YouTube's up. Several board adjusted meeting for June 18th, 2025 will come to order. We ask that you silence all your cell phones. U going to read the public statement. The meeting of the summer zoning board
adjustment for June 18th, 2025 will please come to order. Adequate notice of this meeting as required by the open public's meeting act has been approved. A copy of the notice specifying the date, time, and location was published in the courier news, posted on the bulletin boards outside Burough Hall,
posted to the municipal website, and given to the clerk administrator. This meeting is a judicial proceeding. Any questions or comments must be limited to the issues the board may legally consider in reaching a decision, and that the quorum appropriate to the judicial hearing must be maintained at
all times. Roll call. How's that? Chairman Adair is excused. Ed Alllet here. Robera Carpinets here. Morgan McGloin is also excused. Rich O'Neal here. Brian Vimky is also excused. John Flores here. Eric Alvarez
here. And Steuart Daniels is also excused. All right. Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the stands nationy and justice for all.
Ryan, did you have anything you need to minutes. Uh, minutes from June 4th meeting. Second. All in favor? I. Rich O'Neal. Yes. Eric Alvarez. Yes.
Stuart Daniels and Brian are absent. So, they were the only two eligible to vote by two. All right. Next thing on the agenda is resolution 2024-010Z. It's the Bell Holdings LLC. Everybody get a chance to read it? Yes.
There were two versions sent out. Obviously, the second one had reflected certain changes made by uh well by really myself uh our special counsel and um the uh and Mr. Mr. Cole.
If there's any questions as to that, please let me know. Anybody have any questions? Need a motion to move it. Roll call. Ed Alllet. Yes. Robera Carpinets. Yes. Rich O'Neal. Yes. John Flores. Yes. Eric Alvarez.
I was not present for this, so I think I have to abstain. Okay. All right. That brings up the application. Everything's okay. A little under the weather. First time somebody's laptop is here and I don't know whether that's good
evening. You can use it if you need it. I take it with me. It's a door prize. Good evening. My name is Evening counselor. Pardon? I said good evening, counselor. Good evening, sir. My name is Robert Poke. I'm an attorney
in White House here this evening on behalf of Nashanti Yagi, the applicant. We're here to hopefully uh place a single family dwelling on an undersized lot at two Fair View Avenue. That's uh the uh our course this evening. So
again, not being having been in Somerville before, uh, normally I say council, call your first witness. Call the first witness. Have a seat. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Chairman, just want to advise the board that I reviewed the notice provided by the applicant and it
was sufficient as the form and content. The board can exercise jurisdiction over this application. Thank you, F. Okay. I I just want to know for the record, and I I had spoken with you informally about this, Mr. uh counselor,
uh the board is a little bit of a short board tonight, so I know since you're seeking relief that will require five affirmative votes, that you're on notice of that, and that you you're moving forward. Um, you know, I understand that there may be extenduating circumstances
that come into play, but I wanted to let you know up front. Thank you very much. I say we we'd like to present our case this evening. Uh, at the conclusion of the testimony, we may request that the board postpone a vote uh till more uh members are available and who would, you
know, listen to the tapes or read the transcript before a vote is taken. Very well. Very well. Very good. and we would call uh Mark Sedota, our architect. We're sort of going to do this backwards. We're going to show you where we'd like to go and then we'll tell you
why we'd like to get there. Okay. Um thank you. Uh you solemnly swear to please raise your right hand, what you're doing. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you're about to give in this matter will be the truth? So I hope you got it. I do. Please state your name and spell your last name for the record, sir. My name is Mark Zaggod. Last name
is Z G O D A. Very good. Um, councelor, your witness, sir. Have you testified before this board? I have not. I've testified in dozens throughout New Jersey, but not in this one yet. Okay. Would you briefly give the the board your credentials? We
ask that they Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University in 1988, been licensed since 92 in good standing with the AIA and NCARB. And I've uh testified before dozens of boards throughout the state. And I'm currently licensed in 17
other states. if you need anything. We found him acceptable counselor. Thank you. We would ask that his testimony be regarded as an expert. Yes. Okay. First thing I have to um be honest developed last speak into the microphone. There's a there's a mobile
mic right there by Yeah. Yes. I have to apologize. I'm not 100%. I have something called a corial ulcer. I cannot see in this eye, but it'll clear in a couple weeks. and my mother passed away yesterday and I was at her bedside for days. So, I didn't want to
postpone it because I know how this goes. So, I'm going to power through this. Okay. All right. Um, condolences to you. I'm sorry. Condolences to you. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, but it was time. But anyway, I didn't want to have a sab story, but just in case I ramble, you
know why. Okay. Um, obviously it's a small lot. We're proposing a small house. So, we have no choice. But we're kind of do it in the context of character of what the surrounding property is. You guys are familiar with Fair View A, which is basically, you know, 100-year-old twostory colonial
type buildings, gable roofs, you know, the A- roofs with little porches on them. So, we tried to match that style. Um, you know, a lot of them are very narrow and we understand there was even a house here prior that had burned down many years ago. So, what we're proposing
on the small lot is a small house but with nice character. Um, we're looking at only 800 square ft to the gutters. Okay. Obviously, we can't have the gutters or the overhangs into the setbacks. Since we have so many reliefs we're seeking with the setback
requirements, you know, the other experts will uh testify regarding that. In the big picture, we tried to think of, okay, Fair View A, we would respect the front and rear setbacks to that. Okay, the main street south Gas and A because it's considered a corner lot.
