Please rise like to start the meeting. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nationy and justice for all. Evening everyone. Welcome to Township of Albridgeidge zoning board of adjustment
September 4, 2025. Adequate notice of this meeting of the Albridgeidge Township of Zoning Board of Adjustment has been provided in accordance with the open public meetings act at least 48 hours prior to the commencement of this meeting by primarily posting in the municipal complex an announcement giving the time, date, the location, and the
agenda of this meeting. also by mailing such announcement to the home news and tribune, filing a copy of the announcement uh with the municipal clerk and posting the agenda on the municipal website. Miss Porchelli, could we have a roll call, please?
Certainly. Mrs. Andrews absent. Miss Chevier here. Mr. Iso here. Mr. Scognau absent. Mr. Stoner here. Miss Testie
absent. Mr. Singh absent. Miss Gomez here. Chairman Sullivan here. A couple announcements. One, this meeting is being televised here in the township on our cable station, uh, which
I found out is no longer on 15. It's another number. What's the number? 1300 for now. 1300 if you're at home. I don't know if my my old TV goes up that high, but it does. Okay. All right. uh if you want it w it's also being
simultaneously uh sent out over YouTube live so if you want to refer back to a meeting you can find them on YouTube uh I'd ask everyone here in the courtroom if you have your cell phone please silence it so it doesn't interrupt the testimony tonight we would appreciate
that I'll say for the record there's only one application on tonight while the agenda if you if you read uh online uh there were a total Total of four and three uh adjourned. I'll read them into the record a little later when we start
with that. So there's only going to be one prime space capital will be the only matter heard this evening. All right. Having said that, I'm going to ask uh um this is Mr. Varga. Did I did I say that right? Yes, you did, Mr. Chairman. Uh Pat Varga Esquire from the firm of Dasty and Mluck.
That's correct, sir. Uh he'll be sitting in for Mr. Dasty, Jerry Dasty this evening, who I understand is under the weather. and we wish him well and a speedy recovery. Uh having said that, Mr. Vargo, would you swear in our professional uh Mr. Bernie Tetrol? Absolutely. Sir, raise your right hand.
You swear or affirm, tell the truth, nothing but the truth to help you gone. Thank you, sir. All right. Having said that, I'm going to call the applications that aren't going to be heard and then we'll go to the one that is going to be heard. 63-2024Z, that's 11:03 Route 35 LLC. Uh that
matter's been adjourned. That's the applicant seeking to appeal the zoning officer's denial dated 10724 of a zoning permit to establish a gentleman's club. This application has been adjourned to the public hearing on November 20, 2025. There will be further
notice 41-2024 Zahir Hussein, that's the R20 zone. Uh that was seeking C and D variance in a home edition. Uh that's the physical location and that's 12 use court.
Applicant proposes twotory addition to the rear of the existing home and deck over an existing patio. This application has been adjourned to the public hearing on September 18th, 2025. That'll be the next time we meet without further notice. So you're here
on that matter. It's not going to be heard this evening. 47-2024Z, that's Bergen Concepts LLC. Also on the agenda this evening, physical location there is 3699 Route 9. That's for an LED uh billboard seeking um major
preliminary and final site plan devariance. Applicant proposes to erect an LED billboard on the property. Application has been adjourned the public hearing on December 4th, 2025
with further notice. That does bring us to our only application that we'll be hearing this evening. I'll call it in. 03-2025Z. It's Prime Space Capital LLC. This is the R40 zone residential. This is block 18091, lots 2,3 and 8. Physical location
is 12 Pine Street, Oldbridge self storage facility. Applicants seeking a bifurcated use variance to develop a proposed three-story self storage facility. This matter has been was carried from June 5th of this year.
Uh representing the applicant, Salvatore Alfuria, Esquire, sir. We go green. How about that one? I'm not I don't have uh technical abilities. Uh good evening, chairman, members of the board. Dante Alfi on behalf of the applicant. Um as the
chairman stated, we were here back in June. Uh we presented the application. I do have our um same professionals from the previous meeting. Uh we're going to present uh some modifications. We did take the board's comments and we heard the public as well. So, we did make um
some significant modifications to the application to hopefully address a lot of these concerns. Um so, without further ado, I'm going to have our first witness come up. Swear for a minute, please. Sir, please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm and tell truth and nothing but the truth to help you God?
I do. Please state your name and spell your last for the record. Josh Seawald. S E W A L D. And you're qualified at the last meeting. Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, you want to hear his credentials again? Does the board accept? U we've we've met him many times here on the board and he's obviously still under
oath, but thank you for putting him under oath again just in case he forgot. I'm kidding, you know. I know. Uh good evening everybody again. Josh Sewald from Dynamic Engineering Consultants. We were uh previously here in June and um we took a lot of the comments feedback both positive and
negative from your board and um equally as important from the public there. You had a lot of good feedback that came from the public residents and what we have done since that June meeting is we went back to the drawing board. We talked with the applicant as well as with the architect and we're here tonight for a revised plan set. So
property condition stays the same. We don't need to go through all those existing conditions history that we discussed back in June. Overall, it is still a class A three-story self-s storage facility. And let me go through some of the uh modifications, which I think is paramount to the the application that's before you. The
exhibit that you have on the screen right now is actually the same rendering that we have from June. What we're about to ask uh your team member to put on is our new exhibit. Um if you wouldn't mind flipping over to that one. So, this is a zoomed in version. This is
the site plan overlaid onto the landscape plan. Just for the record, we'll mark this as exhibit A3. Perfect. Uh it's today's date, September 4th, prepared by my firm. Same orientation as the prior exhibit. Zoomed in. The building is the orange
box. The uh dark gray area is the drive aisles and parking around it. Same orientation. You have route 18 running in that north south direction on the right side of the plan and Pine Street. First major thing which was a lot of feedback from your residents is we would not like essentially a commercial
driveway on Pine Street. We went back to the drawing board look at the wetlands as well as the DOT clearance and we have now eliminated completely the driveway from Pine Street. We are now proposing a rightin right out driveway on Route 18 only. So there will be no impacts to the Pine Street uh driveway that goes back
to the residential neighborhood. A DOT permit has also been filed uh to the DOT. Next, we took a look at the overall footprint. There was some questions, comments, maybe some concerns on the scaling over the overall project. We decided to reduce the footprint from
41,250 ft² to 38,050 ft, which then further reduces the total F from 123750,000 ft to 114, and 152 square feet. Overall,
what we were able to do was take that building footprint, shrink it, which then shrunk the overall uh total development area. The access aisle around the building is the same. It's able to accommodate our customers, fire trucks, trash trucks, box trucks. The
overall parking count went from 13 to 11 spaces due to the reduction of of total floor area. We also prepared full civil drawings. We won't be testifying to some of that today, but what is important to note was that we heard a lot of comments in the June hearing about drainage concerns about the local area, the
residents to the north of us as well. And we're here to testify not on the new plans that got filed, but that we have done full testing of the soil and we have designed a full drainage report. And we are confident to say and testify that the drainage system that's on this plan before you has been fully designed.
The one that was in front of you in June was conceptual in nature because it was uh just a bifurcated use variance aspect. We're still here just for the bifurcated. We're not seeking the preliminary and final, but we wanted the public and the board to know that in the past 90 days, we have substantially dug
in to ensure that the drainage depicted on the exhibit that's before you is going to function and make sure there's no negative impacts to this property or any of our surrounding residential neighborhoods. Lastly, we didn't present architecturals at the June hearing. We were kind of wrapping up and everyone said, "We'll
see you in in a few months." The original architecturuals was a traditional climate controlled self- storage facility, a little bit more commercial industrial look. There was a comment from the residents that said, "If this is going to be here, can you make it look a little bit more residential character?" And we did that.
We understand it is still a commercial self-s storage facility, but the architect completely redesigned the facade treatments to have those residential features. They have some peak roofs, a lot more windows, different materials that you would see associated with a new home. You have a
lot of horizontal and vertical elements, and then there's even some peaks that you would see like a gable of a roof line that goes over the front door. Just for the record, Mark, this is exhibit 84. Yes, sir. Thank you. So overall, we wanted to come back to the board, let you and the public, who I know is listening behind me, know that
we heard all of your comments and we went back to the drawing board to try to satisfy as many as those concerns as possible. We think now that we've been able to um improve upon the overall development scheme and be able to improve upon the buffer now to Pine
Street so that when you do come down Pine Street, you're not going to see in a driveway. You're not going to see a commercial driveway. won't even see towards the building cuz there's over a 65- ft landscape heavy buffer along the Pine Street area. So, as they continue to drive down Route 18 through your
community like they already do, they'll see a driveway to a commercial facility, but it won't just be a regular strip center or the local Dunkin Donuts, it's going to be a modern class A facility that now has that residential character, a little bit more of a buffer between Route 18 to when their residential neighborhood starts. There's a lot more
detail in the plans if you guys have any questions, but that's my high level introduction and summary from where we were in June to what we'd like to present before you this evening now that we're here in September. Any questions? Mr. Tetro, do you have any comments?
