hold on to the property. She said they tried to purchase the property
without success. She said they are
still very much interested in purchasing that lot. She said that would eliminate the variances. She said they want to purchase the lot clean
it up and
make
it presentable.
Mayor
Thomson said the Board is very concerned about doctor’s offices in Wall
Township in general. He said the Board
has approved similar applications in the past that have met township ordinances
in regard to parking spaces. He said
they found that the spaces required are not enough. Mayor Thomson said the planner has been directed to look at the
parking issues. He said the Board is
very concerned about doctor’s parking. He
said the Board would like the applicant to revisit the issue of the adjacent
property.
Chairman
Braun said if the Board was to go ahead tonight and consider this application
it could send the wrong message regarding lot 20. He said the Board has difficulty proceeding until we see
something in writing stating Marian Newman will not sell her property. He said the Board also has problems with the
buffer to the east.
Attorney
Middleton said they will contact Marian Newman again. Attorney Rubino suggested sending Marian Newman and her attorney
a letter via regular mail and certified mail stating that Dr. Rivera is
involved in this application and the Board has instructed her to make another
offer to purchase the property. He said
if Marian Newman never responds, the Board should know that. Attorney Middleton agreed.
Attorney
Middleton stated that Dr. Rivera runs a specialized practice and sees a limited
number of patients per day. Mayor
Thomson said he understands but he’s sure the doctor is of such a caliber that
many will seek her out especially since there are only 800 in the United
States. Attorney Middleton said she
will see only 7 – 8 patients a day.
Mr.
Tobia said what happens if Dr. Rivera moves out and another doctor moves in, that
is the Board’s concern. Chairman Braun
said the Board knows where we stand with you but you have a problem. He said he doesn’t know how the Board can proceed
tonight. He said he would like to see a
good faith attempt made to purchase the adjoining property. Attorney Middleton said they will try to
acquire that piece.
Chairman
Braun said this application will be carried to January 6, 2003. No further noticing is required.
October
7, 2002 Page
10
RESOLUTIONS TO BE
MEMORALIZED:
CHRIS & BETH FERRY –
PB#8-2002
Attorney
Rubino read the resolution of approval.
Mayor Thomson moved to adopt the resolution as read. Captain Morris seconded the motion, which
was unanimously approved by a roll call vote.
(Messrs. Thomson, Morris, Devlin, Ms. Wilson, Messrs. Tobia and Braun
voted yes.)
AIR CRUISERS – PB#14-2002
Attorney
Rubino read the resolution of approval.
Mayor Thomson moved to adopt the resolution as read. Captain Morris seconded the motion, which
was unanimously approved by a roll call vote.
(Messrs. Thomson, Morris, Devlin, Ms. Wilson, Messrs. Tobia and Braun voted
yes.)
Mayor
Thomson moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 7, 2002,
September 9, 2002 and September 23, 2002.
Committeeman Devlin seconded the motion, which was approved by a roll
call vote.
There
being no further business to come before the Board, a motion was made, seconded
and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 P.M.
Respectfully
submitted,
Betty
Schinestuhl
Recording
Secretary