There's no way we could address any of those because the corner. So, we cited the project where the front and rear setbacks are compliant. Mr. Styles will discuss that further, but we need the side relief. So, it's a small building, but we're looking at, you know, the modern
farmhouse look. Kind of an off-white black windows. It's going to be sharp, though. It's um you know, you have that same idea of that's a recessed front porch. We didn't, you know, seek relief to get an extended additional porch like some of the others in the town um in the street area. So, it's a little recessed
porch. It's just uh you come in, it's just basically a great room with a kitchen in the rear, a linear stair, and the upstairs is just basically two master bedroom with suites. It's a two-bedroom house. I actually like it. It's It's a really efficient little
house. Um and again, the first floor is only 741 square ft, including the porch, and the second floor is 741 square ft. Also, um we're in compliant with the height. we're only, you know, 30 feet plus or minus. So, you know, we we
conform in that regard. Uh, again, try to fit with the style of the neighborhood. Um, one one thing since we did site this 3 ft from the property line and if approved, you know, we'll go on to the construction drawings, I will create, you know, one hour fire rated
construction there and that's easy to do. I've done it so many times with the dens glass and stuff. Not a problem. We'll conform with that regard. I'm just showing down spouts at this point. You know, the drainage will be uh you know testified by Mr. Styers will will take care of those issues. The
lighting I had not shown, but it's easy to describe. It's just there's a little recess port. We're just going to have one in that set and then two on coach lights, you know, on either side of the front door, you know, for the mailbox. And the same thing in the rear where
there's a rear door just, you know, one alongside here. you know, by code, I have to have a a light at the door. Anyway, we're not proposing anything on the gas and a nav side. There won't be any flood lights or anything street. So, I should actually walk you through this is the idea of the Fair View side. Now,
this is actually the same plane, you know, same wall plane. It's just a little trick with the trim and the sixoot overhang to try to give it, you know, a little more pop like some of the neighborhood is. Okay. And the windows, you know, generous amount of glass. This is the side of gas and nav, but you
know, the windows line up. The classical idea of the larger on the bottom, smaller on the top. Actually goes back to the Renaissance, but it's going to be sharp with the white and black. And even there's going to be a freeze board underneath these gables. So, it's going to be a really sleek, you know, modern
farmhouse idea. Obviously, the grading was a concern with the neighbors at a high grade. So that's why it's kind of an elevated ground plane, but we're going to do, you know, wood joist have a small crawl space, no basement, ventilated for the insulation, a little
access in the back. So it has a slightly raised ground plane. It's going to be so easy to build. I mean, it's a 20 foot band, you know, so basically just out of TGI. So uh um again, the overhangs were important. I didn't want to go in the setbacks.
only six foot rakes on the side and in the front to keep everything as I could out of the setbacks and you know the result we're looking for you know a small but tasteful and attractive small house but appropriate for the site
HVAC going in the attic I'm sorry HVAC is that going in the attic or we hiding that we should swear him in we'll hold that questions here up. There's all right. I was going to say you going to you're going to put this witness on this stand separately. Yes.
Okay, that would be that would be better. Oh, actually, no. I'm sorry. I said a little out of it. There's actually a utility room right here. I already designed the first floor. Okay. So, yeah, it's already it's already there. That first floor utility behind the stairway. Yeah.