U yeah, I as I understand it, uh Environmental Resolutions firm I work for had prepared a review letter back I think June 3rd. Um, and I don't know that there was a response letter necessarily. I do know that there was some revised. It was a revised traffic
report dated uh July 2nd and some revised plans dated uh July 3rd. Uh, I just got them recently looked at them in line with what my previous comments have been. Now, of course, you now have a
significant change here because you moved the access from Pine Street to Route 18. I think you've already answered one of the questions that I had right off the bat. Um, and and these are based I had I had indexed my my comments based on the pages of the uh traffic
impact study. Um, had you you said that a DOT permit has been filed. Had did you have any discussions with DOT? I mean, I'm a little concerned that you know you have access right now on Pine Street for that property.
no access on Route 18 and under the proposed putting it on Route 18. I know in the past I've been involved with a lot of DOT access permits both as an applicant and also when I worked on DOT projects. I I the term I think DOT used
was reasonable alternative access and you know if uh the one thing you want to check here uh if you know in conversation with DOT is that they're not going to consider Pine Street reasonable alternative access and deny your access on route 18 based on that. So have there have been conversations
with DOT or so right behind me sir is my partner and colleague Corey Chase who's the traffic engineer will be able to address some of those questions. Okay good. All right. Um, so maybe some of these comments are going to be uh should I I can wait on the traffic comments. If uh if it's on-site parking circulation,
happy to to dabble with the civil, but if it's if it's DOT and their requirements and regulations, I would defer Mr. I'll hold on the traffic part then because you know then then your your partner can can go through these um you know portions of the traffic impact
statement. I'll go to the plans. I did have some PL plan comments um in my original comments and then I looked to see if they had been addressed. Now I understand this is not a final plan submission. This is only for use variance as I understand. So that's correct.
I I did go into some detail basically it's you know then consider it as information that you know you should be looking into incorporating when you know if and when you get approval and go forward for for a final you know preliminary and final uh site plan. Um
some additional stop signs. Um okay. Um parking signs if the township grants the waiver for providing uh from providing any loading spaces. Uh I understand that's a requested waiver. Uh
plans didn't depict any truck circulation and so that's a concern here. You know how how trucks maneuver. I know the fire department will want to see how a fire truck maneuvers through the site. I believe you have a trash receptacle. We want to see the trash, you know, and if that's the largest
truck, that's trucks that are anticipated, that's fine. Then it' be some kind of sign posted that, you know, no trucks over whatever. Okay. Um, the one concern I still have is sight distances. You got this drive aisles are
right adjacent to the building and besides the maneuvering aspect which you know with a two-way pattern uh the traffic on the inside is is got a you know there's no radius there. They got a a 90° corner to go around. So they're
going to have to swing into opposing traffic maybe to to make that turn especially anything larger than a car. Uh there's also the sight sight sight distance issue. uh you know the traffic is approaching at some speed which I mean I they can't they can't really pick
up a lot of speed going through here but uh you know if they're not totally stopped at that corner and two vehicles come you know you might have a problem I I think I had originally suggested if this thing's working or not I think I had originally suggested a one-way
traffic pattern uh in lie of in other words come in the site from route 18 all the traffic goes to the right and goes around comes back out. Uh that would eliminate any conflicts. Plus, then you would only have uh the traffic, you know, wouldn't be hugging
the building as they would if you have two-way traffic. So, that that's that's a concern. Um um some signs on Route 18. I mentioned that, you know, now you have Route 18 access. Uh
there's a bus stop located on Route 18 just before the right turn into Pine Street. Um, you know, there might be maybe and you know, maybe this is a decision by the township, but consideration should be given for providing a sidewalk from this bus stop around the corner and and
extending maybe across the uh the site's frontage along Pine Street. Uh, DOT may ask for sidewalk and route 18. I'm guessing not given the character Route 18 in that area, but that's, you know, something they may ask for. Uh confirmation on the uh number of uh it
looks like you've got 13 parking spaces. Two are for EVs and one for ADA. Just confirm that they comply with all New Jersey and uh you know requirements for EVs and US you know requirements for ADA. Um double yellow line uh between
the building from Route 18 up to the building. Um existing rideway width is uh not shown on the plans of Route 18. Um, in theory, DOT Route 18, this is in this area is a desirable typical section
of 114 foot rideway. Um, you know, they could ask for right away dedication. I know they usually don't, but that I guess that'll be something DOT would would bring up. That's basically it on my comments. So, uh, that so, Mr. Chairman, if you wouldn't mind.
Go ahead. So, a lot of the recommendations you just mentioned, I think we can easily accommodate. Um certainly signage uh we will comply with obviously uh any fire department comments with with no parking fire zone. Um to refresh the board and the public's memory uh we are asking for
a modification waiver for loading and what we testified in June and just to rehash for tonight self storage um the way this place is going to function and operate we don't have any any external rollup doors. It's very common if you've been to other self- storage facilities
there's an exterior rollup door. So you would essentially load in front of it. All of our activity is inside the building. So there are three entrances, one by the front office and then two on the long sides of the building where you would park, bring everything in and use the elevator to go inside. Yeah, that's
a great Thank you so much for bringing that back up. So that 30foot aisle that goes around the building acts as essentially your temporary loading. It's not a delineated area like you would see at a commercial shopping center, a Wawa or Shopright, but that is going to act
as a loading. So although we still are seeking that waiver/modification, it will absolutely function as that temporary loading facility. Uh in regards to your board engineers recommendation for one-way traffic, we think that's a great idea and we can certainly incorporate that through the
full site plan design. Um, it is very common in self- storage to have pavement right up against the building based off the operational use that I just mentioned a few moments ago. They you pull your car up close to the building. You unload your trunk or the back of your box truck and you need to get into the building uh in the loading area. So,
it is common usually at a say a strip center you have front sidewalk maybe a landscape island before the larger parking area. At a self-s storage facility when you have uh the drives you have it against the building. So, um, it's a good recommendation that instead of having two-way traffic to avoid some
of the concerns your engineer has, sight lines and things like that, we'll make it one way around the entire building. So, there's only one flow of traffic. And then essentially, you have a 30 foot wide drive aisle for one lane. And just to give the boards uh, a refresher, usually a one lane driveway is about 10
to 12 feet. We're providing 30. And the reason it's 30 is so that you can have the fire truck or the box truck or the trash truck be able to maneuver around the facility. Just a point of reference, Pine Street, for example, is maybe even 20 feet wide. So, our on-site driveway, which is going to have very limited
traffic, Mr. Chase will talk about that shortly, will easily accommodate the handful of customers we have, let alone the fire apparatus and the other vehicles that are maneuver through the site. So, all the other recommendations your board engineer mentioned, happy to incorporate should we get past and hopefully approved the use variance
aspect. Sounds good. Hey, I'm going to ask the board members if they have any questions. Certainly, I'll start on my left. Mr. Stoner. No. Okay. Mr. Rizzo, for the people that are coming in and out. Yes, sir.
It's going to be the one entrance. Yes, sir. So, you got to come in with hand trucks or whatever to bring in their belongings to store. Uh, yes. So, usually the this facility operator will have a hand truck that you can load your material onto. You'll bring it through the doors and then if
you're on the first floor, you just bring it down the aisle or if you're on the second or third, you go to the elevator, bring you upstairs. And that's the only entrance for the accessible for the people to bring their stuff in. That's correct. All units are interior. You cannot access any of the units from
the exterior. There are two loading entrances. You see one on the exhibit A4 before you. There's the same thing on the north side. There is also an entrance at the front door, but that's for the office. That's not where you'll be doing any of your loading facility. Um, go ahead.
