sitting on the floor. Am I on? Are we good? Thank you. H It's okay. I think I could like hit it. But uh let's start and then I'll see if maybe I could work it out without looking like a fool on the camera. Um
good evening everyone. This is the Township of Springfield Board of Adjustment meeting for April 29th, 2025. The time is currently 6:08. Adequate notice of this meeting has been given in accordance with the Sunshine Law. Notice was published on March 20th, 2025 in the
local source, one of the official publishing outlets for the township of Springfield for the year 2025 and posted in the annex building on March 21st, 2025. Can we sl to salute the flag? I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Excellent. Can we please have a roll call? Mr. Steven Hawkstein here. Mr.
Michael Wex here. Mr. Steven Fersinbound. Yes. Miss Marlon Apparano. Mr. Peter Sheitz, Miss Anika Dodson, Mr. Randy Pearlman here, Vice Chair Mark Cunningham here, and
Chairwoman Jodie Cohen here. We have a forum. Excellent. Okay, the first order of business would be minutes. We have the minutes from the February 2025 hearing. Um, has every board member had an opportunity to review the minutes? Are there any questions or
comments? If there are none, is there a motion to approve? I'll move. Second. All in favor? I. Any extensions or objections? Great. Motion passes. All right. The sec second minutes that were reviewed were
March 2025. Uh every board member, if you had an opportunity to review, do you have any questions or comments on them? If there are none, is there a motion to approve the March 2025 meeting minutes? Moved. Second. Um all in favor? I I Any opposed or
abstensions? No. Motion passes. Excellent. Moving on to our one resolution this evening for memorialization that is for application 2025-2 199 Summit Road block 3201 lot
16. Has every member had an opportunity to review the resolution that's proposed? Are there any questions or comments? None. Is there a motion to approve the resolution? I'll move second.
Mr. Hawkstein, yes. Mr. Wex, yes. Mr. Binbound, yes. Um, Mr. Pearlman, yes. Vice Chair Cunningham, yes. And Cher, yes. Excellent. Okay. Uh, we will move on to the applications this
evening. And the um first application that I will call is application 2025-479 Skylock Sky Lark Road block 62. Okay, I really I have to get some glasses. Block
2602 lot 19. This is a request for a front yard setback variance for front portico garage and sun porch additions. And can we just let the record reflect that board member Napirano has appeared? Oh, okay. Do we have to put that on the
record? Yes. That um Steve ising himself. Okay. For the record, uh Mr. Hawkstein has a conflict on this matter and he's left the day and left the room. Okay. So, do we have the applicants here for
application 2025-4? Yes. Come on up to the microphone, please. I feel like I'm screaming. Sorry. Hi. Hi. Is it just you this evening that'll be um that will be speaking? Yeah. Okay. So, we're going to
swear you in. Okay. Please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth? Yes. Please state your full name. Spell your last name. Give us your home address. You need a current address or
sorry, speak to the microphone. Sorry. Bini Patel, 79 Skylark, Springfield, New Jersey 07081. Thank you. Okay. Excellent. Um why don't you start
off by just giving us a little bit of information about what you're looking to do and the reasons that you're looking to do so. Uh I live on a my family living like together like 17 years on a Springfield and we love the town. We just try to
move the small house to big house. Okay. And it looks like the improvements to the house that you're trying to do would be the installation of a front portico.
Yeah. Okay. Uh is basically house when we buy house it's like a two older house inside. So we just try to like little bit renovation inside and extension garage is already there. So we just like
do the go for the process for variance. There's nothing extra. We're building on it. Okay. Um I'm going to turn it over to board members. Do you have any questions? Yes. It's more than just a port.
Yeah. It's a sun porch garage. Sorry. Yes. I didn't hear. Yes. I did not say that. I was Okay. Yeah. Okay, members of the board, any questions? I just have a question for our
professional Mike. This is basically a pre-existing non-conforming, correct? Because of the fact that you don't have enough because there's two front yards. The setback is not enough. But he's going right above the garage. So that already exists. He's not extending
out. It's really just the fact that it's nonconforming. That's why the variance is needed. That's correct. It's on. Oh, there I am. So, I'll repeat that. On Treetop, the existing front yard setback is 34 and change. It's an
existing nonconformity going straight up on that. There's no encroachment further into the setback. The um other street frontage, they have 52 feet and change about, but the portico, which counts since it's attached to the structure, croaches
slightly to 48 and change. So that would be a variance for that as well. Any questions from the board? Okay. Any questions from the public for the applicant? None. Any members of the
public here that wish to speak on this application? So, this is application 2025-4. None. Okay. Um, I'm in favor of granting the relief that is requested. I think it's a diminish request with respect to the front yard setback and it's a pre-existing non-conforming on
the side. So, um, I would be in favor of granting the relief. Is there a motion? I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second. Vice Chair Cunningham. Yes. Michael Wex. Yes. Mr. Excuse.