So, the attic will be accessed from a hatch. Yeah. Just Yeah. Just pull down. Yeah. There's there's some headroom for storage, but we're not really anticipating mechanicals or anything like that, right? Yeah. So, it's not just for going to be for Christmas decorations, I guess. Okay.
So, it's not going to be finished. It's just used for storage. Correct. And, you know, we'll insulate, you know, God. Now, R49, I got to do it. So, insulate the heck out of the ceiling floor there. Right. So, that the plane that we have right there, we have that one. Yeah. This
Yeah, the good point. Yeah. This is not a new exhibit. Okay. It's the one revision number one 2625. Okay. And that one right there, Ryan, do we have that one? Is that one of our exhibits? That's actually I stole for the planner. Did you submit this with
your submitted prior? Yeah. Okay. Good. All right. All right. No, we don't have the market in that case. Correct. Yep. Exactly. All right. But if you had anything that you brought tonight, let me know so we can so we can admit we can Understood. Yep.
Yeah. This is identical what you have. Good enough. Thank you. So the windows are double hung, single hung windows. Uh yeah, double hung windows. Internal divides. Yes, the light divides are internal. Yeah, we'll get into, you
know, the sleek people getting more into the Marvin, the really slim look like that. We'll discuss it with, you know, the owner at the point, but yeah, they're they're considered double hung. What kind of uh are you putting vinyl siding up or you hard? Yes. Then you're going to do dense glass underneath it.
Done. On the um on the property side, property line. Yes. Uh the uh the building sits on that property line on the other side. That's a concrete non-combustible building. So, right, that shed. Yeah. But with three three feet of the property line, do the
right thing. Is that your testimony, sir? I'm sorry. You all done? Yeah. Any questions or anything? Anybody from the board have any questions of this witness? Anybody from the audience have any questions for this witness?
Hearing none. Counselor. Next witness. The next witness uh be our engineer, Mr. Styers. Good evening, Mr. Styers. Please repeat it for me. Your song is worth the testimony you're about to give in this matter will be the truth. So I hope you got it. Yes, I do. Please state your name and spell your last name for
the record. Craig Styers. S T I R E S. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, I believe you can stipulate to Mr. I don't know. I was here two weeks ago. No, I know. I
you know I I know the chairman and you like to banner a little bit but I I think we I think Art's texting me right now. He's like, "Hey, give a hard time." I would certainly recommend we stipulate your credentials. We find you acceptable.
I thought we'd go into executive and talk about it. Yeah. No, that's me, Rich. That said, floor is yours, sir. All right. I'll have have a seat. Um,
as they stipulated before, the lot is known as two ver Fairview Avenue uh or lot 24 block 51 uh on the burough tax maps. Total tracked area is 2500 square feet or 0.057 acres.
It's located on the southeasterly corner of the intersection of Fairview A and South Gaston. It's in the R3 residential zone which is per the uses permitted and primarily surrounded with residential uses with the exception of
Corvos which is across the street and who actually used this for a fair amount of time. Uh if anybody got their car fixed there that's probably where it was parked for the most part. Um, up until this point, uh, when Rich
came in, we thought this was an orphan lot for 50 years, uh, until Rich said that he put the fire out around 1973 and got shellacked with potatoes on his way up the up the stairs. So, I think that is an important uh,
aspect that, you know, our planner is probably going to utilize as far as the testimony that there was a house there at one point. Um but anyway um you know kind of like Mark said um the house is going to be the proposed house can be tasty uh sized you
know the best that we can trying to respect all the setbacks. Um it's a 19 by 29 um two-bedroom house. Um, as far as the grading, uh, again, as Mark said, we have on the easterly side, we have that block garage and the that
grade along that property line is slightly higher than our property. So, we had to elevate the house to make sure that it drained around or, you know, front and back and then around the house to uh, South Gaston. Um, there is an existing driveway at the south end uh,
or driveway apron that we're going to utilize for the proposed driveway. Um, we will have two spaces for two vehicles at the back side of it. Um, I can also run through the the list of variances. Um, lot area
required is 6,000 square feet. We're at 2500. The lot width is required is 50. We're at 25. Uh, the lot depth does comply from um Fair View back. Lot frontage is required
to be 50 or we're at 25. The impervious coverage is required to be 40% and we're at 59.2. The F is required to be 30. We're at 64. The front yard setback we do do comply
on Fair View side, but obviously on South Gaston, we're two feet off the property line. And then the opposite side of South Gaston would be the sideyard setback. We're at four um three and it's required to be four. So we