Yeah, I'm I'm kind of curious. You say that they can park their cars along the side of the building, take out all their stuff with their doors open, unload, load it onto a hand car, and then go through the front door. It's only 30 feet. Now, if you have cars coming in, even if it's one way, it seems pretty
tight to me, especially like you said with the 90 degree angles are where your corners are. So, a a typical two-way drive aisle in any commercial shopping center that you've been in your community is 24 ft. So, if you have 90 degree parking on
each side, in between those two parking spaces is 24 feet. The applicant's proposing 30 feet. And now with modifying it to potentially one-way circulation, what you're only going to have is a is a car. Yes, you're right. With with the door open or or the the
back open and then you have another 20 ft left over for a car or another truck to be able to go past it. I understand, but it still seems like it'd be very tight going around the corners even with one way if you have a bigger day and people parked close
because everybody's going to park close to the front door. Let's face it, we're all lazy. I what you'll hear from Mr. Chase shortly, and not to sound like a traffic engineer, self storage, although it's a bigger building, and we absolutely understand that, it really doesn't generate a lot of traffic. And that's
not just my opinion or Mr. Chase's opinion. He has to rely on what the DOT is going to agree that this traffic is going to go through to this driveway. And we bring that back then for operations discussion in front of zoning. And then it also comes into play of how many parking spaces that we need.
this was a much higher generated use, we would need to have a substantial amount of parking. Again, for example, just to keep referencing like a commercial development, a much more active and smaller building may not even have a 30-foot driveby. It is very common for
my office to do a 24ft driveby, which meets standards of IT and other engineering. So, we are certainly confident that that 30 feet is plenty. What we can also do is we can add some striping around the building like a hatch to keep people away from the edge
of the building and it'll look like nice yellow or nice white, whatever your your recommendation of your engineer is. That way it's a more delineated access aisle. We can bring that down to 24 ft. So then you'll have a nice six foot um striped area along all sides of the building so that you never know that you're getting
too close of it. Okay. My next question is um I guess it's for traffic though. I'd like to know when the um you filed for the DOT letter. Say again. I' I'd like to know when you filed with the DOT for the letter of no interest or everything.
So, we're not going for letter of no interest. It will be a brand new um access permit. And between June and and tonight, we didn't just file for the DOT. We submitted to everybody county and D letter of interpretation for the wetlands. But you have no answers on it
yet. No. So, we have an LOI on the property already. You do? Yes, ma'am. Um, when we were here in June, we submitted use variance drawings, which really just include the conceptual site plan that was presented before you on exhibit A2 and then a conceptual landscape plan. Since June,
we did full drawings so that we could testify to lighting landscaping utilities. Even though we're not here for preliminary and final major site plan, we wanted to have more data because of the questions from you guys and the public. In addition to that, we then submit it to all outside agencies who are going to be a part of the site
plan process including the DOT. So it it won't be an LOI l for the DOT. It'll be a minor access permit. Okay, good. So what is the date for the LOI for from the Department of Environmental Protection? Give me one second.
You gave me time. It's fine. I'll have to get back to you on that date, but it is delineated on our plans as well. So, the the wetlands line and the associated 50- foot buffer around them are locked in. That was done well prior to when we made the June application.
Right. And when in June, wasn't there an issue with the buffer from Route 18 to where your building was too? One of the modifications, uh, there's a couple that are outlined in the ERRI letter talks about having a 75 foot pretty much no development buffer from Route 18. Our
testimony in June was that we wanted to maximize the rear portion of the buffer. And not to sound like a planner right now, but we talk about C2 variances and alternative planning. We can shift this layout. So should you approve the use
variance but then not approve those buffers, this layout would just simply shift to the west and we would not encroach upon any buffer or bulk standard to the western residential property line. We are seeking those modifications because we'd like to keep
the development up towards Route 18 to maximize the buffer to the back. So that was a little bit of our testimony in June and we've continued to do that here. Okay. Thank you. Absolutely. So the the orientation of the building stays the same. Correct. It hasn't hasn't changed. I know there was
someone asked I think to change it 90 degrees. Yes. But it's going to remain the same. Is the buffer from pine has anything changed on the location of the building or it remains the same? I know there's not going to be any entrance, but it's
still 95 foot back. Uh I think that's what you testified to. I'll give you the two separate dimensions. So because the footprint got smaller. Okay. the buffer to Pine Street actually improved. So, back in June, our um the
setback was my apologies. The buffers to Pine Street and to the rear western property line, the buildings in the same location. The buffer gets better because we eliminated the driveway that was on Pine Street. Now, it's more uniform. There's not a cut through that you can see through it.
So, you're you're correct, Mr. Chairman. the distance from the legal rightaway of Pine Street to the edge of the building the same. Okay. And it hasn't moved to the west any correct? Uh, it has moved closer to the west. So So it's closer. It's closer to the
residence. Closer to Route 8. I'm sorry, my directions are off. Okay. West 114T is locked in to the residence, but we testified in June. Same tonight in September. What we did was we shrunk the building and made it longer so it got closer to Route 18. Okay.
uh what I see on there on on this picture it looks like there's added uh buffering to the west as we look west would be to our left as we look at the picture that's correct and there has been it looks like more
landscape landscaping that you have done there substantially there was a lot of comments at the prior meeting and just to read into the record a little bit sure we have 53 shade trees now 32 ornamental tree uh trees 48 evergreen trees, 21 evergreen shrubs,
and another 145 deciduous shrubs. So basically, every little circle that's different green shades on that is a proposed planting. Anything that you see is in light green is existing trees that we will not be modifying. So you see, Mr. Chairman, on the west side, there's a lot of that light green. Well, that's
out there today and we don't want to touch it. Well, then we further added some additional circles to enhance and and add to that buffer. And in the bottom lefthand corner of that picture, uh there's a kind of a tannanish. Is that the lot? Uh that's the home. That is an existing dwelling. Correct.
And what would the resident see now that you've changed uh I guess the positioning? Well, uh I don't think you've changed the positioning, but you've added landscaping. Are they going to be able to see your building? Obviously, at the height, they
may, but I'm talking about from a sighteline standpoint, sir. they won't be able to see it will not correct I have not done an inventory of every single tree should some of those trees maybe be deciduous then you may be able to see through the branches during certain time of year but we are 114 ft
from building structure to the property line which means there is a 84.7 foot buffer of existing trees and new landscaping and what we've done is we've packed in as many trees as we can in
that new area and if if ERRI has any additional species recommendations or the board has species, we can certainly look into it. But the goal here was give them the biggest buffer that we can. I'd also like to point out that the standard of the the residential zone, which is a
little odd, only allows a 50-ft setback. We're over double that because we understand the sensitivity of commercial next to the residential. So if you were standing in their backyard, you have 84 feet of existing woods, some wetlands, and then new trees before you get to the
first curb and pavement, and then another 30 ft before you get to the back of the building. In this depiction, you uh drive in from Route 18. Would that be the face of the building where entrance to the office
would be? That's correct. And I see that there's parking stalls. Yeah, all the parking is on the eastern front facade. In the b bottom southern eastern corner is where the office is located. All right. And you're going to talk about drainage.
Yes. Uh overall the again I I know it's not we're not talking about preliminary final major site plans, but but we did the work. So we Well, you brought it up, that's why I'm asking. Absolutely. Um because we knew there was some concerns at the prior meeting. So we did testing. We identified where the seasonal high was. We did the
permeability testing of the soil and we've designed a system to comply with the four prongs of storm water management. Quantity, quality, groundwater recharge, and green infrastructure. How are we going to do that? We have a large above ground infiltration basin. That's the gray
polygon shape that's to the north of the building. In addition to that, there will be a porous pavement section, and we really need that in order to satisfy the green infrastructure regulations. Finally, back in 2023, the state of New Jersey updated their storm water regs not just
for the 210 and 100red-year storm, the projected runoff that's going to be here in the year 2011. And our storm water system complies with all those four prongs and the future projected runoff weight. What does all this mean in in normal language? Basically, what is out there today is
generating some type of runoff because there's a bunch of structures out there and there's no storm water management facilities. The state of New Jersey says not only do you have to maintain that existing runoff, you have to reduce it in the post-development condition. So if the site is generating very little
runoff, the new project, regardless of use, has to be way less in the 210 and 100year storm. So this system will guarantee that there will be less runoff going off the property than what is happening today. That's an improvement to the parcel, complies with state
standards, your ordinance as well, and then further helps some of the residents in the area in the subwaterhed. Mr. Se there's a picture of um I don't know is that going to be detention basin? Is that a if it were approved? Is that what that
picture? It'll be an infiltration basin. So infiltration basin. Would you know the distance that maybe you could put on the record some of the people here tonight that I recognized from the last meeting? So, they're probably going to ask you the same questions. Yep. Um, what's the distance from the end of
the road? In other words, the back of the building as a was it 25T? Did you say the roads? Uh, 30 seconds. 30. So, from that 30 foot, how far back uh can you touch? Only only that infiltration basic,
right? And you're not going to do anything to those woods that are already there. Correct. No, they're protected by wetlands, right? So there's a street back there. It's called Darwin Road. It would it would be in the other end of the wooded area. Yes, sir. You're not getting anywhere anywhere near that? No, sir.
Okay. Would you would you guess or if you have the plan, could you tell a guesstimate or a pretty factual amount of uh the distance? I certainly can. the edge of the corner of the building. So, the northwest corner is 389 ft to the closest
corner of a property next to Darwin Road. Obviously, Darwin Road is angled. It's not a rectangle. So, that distance keeps getting larger and larger. So, from the edge of the the northwestern most corner of our self- storage facility to the closest corner of Darwin
in our western property line is 389 ft. So you drop that down to 359 ft after the 30-foot drive v a from a um to the edge of the the basin which is a hole in the ground um it would be approximately
it's it's down another 150 ft. So you're looking at 200 feet from the edge of our stormwater basin to the property line and all that area in the 200 feet is already protected by the D with wetlands buffers and existing trees. None of that will be modified.
And that's fairly heavily forested, right? I would say it is very forested. It's never been developed before. The trees are over 50 feet tall. If I were at a house on Darwin, would I see the building? I substantially Well, I guess I guess maybe in the in the dead of winter perhaps. But
remember, when you have a large forest, you have tall canopies. So, could you throw an angle in the winter time through the trees, maybe see a development? Certainly. But I believe then you would be seeing the existing building today and maybe even Route 18 currently. But it is in my opinion that
through the majority of the year with the existing full growth of the forested area, there's going to be very limited amounts that you will see of this site. All right. Thank you, council. Do you have anything for the witness? No, Mr. Chairman, I have no questions. All right. Anybody else? Are you going to put anybody else on?
Yes, we have traffic testimony and we do have our planner available if there's any questioning. Sure, you can continue. We'll have our traffic expert come up. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. SA. Absolutely. And you were put under oath at the June
meeting, correct? So, you can consider yourself still under oath. Would you just tell the public uh what you do and who you were? Yeah, certainly. Good evening, everyone. Corey Chase with Dynamic Traffic. It's good to be back again. I provided the traffic testimony at the prior hearing.
Um just you know as Mr. Seawald mentioned the primary change from a traffic perspective is the fact that we eliminated the driveway on Pine Street and as he mentioned we submitted to the NJ dot for a minor access permit for the proposed right and redout driveway on Route 18 southbound. Um the application
was deemed complete on August 29th 2025. So we do have a completeness applicate uh completeness letter of completeness as well as the application number from the New Jersey Department of Transportation. So, it's currently under review. Uh, they're supposed to get us comments within 30 days, so approximately the end of September. We
would have comments from the Department of Transportation. Um, I heard some of the comments that Mr. Tetrol made u regarding traffic. So, just to touch on a few of those points, um, we haven't had any direct conversations with DOT yet other than submitting the application. Uh, the lot is conforming
with the access code, so we are permitted a driveway along the Route 18 frontage. Uh certainly if they expressed any concerns, we would provide them with the feedback that we received as part of the application to the township, letting them know that we had originally contemplated along Pine Street, but based on some concerns that were
expressed, we're choosing to now relocate that access to Route 18 southbound. Uh we did, as Mr. Tetro mentioned, we did update the traffic impact study. It was last revised July 2nd, 2025. Uh just to reflect again the revised access configuration, now all the traffic will directly access Route
18 southbound. uh rather than the intersection with Pine Street to get to Route 18. Uh no significant changes in the operational conditions that the site driveway would operate at acceptable levels of service. We reviewed the site access and the circulation with Mr. Seawald and certainly with consideration
of Mr. Tetrol's recommendations to go to a one-way circulation uh counterclockwise around the building. It it'll certainly open as Mr. Seaw wall mentioned it's already an oversized drive aisle to account for vehicles potentially parking adjacent to the northern and southern building facades. Uh certainly going to a one-way
circulation pattern will make that even more free flowing and open it up to accommodate U-Haul delivery trucks uh as well as the garbage truck and emergency vehicles from the township. So as you heard me testify at the prior meeting, self-s storage facilities are one of the
lowest traffic generators in the IT land use code. So, it's not a significant traffic generator. It's why it only requires a minor access permit from the New Jersey Department of Transportation and not a major access permit. So, we're confident that we will get that from the
state in due time. And again, um the revised access circulation pattern certainly will provide safe and efficient access to the site. So, be h happy to answer any questions that the board has or any questions that Mr. Tetrol had that I didn't identify in my direct testimony. Sure. We'll throw it back to Mr. Tetril.
Yeah. U thanks Corey. Um I think the the DOT permit questions kind of been resolved. Uh the one thing I guess that uh when these permits go into DOT a copy is sent to the the municipality. So there should have been a copy provided to the township I guess at that time and
and all that. I guess somebody has it. I I I haven't seen it but yeah that's correct. Uh that was submitted. Uh it's all done the minor access permits are being done electronically now. So it's actually through their new e- permitting system. So we do but we still do have to provide copies of the township and county submissions.
Okay. All right. So that was okay. That was copied to the township. Um the other comments that I had um it not too significant I don't think I I I had had a comment and the revised didn't answer about when the data when review of
existing condition was conducted. Not that big of a deal. The uh I'm sure was recent. Um on page seven under the site access and circulation it says review of site plan design indicates a site can sufficiently accommodate a large wheelbase vehicle such as a single
unit truck. Um as I mentioned when Josh testified there's no circulation plans on on the site plans. I understand it's not preliminary or final and I'm assuming that'll all be included preliminary and final. Um
you'll need to they'll need to contact I'm sorry that is correct and not to interrupt you. Sorry, sir. That's okay. Um we did we did do uh the emergency vehicle refuge truck and a single unit truck. So those will all be included as part of the site plan submission. Um the one thing with the um the fire apparatus need to contact the fire
department determine what their largest vehicle is or will be in the future if they're buying a even larger fire truck. So they would need to coordinate with the the fire department on that and get their blessing on on the circulation plan that along with I'm sure other fire
related items you know that are not traffic related. Um let me see uh under parking uh I kind of checked it based on it parking generation um and
I think there was less than what was proposed. So, looks like you're good based on that. Um, the traffic state did note that 17 spaces would be provided. I think township ordinances for 25. Uh, so I guess there would be some kind of a waiver variance there for that. Um, and
uh let's see if there's anything else. Uh, I think that's basically it for, you know, on my comments on the on the traffic study. So, thank you. Yeah. Didn't you say something about going to 13? We had originally previously proposed 13. uh based on the reduction in
building area and the reduction uh in the impervious we did drop down to 11 parking spaces. So those are the dedicated stripe spaces adjacent to the eastern building facade. As Mr. Seaw mentioned, if it was in the township's preference, we could certainly stripe
areas adjacent to the building which would effectively serve as additional loading/parking areas. didn't just to confirm you just for my notes and I apologize you still have the two EV parking spaces right that's correct and one ADA space as well so we do you are correct we do get a a
credit for those EV spaces so it's maxed out at five so you're 16 total when 25 is proposed correct got him yeah you mentioned about the you know striping and this is all stuff that can be worked out when when we get into preliminary and final probably some kind
of striping and you know to identify where the loading area would be I guess and also um to allow as you get near the corners basically that you know nobody's going to encroach you know on that corner area and and and you know and the
signage will probably reflect that too you know that you identify that was a comment I had about identifying where the uh you know the loading areas were and the signage and all that but these are details that can be resolved later. Sure. Anything else, Mr. Chase?
That's it, sir. Board members on my left for for the traffic engineer. Mr. Chase, coming down the line, vice chair. I have nothing. Thank you. Thank you very much for your testimony, councelor. Any I think you asked the
question you needed to ask. No, Mr. Chairman, I'm good. I just needed that clarification. Okay, very good. Chairman, we have uh nothing further, so we we would like to open it up to the public if it's okay. Your purview. Uh, you said you have your planner here.
I do. And I don't think anything's going to change, right? Her testimony would would, I guess, be the same. Yeah, I it's it's essentially going to be the same. The layout changed a little bit coming off of 18. If if you if the board would like Let me ask them because
uh I want to give you every opportunity to clear up any problems that people may have in their mind. Certainly. Would you like to hear anything from the planner as to the new setup? I don't think it changes anything, but if you want to hear Actually, yeah, I do. I want it on the record for positive criteria.
Okay. Certainly. So, we're going to call up our planner, Mr. Tyina. Perfect. All right, sir. Please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm and tell the truth nothing but the truth to help you God? I do. Please state your name and spell your last for the record. John Tyena. T is in Thomas. A I K is in
Kelly. I in Nicholas A. Over to you, counselor. Uh Mr. Tyina, could you please provide your qualifications for the board? Certainly. I'm a licensed planner in Jersey. Have been since I completed my studies at Ruckers University in 1992. I spent the last 32 years uh doing this, testifying before planning and zoning
boards and commissions across the state and around the country on before this board. I have several times. Yes. We we'll accept your credentials and your expertise. Thank you. Mr. Taikina, you've reviewed the um the transcript from the previous meeting, correct? Miss Kafone was here at the previous
meeting. Um you've heard the testimony from the previous meeting and tonight. Uh take it away. Certainly. Uh so the site again for the use variance there's really four things we need to show. One is uh particularly suited. Two is um we meet some purposes we advance some purposes of zoning.