almost do meet the requirements there. Um as far as engineering testimony, it's pretty self-explanatory. Um you know, we did I do have a besides this is the planners and he'll mark this when he
comes up, but I have something similar. You know, the what the planner is going to testify is really the facades along Fair View, but I have an aerial version. I mark this as A1. A125
and is an aerial rendering with today's date. um if you guys can see that far, but uh I've tried to outline the the property lines uh on the block itself as well as the the block to the north of um Fair
View. And you can see the proposed dwelling uh in up in the corner uh here. And you can kind of get the character of the the residences in the immediate area. And you know, it it honestly does despite being a very small lot, it it
does seem to fit in with the neighborhood. Um, you know, they're a little bit bigger lots on the north side, but you can see these, you know, for example, the three lots immediately to the east are very similar in size. And then you have some that were, you know, more spread out. Uh, couple of
these are newer. They used to be where the inspection station was. So, I think you probably have four new lots in this area. And uh you know also like Mark said is the the views or the facades are consistent with what's on Fair View. Uh
I think um Mike brought up about the number of steps um to the new house. That is consistent as well. I mean there's a couple newer houses that sit down a little bit lower. They're one and two, but for the most part they're four to five steps up to the front door. So,
um, again, it's kind of limited as far as the engineering is concerned. So, if there's any questions, Greg, I have my my normal comment. Can you get the roof leaders to the street? I know it's a curb. I know on one side at least, the idea is to try to
eliminate or reduce icing potential. The one thing I checked the if you look at the spot elevations, curb's only four inches, right? And the sidewalk's probably the same. So, I don't know if we're going to get to the to the curb line. So, I I mean,
the one thing we could potentially do is maybe direct them to the grass strip right before the sidewalk instead of, you know, directly towards South G and kind of tip them north and south so they hit the grass as opposed to right across the
sidewalk. Um, but I don't think we're going to get to the curb line. If we if it doesn't work gradewise, it doesn't work. I I get that. Or just not do down spouts. Well, that's a a question for the board. The question is that if the grade
doesn't work, you're going to have runoff across the sidewalks, which is there's no way around it being the grades. So, what Craig is saying is, well, if you don't have drain gutters, then it's uniform flow as opposed to a point, right? uh another alternative to
address that situation. Well, you know, full gutters on houses are in New Jersey think most of the country they don't have the rain falls off the roof and goes on the ground finds a way to go somewhere, right? We invented that here to make his life complicated, right? Particularly where
you don't have I mean Craig is basically saying you eliminate that and you don't have a point discharge or four point discharge, isn't it? And there's also there's also no basement so you don't have to worry about it coming back into the basement. So it's a good solution if the board's comfortable with that. Yeah. You disperse the water, right? Yeah. It's
almost like a natural sheet sheet flow. So which is probably what it's doing now, you know, just coming years. And then I Craig, I had the question on the tree. Are you okay comfortable with that tree? It's kind of close to I know the lines are cut down the utility pole
on Fairview. I I I honestly prefer to get pay the pay the fee as opposed to put the trees in because they're going to turn into boomerangs like everything else on High Street, for example. I I support that. Just so you know, there's uh both sets of wires on
our our side. So, they're both on South Gaston and Fair View. The wires on our our side, the street tree requirements, two and a half trees. So, I rounded down the two and I think it makes perfect sense in this situation not to put the trees in given what Craig just said. We
have a long-standing tradition of putting trees under utility wires. You'll pay the fee. Well, we can ask for a waiver, but I'm sure that the board may say pay the fee. I think we prefer that you pay. I cut to the chase. Very good. Okay.
Well, I just want to make sure that and I think that the last thing is to preserve the sight distance when you come to the intersection. So, agreed. So, I think it's it's it's warranted. The other question I had is the paving. You're going to pave the driveway where the cars are going to park. It's going
to be in inconsistent with the one of your details had two on four on six, which is a little bit in my opinion overkill for a driveway. So, if you're going to pave it, it's going to be consistent with the burrow ordinance, which is less paving, less asphalt is what I'm saying. Yeah. Gotcha. Yep.