Three that we reconcile why wasn't it zoned this way. the Medici criterion and then as always our negative criteria. Um so like Miss Capone testified again we are particularly suited um by by the virtue of the large size of the property 8 and a half acres its presence on Route
18 which is only uh further established by having it now a driveway on Route 18 which is really going to go to our negative criteria uh in terms of really limiting uh further impact on Pine Street. Um and uh you know so so again
those things the location on 18 and uh being able to get off Pine really goes to our particular suitability for this site. In terms of advancing the purpose of zoning, I'd submit to you. We'd have purpose E. Um providing sufficient space in appropriate locations for a variety of uses in accordance with their
environmental requirements. And uh purpose I promoting desirable visual environment through good civic design arrangement. And purpose M uh encouraging the coordination of the various procedures affecting land development with a view towards uh lessening the cost of that development
and to the more efficient use of the land. So here we have sufficient space. We have a large site that uh can accommodate the use that's in question. We have um even though it's it is zoned residentially, we still meet the residential
um standards particularly in terms of of lot coverage and and impervious coverage. So we are well below even what would be low standards uh as it relates to uh coverage uh for the for the use. And we of course we meet all all of our setbacks. We have substantial setbacks
114 feet to our residences, our residents to the west and over 380 ft to our residents to the north. So again, we we are well situated on the site. Um again, we think it's an attractive building. uh the changes that we made to
enhance the residential look of the building with the additional peaks with the improvements in uh residential type materials and most importantly the reorientation to route 18 are critical things that um really enhance the environment there and then finally uh
providing for coordination of all the various procedures um for us you know the DOT procedure is the first and foremost then our D procedures then our county and obviously a township so All those things are important. Uh we are using the land efficiently. We're redeveloping a previously developed
commercial site. Uh thrown out at a at a perfect green field, but we still are able to, as Mr. Seawol testified, preserve almost 80% of the site in its existing and original condition with that substantial landscape buffer to our north. And then finally, in terms of our
negative criteria, um again, by relocating off of Pine Street, that's having less of a an impact on our Pine Street neighbors. Um that allows us to also additionally buffer that Pine Street uh frontage so that we don't have the driveway that cuts through that you're going to be able to see the
building. Now we're going to be able to have that full 65 ft that can be well landscaped as Mr. Seawwell testified. Um, and in terms of your master plan, your zoning ordinance, um, even though it is residentially zoned, your master plan re-examination in 22 did talk about
extensively, uh, looking closely at the Route 18 and Route 9 frontages um, for areas that should be uh, zoned better for economic development and uh, for better utilization uh, as opposed to their existing residential um,
designation. So again, your master plan acknowledges that there are areas along the township roads along particularly Route 18 uh where we do have residential where again some of your um SED districts and your economic development districts would be more appropriate. And
I think this is one of those cases where we do have a you know we have the ability to um you know provide for commercial use that is the lowest impact commercial use that we could possibly do. I mean uh Mr. Chase's testimony uh was was very clear in that regard. Uh if
we put a Dunkin Donuts on here that would be 2,000 square feet. It would have, you know, 10 or 20 times the traffic um that this does. And this uh will be a much it's it's a great quiet neighbor. And as far as residents next door, it's about the quietest neighbor
that you can get. Um and that's that's a good thing from a negative criteria standpoint. So for those reasons, I think the board has the ability to grant the approval that's requested and I'm available for your questions. Mr. Tetro, do you have any comments for the planner?
No, I do not. Let me ask you this. Do you know of any recommendations which you mentioned that the township has made to change this R40 zone? No. Okay. And the comments you're making,
we have to bear in mind that it is still R40. Yes. So whatever commercial entity wouldn't fit in there. There's a few I know daycare centers, etc. by right, but uh there would be very limited. Correct. I was merely looking for the
littlest building I could think of. Um but the the daycare example that you cite is actually a very good one to say that that would be a use that would be permitted in the R40 zone that um would be much much higher traffic impact uh
even a modest daycare facility um than this use. Um it's actually a great example. That's why we listen to our boards. Okay, I'm going to go down to my left. Mas anything Mr. Stoner? No siz. Yeah, I'd like you to comment on how
it's going to impact the value of the residents around this building. Is it going to increase or decrease their home values? I believe it'll have no impact whatsoever. I'm sorry. I believe it'll have no impact whatsoever. If they're going to go up or down, they'll go up and down on their
own. Not that there's a self- storage facility on the end. It would not be considered a noxious or detrimental use from a value standpoint. Okay. Thank you. And councelor, do you have anything? No, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Tenina, for putting that on the record. Uh, you have no other witnesses that you're going to have tonight. Right. We do not. All right. Then I'm going to go to a public portion. Yes. All right. Thank you, guys, sir. If you want to step down.
All right. This is a 03205Z. This is uh prime capital space. We're going to open up the public portion physical location. Here's 12 Pine Street, old bridge for self-story facility. I see there are some familiar faces. I will still welcome you to uh to
speak before the board. Should you have any questions, they have changed the plan uh somewhat. Anybody interested, now is the time to raise your hand. Please come up, sir. We'll get we'll get to everyone. Uh do we have is this microphone working? Okay,
just push the button. Oh, you have a button. Oh, I'm sorry. Sir, please raise your right hand. Do you swear affirm tell truth nothing but the truth I help you God? I do. Please state your name and spare your last for the record. James McN A L L Y. And just provide your address, please.
14 Darwin Road. Thank you, Sarah. And I know you spoke at the last uh at the last time we were together, Mr. McN. I did. Please feel free. My uh my concern at that time was the uh drainage. As I stated, we have a high water table
there. Uh heavy rains. I get flooded. So my concern was that this would exacerbate that problem. They're telling me it won't. I have to take them at their word. Um my concern right now is the size of the
structure. Does it have to be three stories? you know, in in that neighborhood, it's going to stick out like a sore thumb. Uh I don't think it's it fits the landscape of the neighborhood, but that's my, you know, uh opinion. Uh
my other concern was it was stated at the last meeting that I was at that Suburban Caps is not being forced out of that space. Suburban Caps has been there for 30, 40 years. They've been a fantastic
neighbor. You don't hear anything coming out of that lot and it was stated at that meeting last month that they're not being forced out. Uh I have subsequently found out that
they are being forced out. They're heartbroken that they have to lose their business. Uh it's a family business that they were leaving to their children and now they're at wits end. They don't know where to where to go, what to do. Uh again, they've been there for so long
and they've been such good neighbors and now they're being forced out as opposed to what was said, you know, last month. I thought my recollection was that they bought bought or or you have a contingency buy. It it's a contingency buy.
Okay. So, I don't know. I'm not aware of that comment. Councelor to comment. It's this is a real estate issue. I don't know. You're saying that he's being forced out? I ultimately, Mr. Chairman, it is it would be a real estate contractual issue, but it has no bearing on the board's
decision whether or not there was any force or there's any contractual issues. This is it certainly is a good concern, but it's outside the board's jurisdiction to consider in evaluating the application. Why is that? Why? Because the application is governed by the municipal annu law specifically
two sections of the statute under 4055D70 D1 and D4 and D4 and under that section there's essentially two cases one is the Medici case which sets forth positive and negative criteria which the applicants professionals testified to and the other one is the Coventry case
which deals with the D4 and whether or not the property can adequately satisfy the essentially the intensity of the use subject to an increased F. So those are the proofs that they have to show and that's what the board considers idea what you're talking about. I know but that's what you asked why
because this is what the board evaluates. So the testimony and the questions and the focal of your comments that's what the board gauges. So this outside information is certainly worth discussing but it's unfortunately this board doesn't have a arm in the fight
for that. Maybe it should. In short, it has that has no bearing on the board's decision whether there is some coercion if that's what you're alleging. I don't know. No, no, I'm not. I'm assuming that that the this Prime
Capital LLC uh is in the business of buying properties and putting up structures. And I don't know, it's just limited to uh this type of uh structures, but other structures. So, if they engage in a sale of of an owner who
wants to sell his property, once the propertyy's sold, it's not really the owner's decision on what goes there. It would be like you selling your home. The new person comes in and puts up puts a pool in. You you didn't want to pull in that, but you don't own it anymore. I'm trying to just make it in
common sense. So, we don't decide on who's buying what. We decide on whether or not we should approve or not approve an application based on its merits. No, I'm just I'm just pointing it out because because it was asked specifically, yeah, are they being forced out
and they was absolutely not. They're not being forced out. Well, the business if they if they buy the property, obviously the business isn't going to be there anymore. And I guess the person has the right not but not to sell the business. Is the
person is Suburban Caps the owner of the property? I don't know. I don't know who they I have no idea. Okay. So, I don't know. So, it it's really irrelevant to to the board's actual decision. Okay. Fair enough. But, uh he may be a tenant there. I don't know. I don't know either.
Yeah. I know it's been there forever. Um figuratively speaking, and he may just be leasing land or renting land, whoever the owner of that person is. They haven't come before us. So, uh, I haven't heard that, but
that that's that's up to the landlord, whoever own who actually owns that land to engage in a real estate decision. That's certainly not has nothing to do with this board. Okay, fair enough. But thank you for the information, sir. Okay. Again, so my main concern is the
the height of the structure. Yep. Who else? Yes, ma'am. Please. I know you testified again. We'll put you under oath as well. Sorry. Do you swear affirm, tell the truth, and nothing but the truth to help you God? Yes. Please just state your name and spare your last for the record again.
Amry Alexander. A L E X A N D E R. Go ahead, ma'am. Um, so yeah, I live on Darwin Road and I'm I've lived there for over 25 years and I could see this area from my home. I mean, water has to go somewhere. It
has to go somewhere. Um, but this is a residential street. Like, you know, you gave us all these reasons as to to why it'll be okay. We don't need a 114,000 square foot storage facility there. What
benefit does it do for Old Bridge? There are six storage facilities within 5 miles of this space. I called them all. I could rent space in any one of them today. So, you could put a bow on this. You can make it all pretty. You know, it's still
three stories, 114,000 square feet on Pine Street. There's not even a sidewalk on Pine Street. There's a reason that they need 16 million variances for this because it's not supposed to be there. I mean,
I'm not a lawyer. I'm not a engineer. I have common sense. I just have common sense. There's no need for this here. I've lived there forever. I love my woods behind the house. I love my my owls. I love my my birds. I You're going
to screw it all up. So, you could say you're going to do this. You're going to make it pretty. It's still three three stories, a storage facility. We don't need I kind of would think it would be cute to have a little daycare, one
floor. So, I This isn't even a traffic thing for me. I I don't think this is going to cause that much traffic. I think that the I don't know the two years it takes to build it, that's going to be fun going up and down Pine Street for two years, right? When you when you're getting ready for all this
drainage, I'm that that to me I I think of pipes. I think of a lot going on for two years when I try and go home for two years up Pine Street. So, um this definitely is not the best thing for this area. The best thing for that area is another house.
It's a residential street. Leave Leave all caps alone. Again, they've been there. Whatever. Put a house there. I don't know. Again, like I'm not I'm not a Harvard grad. That's just common sense. I had asked you all to drive by there. I hope you did because it just
doesn't make any sense. Thank you, Mr. Alexander. Anyone else want to be heard? You come up, ma'am. Good evening, Chairman Shelvin. Nina Jocknowitz, 203 West Greystone Road, Old Bridge, New Jersey. Do it all over again. Do you swear?
Raise your right hand. Swear or tell the truth. Nothing but the truth to help you God. Yes, I do. State your name and spare your last I do have a question about that. I did already do that. So, it's it's honestly for the benefit of who's got it. Okay. I do wonder why we have to state
our name and address here. or just the question council meetings actually just the opposite. They don't want us to state our name and address. So there's two reasons. One, there's two reasons. One, because during this hearing, it's actually sworn testimony and comments that the board is
taking. So your name does have to be built into the record. First, say example, somebody sues, we know who's talking. Secondly, under the municipal land you saw, there's they have to prove there's a question of whether or not there's a detrimental impact to the neighborhood. And one of the board's consideration is what are
the pe what are the people's comments as they live in the neighborhood. So when you provide their address on the tax map that's on all the board's applications, they can see, oh wow, you actually live right next door. So then they can gauge your testimony, gauge its credibility, and that's how they get to evaluate it. So it is very important and that's why.
Okay. I mean, you didn't take any of that into consideration for the 26 residents who lived on um old old um Madawan Road for the giant ridiculous uh memory unit that's not a memory unit anymore. But that said, I don't
understand why you're going to build a three-story commercial building. I'm just really sorry. I just do need your name again just for the quarter. Sorry, ma'am. Nina Jocknowitz. Do you need my address again? J O C H N O W I TZ
203 West Greystone Road. Thank you very much, ma'am. I'm surprised that there's actually a court reporter typing away. That's cool. Um but thank you. Um I do have a few questions. Why is there that we are Is this going to be pilot money, by the way? Not that the zoning department, the
zoning um committee actually looks at it, but I'm just wondering, are you guys going to be pilot money or are you going to be taxed? Taxed. So, it's going to actually have some something potentially positive for W six. How much is the tax money based
on something like this? Estimated, of course. Sir, we don't have that calculation that that would be determined by axe assessor. In the past, you have threetory storage units like this built.
Again, I don't have Josh Sewell from Dynamic. Uh, for the record, um, just to further add on to that, we want the public to know that finances can't come into any discussion of a year. I understand that. I know. I just I wanted to to put that on the record that whether it's a dollar
or 100,000 or 200,000, it it can't be a part of our application. But to answer your question, ma'am, it will range between a hundred and $200,000 based on my experience doing other threetory within Middle Sex County. Okay. So between a hund between 100 and $200,000 for a
I'm going to have to ask estimate. I apologize. No, I just got to because this this is a legal issue. Okay, I'm not I understand. I won't ask it again. How's this? How much is square footage? 114,000 square feet approximately. And what is the average square footage of a home in that area? I have not
analyzed the existing homes on Pine Street if there exist between a th000 and 2,000 square feet and they pay about we can't talk about taxes. You got to stay away because taxes it's something that could it would be reversible if it's ever considered as a part of the application. Let's assume the board
denied it and they denied it because of taxes. It's an automatic reversible error. Can't consider taxes. Understood. So right now it's it's zoned residential or a portion of it is correct. All of it is all of it is zoned residential.
And you can't build something over on Bordontown Road in the residential in the in the industrial area. I mean, where there's better access for buses, trucks, and residents, you know, off of Borntown Road where all that commercial land is contaminated land. Instead,
you're going to like cut down trees and forest as the young lady over here said, you know, affect the uh the owl population. And we know that there's a lot of um amphibians and turtles and other things in that area because it is wetlands. There's nowhere else in all in the
entire town of old. Mr. Mr. Jack, you've you've seen many of these over the years. You've been here to comment me on many applications and you know that they have the the applicant has the right to be heard and the board judges it on the merits of the
case only. I guess what I'm asking I guess I'm asking it's none of my business what why if they looked somewhere else or they didn't. I'm asking the board. We're just looking about this one property and that's all we're going to make a decision on. So you're making a decision to go from residential to commercial.
That's what they're asking for. I know that's the decision though you were going to make whether you're going to switch. This board will have to decide whether the D1 use variants will be approved for them or not. Okay. Would you make that decision prior
to the the uh state making a decision on Route 18 access? It could it could be because it's conditional. Okay. So, would you consider for now to shelf this until no disrespect until the
Well, now let me explain something else to you. It's that's not my decision. The attorney has a right to prosecute his case here. He has he's presented witnesses. He also has a right to ask for a continuence and not take a vote tonight because we're lacking members.
Or he could force a vote. That's not my decision to make. I can't tell him that's it. Go home. And tonight's decision is to to vote whether or not to bring a commercial. Mr. Chairman's comments were correct, but the if the applicant does request the vote, the request would be for the
use variance to permit the commercial use. That is accurate. But the board is not making the decision yes or no until the motion is made at the applicant's request, which as the chairman just indicated, the applicant may very well request this to be carried because there are five members and he does require if
there are five members a yes vote from every single individual because it does require the supermajority. And I would like to point out that this is a bifurcated application. We are here seeking the use variance only. So if the board does act favorably, we would be back before this board with a full site
plan application, preliminary and final major site plan. So this is not this is just the first step in the event it does get approved. There are additional steps. Um and I understand your question about DOT and the D, but those are would
and would be conditions of any approval. So uh if there was an approval granted, it would be conditioned upon those also being granted. If we didn't get those approvals, this approval would go away. It would be useful. Wait, the approval. Wait, if if these
folks decided tonight to vote or you asked them to vote to go from a residential to commercial and all of a sudden the state said no or the D said no or everybody else said no, we would still have the plan approved for a
commercial build on that site even if it wasn't this item. No. So we are here for this particular application. We're not changing the zone. We're not proposing a zone change. What is being proposed tonight is a use on a z on on in a zone that is not permitted.
Not so technically it's the same zone. It would remain the same zone. The board would grant if they decided to act favorably would grant the application so that this use could be utilized on this site only. If for whatever reason the
DOT or the D reject our proposal and we and any subsequent amendments then unfortunately we wouldn't be able to develop the site and whether or not this use variance is granted or not it would be useless.