Craig, the strip of land between the house and the next property over, is that going to be soil? Is that going to be a walkway over there? I get to mark this as A2 now. You're talking on the east side. Yeah. The intent is to to have that as grass. Okay. And kind of get a little bit of a
swale there. That's what I was talking the high point is like the corner of that old garage. So what we have to do is push the water in both directions and then it'll come around the house. So just a small swale right there. Any more questions for engineer? Yep.
Anybody in the audience have any questions for the engineer? Thank you. Next witness. This will be our will be our planner, Mr. Peters. You solemnly sw the testimony you're about to give in this matter will be the truth. So help you God. I do. Please
state your name and spell your last name for the record. My name is Carl Peters. Carl with a C. P E T E R S. Good evening, Mr. Peters. Nice to see you again. Nice to see you again. I work with Carl Princeton for many, many years. Okay. Okay. Council, you
just run through his credentials real quick. On recommendation then? Yes. Um I'm licensed by the state of New Jersey as a professional engineer, professional land surveyor, professional planner, and a construction official. But tonight I'm wearing my planners hat. Um, so I've
been licensed as a planner since 1991 as an engineer for many more years before that. Have Have you been before us before? No, I haven't. I, as as Mr. Given mentioned, I was the municipal engineer in the burrow of Princeton for over 20 years when there was such a an
animal. And when the two municipalities were going to merge, I decided it was a good time to do something different. Have you testified any boards locally around here? I I've testified in half a dozen counties or so in the state and in including uh in summer Somerset County.
I guess I testified in Franklin. I've testified in Mercer Mammoth Middle Sex uh union. Thank you. Okay, counselor. Of course, we would ask Mr. Peter's testimony to be regarded as that of an expert. Absolutely. Thank you. So, of course, uh this evening when we came in
here, uh we were we were advised that there was a house on this slot. uh uh 50 50 or so years ago which uh kind of answered a question I had. How did this lot stay vacant for so long? Because our records had garded records had gone back to the 40s uh and said that there was a
lot of this size 25 by 100 and u which is you know far smaller than than what the zoning ordinance requires in terms of lot size for a single family house. So, uh, given that, uh, we're less than
half the area of the zoning requirement, we have problems meeting various, u bulk requirements, including the the setbacks, especially because we have a corner lot. We have two front yards, 25 foot setbacks. So, if we honored that
setback on South Gaston Avenue, we couldn't build anything. So um I believe that this qualifies for C1 variance for those things because uh the C1 is for hardship due to the exceptional narrowness, shallowess, shape or existing topographic conditions
on a particular piece of property. So this is a particular piece of property and uh uh we have to work with what we got here. So uh in looking at this development and why you know what what could you possibly do in a lot? So the first thing
we think of is we want a use that is a permitted use in his own. So uh there are several uses permitted uses in the zone but a single family house is the least intensive use that we could put to to this property. Uh we think that in
doing so we meet some of the requirements for a C2 variance in terms of the public good because uh we advance purposes of planning as they're enumerated in the municipal land use law. Uh we have a modest house here. We provide
opportunities for a variety of housing types. Um as as we found out this evening, there was a house there before, so it's consistent with that. Uh the architect has shown you his design of of the house. We we believe it's in keeping
with the character of the neighborhood. Uh being on a quarter lot, even though we're a little bit tight on the one sideline, the other sideline is open in a quarter. So it provides adequate light and air uh for the the residents of this
this property. Um and we believe it provides a desirable visual environment in keep in that it's in keeping with this neighborhood. In fact, in looking through the tax records and the the sizes and ages of the house in these
blocks now, I should I should mark these correct? Yes, please. I think this will be A3, correct? A3 and just with a date on it. Then I then I had one question and I don't want
to interrupt your your flow here. Yes. Yes, sir. I I I just had one question and this is customary in terms since you're are since you may be seeking C1 relief. Is there any property available to the
applicant that could be purchased or received via conveyance that might bring the property into conformance with the with the applicable zoning requirements? The size of the adjacent lot is such that combining the two lots wouldn't or you couldn't the other lot doesn't have
enough property to give to make this lot compliant if they were to to get property from the adjoiner. Okay. So the answer Okay. So that that's that's that's the C1 question. I mean these two are these two lots two under under both
non-conforming lots. Uh well I can I can show you about the non-conforming lots. I'm not trying to open up another can of worms. This is actually lot 23, the adjoining property. This this is on A3. I got a lot area diagram where I show