Okay. So let me get this straight. You want to build a 100,000 square foot building on a residential property with a use variance only. Right? That's basically it. And if the state DP or any other institution decides that you're
not going to do that, all of this goes away. So So this is all just a financial waste of money to the organization that you're representing. Unfortunately, uh that is the the procedures that are required for any application, whether it is a use variance application. If this was a
permitted use in the zone and we were asking for access off of Route 18, we would still have to file an application with the DOT to get an approval. And if the DOT rejected that approval, we would not be able to utilize the site as proposed. So then you would go back to us again,
and when I say us, of course, the town, you would go back to this this group again and then ask for access from Pine Street, right? I'm just I'm just asking, say theoretically the state says no, no way. Heck. Heck no. We're not doing this. And but you've already got this um
you've got this application in on the committee's already approved this this build. Would you go back and say, "Hey, look, um we couldn't get it on Route 18. Can you know the right, but would you reconsider Pine Street?" We would have to come before Wait, wait, wait. Before we answer this,
is is it appropriate that the questions are being directed? Well, you know, I I'm not sure. I don't know. they were answering them. So I I I apologize Mr. Chairman. So the answer is yes because the questions are directed. So during this period of time any public from the person from the
witness from the public is allowed to cross-examine the applicant and the applicants professionals as to their proofs. Now if there are providing purely comments the comments are made directly to the chair but during the questioning and the cross-examination they are directed towards the applicants professionals.
So, it's one of those things that they are per they are required and permitted to do and we can't stop it. We can limit the timing. We can limit the redundancy of the comments and we can limit the scope once we get off track. Like right now, we're getting off track because the testimony is not focused on what is
being proposed and the and the cross-examinations not being what's unproposed. So we I could ask the witness to go back to where the proofs that have been pres presented or for use variance onto Route 18 and if there's any comments or testimony across examination that you have as to whether
or not I do because I missed the last meeting. So how's this? Can you show the map delineating all the wetlands before this building is put up? It has been filed. I know it has, but could you provide it right now for the audience? Would that
be possible, sir? chairman. I think we could probably put it up. Okay. Also, right on this one. And it's gonna show where the map of what this is right there on top of it. Right. No, it's all overlaid onto each other. So, this exhibit, exhibit A4 is the site
plan, landscape plan overlaid onto what is called a survey. And just for the record, it's A3. A3. A3. Thank you so much. A4 is the render. You're correct. Um, of the building. Thank you. A3 has on it survey conditions. Survey
is a map of existing documentation of the property. Also on here and you can see following my laser pointer a wetlands consultant and then the D verified the delineation of the freshwater wetlands. On top of that they
also impose a 50-foot transition area buffer to protect the wetlands. Our development is completely outside of both the wetlands and the associated buffer with them. Not just the building, but the parking driveway and all of the
storm water and site improvements. So, none of the environmental features that are existing on site are going to be modified or disturbed as part of the redevelopment project. And that beige looking thing is your retention pond of whatever you want to call it these days.
It'll be an infiltration basin. So you're gonna you're going to have an infiltration basin next to the wetlands which is going to dry it up. It it won't dry it up ma'am. It actually will a wetland is actually a natural drainage feature. I understand what it is.
Lowly it is actually acts as a water quality feature in a natural environment. So putting a storm water basin next to wetlands they are one and the same. They do the same function. Ours is more controlled and modeled for our development. Of course, it's custom
and specific, but stormwater New Jersey is heavily regulated in the year 2025. We don't just have to comply with Oldbridge and their ordinance. We have to comply with free old soil conservation district in this case NJ DOT and there was also state regulations
under 78. So there's about four prongs of different jurisdictional agencies each with their own engineers that will be reviewing our plans and drainage report to ensure that basin that's to the northern side comply with all standards and recommendations. Okay. Do we have any hooker and lower ladder
trucks in the neighborhood that can actually handle a fire? This is to the board chairman. So at this point we are really getting into but we're getting into not the weeds but site plan as well. like this is specifically for bifurcated use variance and whether or not the the town can
adequately service the property for fire safety or if the property has adequate fire and safety that is a question that for site plan but that's a site plan question not that we're here for use variance so I need you to again focus your testimony and focus your across on the use that is proposed which is a is a
self storage which which is purely threetory self storage correct so focus on glass windows right glass windows up stories. Is that what I saw sir? Yes. So you realize folks uh on the on the uh on the deis that um we already have
enough bird strikes although I it is a much nicer thing to have a feature like that. it bird strikes and to this woman's comments over here where there were excuse me I just stepped on this there you'll have I've already picked up at least three owls in on one on 34 one
on nine um that were bird strikes to buildings glass building windows like that and if there is a colonies of birds there are like owls um you again just another thing did you do an environmental impact study yet or no
did you yeah I'm so Sorry, we did. Was it there was no endangered or critically endangered species found on the property? We'll answer that. That's correct, Mr. Solicitor. If there were there were no there were no box turtles, eastern box turtles. No, ma'am. And and real quick, let me I want to answer every question that you
have so that you feel comfortable. If there were threatened endangered species on this property, that buffer would go from 50 to 150 ft. The reason the D put a 50ft buffer is because they do not have certain things like box turtles. There are certainly wildlife and animals out there and that's why they give you
the 50 foot buffer. If there was something that was more TN related, there would be a larger buffer on it. So the reason why I asked the applicant to provide that is because while it is understandable that any development is going to disturb wildlife, unfortunately that is the problem with development. So why it is a good concern, they comply
with their obligations. So there's nothing more that we can ask or they can do. They can volunteer, but it's they're li we're limited. Okay, I do understand that. Um, who does your surveys for wildlife? Who did it? The D.
Oh, the D. The D actually came out and and and walk through the property and looked for turtles. The D whenever we file a wetlands application, they will receive a report, a study, and a plan. They will then walk the property to find two of the three
prongs that trigger wetlands. And then depending on the classifications of vegetation and wildlife triggers 0, 50 or 150 foot buffer, we do not get to make we make a recommendation based off of our experience and expertise, but the
D is the one who issues the permit and determines the buffer. So the state of New Jersey determine it is a 50. So the the state actually did it and I'm just this is learning for me too. So I apologize. So the state comes in and looks at the vegetation, the flooding or
you know the the the water the water in there and then said makes a determination. They don't actually do a excuse expression a body count. Familiar with the phrase body count. I know. Well, the body count is usually not used as a phrase, but I'm a tortoise shell count. Tortoises. They don't look
for what time of year do they do the inspections. You don't even know if this man is is qualified to say what the D does. No, no. I just was wondering. That's why I said it's a learning thing for me. He he may not he may not be qualified, but he may not. Mr. Edwards, you're being difficult in the sense that
I'm not trying to be difficult, but I but this is this is the thing. As I've sat here tonight, I've received nine texts for wildlife in this area. So, no. So, let me explain to you. Part of what the reason why I ask these questions is because I know what's going to come
next. It's just like Texas Road, which was flooded with dead tortoises. It has nothing to do with this application, man. This application is for this particular block and lot. I totally understand what happens somewhere else has nothing to do with it. I'm trying to be
cooperative. I'm trying to let you ask the right questions, but you're just searching. Okay. So, no, no, no. I So, so he answered the D controls that. That's what I was asking because I said it's learning for me for explaining it to me. That's So, they come and they they just look at the the water table.
That's basically what they did. Mhm. I don't think he said that. Well, no, no, beyond that, the the trees, the the the the vegetation, there are three prongs of what determine is a wetland. I understand what those are because I have wetlands. I'm going to ask the applicant, can we just candidly, can we get back to the
use? Okay. You're really going so far off. Okay. So, we're going off. Yeah. So, we're going off topic. So, the topic is whether or not you should create a allow for a commercial variance for a building. And I, you know, I can guarantee that you that everybody on the streets doesn't want that. Um, I don't
know what you guys are going to do, but I can tell you that, you know, the talk on the chat on the is is not that. It's a shame that they're not all here, but I can't control humanity. I can only say that I know what's coming next because you could answer my phones for me if you want.
Thank you. I know. I know. I don't want to answer it either. Um, thank you, ma'am. We thank you for your concern. The boardman board has heard your your commentary and I I hope I hope you uh will vote no. Thank you.
Anyone else here in the room? Okay, ma'am. What attorney will swear you in? Please raise your right hand. You swear affirm, tell the truth, and nothing but the truth I hope you got. Yes. Please state your name and spell your last for the record. Caitlyn Misaro, M A S A R O. And your address, please. 24 Darwin Road. Take it away.