the properties within the the general area of two Fairview Avenue and the adjoining lot 23 is conforming but just by a little bit. Very good. No, no. So that's fine. So it isn't a it isn't a lot merger situation at all. No. No. And you can see here the red lots um that I
show here, these are non-conforming lots in the neighborhood and the ones that are shaded in green are currently conforming. Very good. Thank you for answering that. So, one of the things we looked at through the the tax records were exactly
what sizes are the houses that are there in the neighborhood now, when were they built to find out if what we're proposing does, you know, we think it we think it meets the neighborhood standards, but we wanted to have some
some qual qualitative evidence of that. So based on those records, there are 49 houses in this area that were built before 1930. Those houses, the median area of those houses is 420 square ft. So what the
architect testified with the overhangs were at 1,600 square feet, but without them we're at 1,400 close to 1500 square feet. So we're slightly larger than the houses that were built before 1930. There are eight houses that were built
between 1930 and 1999. They have a median building area of 1872 ft. And there are seven houses that were built after 2000 and they have a median building area of 2492
ft. So we think our size is compatible compatible with the the neighborhood for the past 100 years. Um it's a two story two and a half story home. Similar to the other houses, I put this board together showing the facades of all of
the buildings around the block of Fairview Avenue. And I think that what you've seen from the architect is consistent with these two and a half story gable roof type houses. So we think it fits the visual environment and the massing of the building is such
that's consistent with the neighborhood. In terms of the the Somerville master plan, um talks about the need for modest housing while prever preserving an established residential neighborhood. We think this application does that. Um the
master plan also encourages creation of owner occupied housing. Uh we believe this meets the guidelines for infill housing with its compatible massing and height and um it's located somewhat near the central business
district which is uh one of the goals for promoting activity downtown other than during the business day. And uh we believe this increases the opportunity for somebody to get a house at a more reasonable price point that
there may be elsewhere in this area of New Jersey. Does board have any questions? Thank you. Anybody from the audience have any questions of the planner? Council. Okay. Uh the applicant
will be uh my name is Nishant Thiagi. Please raise your right hand. Yes. You sle the testimony you're about to give in this matter will be the truth. So help you God. Yes I do. Please state your name and spell your last name for the record. Nishant Thiagi. Uh last name T Y A G I. Thank you. Okay. Council your
witness, sir. Sean, do you had any experience in Somerville in this uh area? Yes. Uh I recently finished a house on uh 62 Mercer Street. It was a house that uh exploded during hurricane ID uh Ida several years ago. Uh it was a
middle house. Uh I finished that project in uh October of 2024. Um it was a single family house larger than this one, but this is just on a smaller scale due to the lot size. And um I went through that process. I didn't have to go in front of the board because that we
were able to fit something in the setbacks without requiring a variance. But um that was a seven-month project here that I did last year. Okay. And you heard the planners question before. Would you pay for the trees? Yes. Uh I was planning on putting new street trees anyway because I had to do that on
Mercer Street. But if I I do agree they end up in the for the power lines. We had to cut one there to replace it and I'm sure in 10 years uh Mr. Hadley from the DPW is going to have to cut that one again uh like he he did over there. So we could uh we could pay the fee. uh in
lie of planning the planning. Any board member have a question regarding the intended project? Speak to the owner. Um you using gas HVAC or you going heat pumps? Uh it'll be natural gas forced air uh HVAC. And there was a question about the attic
earlier. Uh what what'll be up? It won't be finished. There there will be some duct work, but that'll just be strictly mechanical stuff up there. No storage. It won't be it won't be finished. And it'll have a either a pull down staircase or a access panel depending on
how Mark draws the final set of plans. You got sewer capacity, water capacity. Yes. I I actually got a will serve letter today from uh Christian Santiago at the uh Somerset Ritan Sewer Authority. They have capacity. Uh I have to pay a fee. He suggested don't pay the
fee till you get your approval from the board. Uh but they have a capacity for 300 gallons a day for a single family house. That was actually very good advice. One question. I'm just nosy. Stick built or prefab? Stick built. Okay. Uh let me end up with a better product I think in
the stick. Just asking. Okay. Is that your testimony? Uh yes. Board have any questions of this witness? Does the public have any questions of this witness? Okay, counselor. Well, that that's our
case. Nice to learn this evening that uh you know there used to be a house there that answered so many questions for us when we searched the title back as 45 or as to as to how this orphan lot became established. But uh uh thank you.
I I think from the testimony that you've heard tonight, all the criteria required for a variance uh could be granted uh in this case without without question. But uh I'll have to ask the adant whether he wishes to he
pays your money and takes your chances whether you would ask for a vote this evening or whether you'd like to carry it to see if other members would listen to the the tapes. Mike, do you have anything to to add to anything? Any stipulations? Any We went over
contamination. Does anybody know the contamination ground on the lot? I don't think they're I was just cars that were parked there. When I when I purchased a lot, I went to the I went to the property owner, the the auto body repair shop, and I I asked him if those
are his cars. He goes, "Yeah, I'm just parking customers cars. No one's ever told us to move them. I'll get them out of there by the end of the week." I went back at the end of the week. They were all gone. They all I noticed they all had license plates on them. They all had current registr uh inspection stickers, which is what I was worried about that they're clunkers, but it seems like they
all drove off the lot on their own. Uh so it might have been some of his cars, some neighborhood cars that were just parking there because no one ever said no uh in the past. Anything visually apparent to you? No, the grass is there. Ed, one one thing. I just want
counselor, do you have any objection to making Mr. compliance with Mr. for uh Cole's June 11, 2025 report a condition of approval. Uh is there anything of particular I think you're all right. I
just brought the sidewalks instruction. Whatever we whatever we damage we'll replace. One or two of the pads will get damaged when we run our underground electric because we can't do overhead anymore. So that'll be replaced uh as soon as we pass our back fill
inspection. to me. Residential style lights are covered. Yes. Not a lot. Was that 1973 you said that? Something like that. Yeah. My goodness, that is a
while. We went over the house. It's going to have a hatch, no basement. I'm just summarizing this to make sure we cover everything. We're going to have white vinyl with black windows with some AAC trim. Windows are going to be double hung windows with internal light
divides. We have recessed porch. I also mentioned I I didn't mention this, but I think the architect did a good job because put the bedrooms on South Gaston so he doesn't have to deal with the clearance issue on the second means egress. So, uh, I had the construction code look at the plans and the consensus
was we don't think the house could be any smaller. I think it's a very efficient layout for what's there. I think the architect did a good job. Okay. Thank Thank very good. That's fine. That's that's my customary condition. So, that's fine. Counselor, you all set? Yes, sir. All
right. Need a motion to close the public portion. So move. Second. All in favor? I I think I I think it's a good idea. I think not everybody needs three or four bedrooms. I think there's probably a legitimate market for that. It's going
to clean up that corner which has been not cleaned up for many, many years. I just think it's a it's a plus. And I do think that you read more and more about little houses, small houses, whatever they call them, and that's one of them, you know, so it's it's a plus.
Yeah, I I agree. Um it's a like Rich says, it's a it's a small house, but it's I think what the planner said, it's a modest uh modest type of housing that is is accessible. U I could see it as a
starter home for somebody. Uh I think it's I think it's a great the space and uh you know I think it's a overall I think it's a positive for the neighborhood and it fits in with the neighborhood as well. It's uh going to
be a hardship for me because I do bring my car to Corbos drip. No, never oily stuff under the MLO. But I think I think uh I agree with what everyone else is saying.
I uh it's a modest neighborhood. It's a home that fits within that neighborhood. I think it's a uh otherwise I don't know what else you could do with that empty lot except park cars there um without seeking a variance or whatever. So, um I
uh I applaud the the architect and the applicant. I think it's a a good application. Yeah, I I was just going to say um I have a small modest house at the other end ac um at the other end of at the other corner, Loer and Fair View. So, I
think this is great. We need some smaller houses. This is wonderful. All right. Need a motion to move it. I'll move it. Second. Roll call. Ed Ellott. Yes. Roberto Carpinets. Yes. Rich O'Neal? Yes. John Flores? Yes. Eric
Alvarez. Yes. Congratulations. Thank you. I'll coordinate the preparation of resolution with your office. Thank you. We have anything else before us? Do we have anything else? No, I think we're all, you know, we we we took care of
Bell Avenue and I think uh everything else on the on the uh agenda. So, we're next on on July 2. July two. First Wednesday in July. All righty. coming up quick. Um I don't think Arc gave me any comments. So
motion for German. Somebody I move second. All in favor?