Okay. Um, I'll be brief. I thank you everybody for their time. Um, my husband and I are from Union County. I don't know if anybody's familiar with that area. Completely overdeveloped. So, when we were looking for a house 12 years ago, we drove into Bridge, particularly
in this area. And we loved all the trees on Route 18, we're thinking, "Oh my god, it's going to be beautiful during the fall, during the summer." Um, and you know, I appreciate you guys are doing your job for your client, but I'm afraid we're kind of going down a little
bit of a slippery slope if we're starting to have to give all these variances to make a residential street have a self- storage unit. I just kind of feel like, are we going to become the next Union County where, you know, you barely see a tree anymore? So, I I just
kind of wanted to put that out there. Um, I have everybody's concerns which we already went over with, um, especially the water and all of that and that was addressed, but I just, you know, as an Oldbridge resident, I don't want to lose its charm. Like Suburban Caps being a
mom and pop kind of shop that they want to leave to their children. I'm I'm just afraid we're going to start to lose what Oldbridge, you know, really drew me to. So, I just wanted to say that. So, thank you for your time. Thank you very much. Just writing one thing down. Anyone
else? Come on up, sir. Mr. Agarama, he's going to put you under oath again. Okay. You swear me in again. Absolutely. Do you swear or affirm and tell the truth, nothing but the truth to help you, God? I do. Please state your name and spare your last for the record. Frank, Arizona. A R A G O N A.
And your address, sir? I live at 11 Pine Street across across the street from Maybe maybe I misunderstood, but I thought they're adding trees. They're not taking trees. Am I wrong?
Because only thing I want to say is the trees they add, are they going to be trees like that's there that'll actually you won't even see this building. The trees are 40, 50 foot tall right now. The ones that are there, the buffer from
the next house on that property is so thick and tall. If they're going to do that on Pine Street, the only place you could see this building is on 18 where you enter and leave.
No, no, sir. Sir, wait. Sorry. Can't speak from the audience. Please Frank. Frank. I'm not trying to be disrespectful to you, but sir, but we can't have a separate conversation. Okay? You can address counsel or you can address me. Okay? I think
or or the witnesses that have testified. All right. Thank you, sir. I thought there was trees everywhere there. All All that whole back section of that property, you know, what's that? That's uh that's north. North is tremendous.
You look at the picture here, sir. North is north is to the top. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I I guess Pine Street is to the bottom. Pine Street is where there's the least amount of trees and they say they're going to fill in where there isn't. So from my house, I'm not going to see this
building at all. If the trees next door or across the street? I'm right across the street. If they're 30 foot tall, you can ask Mr. Seawald about the trees. So So yes, there's about a 65 foot buffer that we are adding along Pine Street. As you know out there today
there's existing structures, pavement and things like that. There will now be a 65 ft multiple landscape wide buffer area. They will not be 30t when they are planted. That's why though in the 65 ft there are multiple tiers. So if it was a smaller
area you would have a single row or maybe a double row and you'd be able to see through it. The point and the benefit of a 65- foot buffer is so that you have at least five or six rows of trees that are all meandering and interlocking so that you don't see across through it. But correct, they're not going to be tall. I could
see over them. So I know um Mr. Sisser, if you would let me go. So that this is a use variance. As part of site plan, the board could take into consideration, why don't you put a 10-ft burm and then these six to eight foot trees on top of
it to block your line of sight, which would be a very reasonable and and uh understanding condition that the applicant would say yes to. Tonight, because we're not talking about those details, all I can say to you is that should the board vote favorably, they could add any condition they wish,
including adding a buffer Burman details that would be later than reviewed back at this board. So we don't have those kind of details yet, but the trees generally done in landscaping are between 6 and 8 ft at initial planting. Certain species grow 1 to 2 feet a year,
others a little bit slower. It would be our intent to make sure that this would be on top of a burm so that as you drive down Pine Street or being across the street, which sounds like your property, you would not see it. But those details are not on this exhibit, but that would
be any type of potential condition the board would would consider. So you're not take like they're concerned that you're taking away from the trees those trees right so those large trees to the west are remaining anything to the north between us and Darwin is is protected
not just by old bridge but by the wetlands and and I did testify earlier I appreciate you bringing up the development has never been redeveloped back there so those trees are between 40 and 50 ft and there are a lot of pines out there all of those are to remain the same okay all right and even on my street
there's some that are still talking. There's some very nice. Those are all staying the uh evergreen. Actually, the original application in June, we had to uh take out some of them for our driveway and putting the driveway in 18, all the existing trees that are on pine are to remain. And that would again be
this kind of goes back to someone else's question. Although we're here for the use, the board is voting on the use for this land. So, should we substantially change it, we would have to come back for an amended use. So, they're locking in this to the use. Okay. All right. Thank you, sir.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Arga. Anyone else? Last chance. Anybody else? Okay, I'm going to close the public portion on this matter. Uh we come to an end. What is it? Uh
what is it you want to do? Mr. Uh, I do appreciate the time tonight and hearing all of the testimony, but unfortunately based upon uh the lack of members, we would like to carry the application um to the next available date. I fully understand and I want to thank you for um
altering and informing the board and the public as well of what your changes have been. It it probably might serve you better being off of Route 18 than on that street. And there's no exit whatsoever onto That's correct. Just the other thing too
is if you can please have the dates for the D and NJ DOT that'd be fantastic so we can have it on record. Thank you. And I apologize Mr. Chairman. Just housekeeping. I I assume you continue to wave time. Yes. Thank you. We need that. That was important.
Okay. Uh I'll get you a date. This isn't going to be easy. October 16th. That was pretty easy. Okay. Yeah. October 16th. Okay, for people in the courtroom before you before you leave, I'm just going to tell you one thing. This matter is not going
to be voted on tonight. The they have asked for a continuence. The fact uh the reason being, as explained, this requires a super majority. So, not just four of seven, it's five of seven. So, they need five positive votes. There's
only five board members here. Uh, I'm assuming he doesn't want to roll the dice and and have one not or or or everyone go in his favor or not go in his favor. So, that's the reason it's being carried. You're not resting your case. I assume either. Uh, there may be
supplemental when we come back that the applicant has the right to put on the record. The matter is going to be scheduled for October 16th. Please check the website uh and the agenda prior to coming. Make sure that
it hasn't been cancelled tonight uh for whatever reasons. Three of the applications canled. So I strongly suggest go on the bridge uh township board of adjustment. The agenda is there for each and upcoming meeting. You can
read just what I have here, a full agenda and there's copies I'm sure uh available. Uh so check on that. But right now it's scheduled for October 16th. There'll be no further notice, I'm assuming. Correct. Okay. You're not gonna if you're in the 200 foot zone, you're not going to get
another notice. Put it on your calendars October 16th. Check that day. Make sure that it's on the schedule because that's right now. That's when it's uh planned to be reheard. There always is a public portion at every meeting. So when I
ended the public portion tonight, I have to open it up again when they come back. So, anyone that wishes to speak will be entertained as well at that next meeting. How many times can they Well, they're not adjourning it. They're
carrying it, ma'am. So, how many can that just keep going? Well, I don't want I'm just going to Yeah, public comment is closed. But what I am going to say just it's a under the municipal annual law, it's a discretionary function. Now, they've presented all their proofs. It's not the
applicant's fault that a full quorum is not here. If this was this case where the applicant kept adjourning the application because they didn't want to appear because their professionals wasn't available, the board could dismiss the application with prejudice. But they're here, their full team is in in tow. And there just is unfortunate
that there's not a full quorum. Now, they would need every single board member here to vote yes. If one board member voted no, the application is denied. So, the applicant is well within its right. And if the board did reject deny the request, we would probably be sued and lose on appeal. I I agree. I would do the same thing
that they're doing right now. But if next time October 16th, there's seven people, but they say too, I don't want to vote again. No, they could make that request and the chair could always say, "No, we're going to have a vote today because the board
makes the motion." But uh candidly, I have never seen somebody request a another carrying when there are seven members because then they're risking not having a quorum at the next meeting. You're welcome. Okay, so that's all I have to say on this matter. Please mark it down. There
will be another public portion as I explained to everybody um October 16th. Mr. Ry, thank you and your team uh for the I apologize to the board for I didn't mean any harm. I just It's a good question. Yeah, that's okay.
Thank you for your time tonight, guys. All right. Thank you, Mr. Alfury. Uh, board members, uh, I don't think there's any general public comments other than what we heard. Uh, so I'm going to close that public portion. Moren, 18th of September, two weeks from today is our
next meeting. Yes, sir. Okay. And that's about all I have. Anybody else have anything? Anything else you want to tell us? No. Councelor, thank you very much for being here tonight. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and for your council. Someone want to
move for an ajournment. Move it. All in favor? Any opposed? We stand adjourned. Thank you.