Uh, Mr. Steven Fersbound. Yes. Miss Marlon Apparano. Yes. Uh, Mr. Pearlman. Yes. And Chair Cohen. Yes. Motion passes. Congratulations. Thank you. Yep. Okay. The next application I'm going to
call this evening is application 2025-5. This is for 250 Miltown Road, block 20001, lot 16. This is a request for a sideyard setback variance for an addition to
the home. Is the applicant here? Hi, good evening. How are you? Um, do you have anyone else here with you this evening that is going to come forward to testify? Just me. Okay, great. So, we're going to swear you in.
Raise your right hand, please. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth? Yes. Please state your full name um and give us the property address. Muhammad Gouda for Miner Group, 250 Milton Road. I'm sorry. You got it. Muhammad Gouda for
Miner Group, 250 Milton Road. Can we pause for one second? Can I ask you a question? Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. Mr. Gota, you're here on behalf of the
LLC? Yes. That owns the property, correct? Yes. Um, are there any are you the only member of the LLC or are there other members? No, just me. I'm the only member. I'm sorry. I'm the only member. Okay. The the reason we ask is uh businesses, non-individuals, need
attorneys, but as a single member LLC, you can represent the LLC. Okay. Proceed. Yes, please tell us about the uh improvement, what you're looking to do, and your reasons for doing so. Um so, we have a property 250 Milton. Um
it's a one story plus a finished attic. We're trying to raise up for a full second floor. It's an existing non-conforming side sideyard back on it. Um so looking for variance on the side sideyard and I think also the coverage is going to increase by a little bit.
It's going to be 2% above the requirements minimum requirements. Can I ask that the applicant speak up? Yeah. Yes. I'm having trouble understanding or hearing him. I'm sorry. So we're um trying to build a second
floor an existing building. Um there's currently an existing um uh um minimum sideyard. It's non-conforming sideyard. I think it's about 2.3 feet 2.3 ft non-conforming sideyard. We're building on top of an
existing building. So we're trying to keep it at the same setback as the existing building right now. So we're going to have a non-conforming uh sideyard setback. And I'm sorry, did you say that there was an increase for the lot coverage or it looks like on the chart it's a
decrease? Um, you look at building coverage. I think it's 22.2 is what you have. Oh, I thought you meant the lot coverage. Building coverage would mean a
lot. Building coverage. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Sheet T2 has a table that shows the building coverage breakdown and lot coverage breakdown for existing. Oh, okay. But it's not it's still within the 20 it's still within the allowable
percentages. The building coverage goes up to 25.2. So it's 2% above. And then the lot coverage is going from 39.8 to 40 when the allowable is 27.
I don't that's not I don't have that second page. Yeah. Second sheet of the plan that second page. So the application is not correct. It's the
um Yeah. So, we're going by the plans. I'm sorry. I'm not sure what the application may be. The application has an existing building of 194 going to 21.6, right? No. So, I'm sorry. We're going by the plans. It might be a mistaken application. Okay.
So, we're looking at I think sheet T2 is really the one you want to focus in on. I just want to be very clear now. So, we have a sideyard setback, building coverage, lot
coverage, and combined sideyard. Is everyone seeing that now on the Okay. Yes. On the plans. Great. Okay. I I do have questions. Please. Um they're going from uh a twocar garage to a onecar garage. Are we allowed to have
a single car garage in that zone? I believe so. I'll check. Okay. And then the other question, do we have a minimum depth required from the garage to the sideyard when you have a side entry? Minimum depth distance from the
sideyard to the garage to manipulate a car. Do we have a anything in our ordinance or just what is practical? Um, we have a for a driveway we have a dimension that's five feet. One zone
it's down to two feet. Pri has six feet. All the other zones are five feet. The driveway has set back you mean? Yes. This is an existing nonconformity to that. Yes. Okay. So, do they have to go
for that or is that because it's existing? It could be not I I'll defer to Bruce. It's an existing nonconformity that's not changing. The driveway is not changing. Not repaving the driveway or No, no, no. We're just we're just that the that existing house is what we're working on. And that the distance from
the garage to the sideyard is the same as it's you're not moving closer away. No. So then my only other question was as long as you're reducing the amount of garage space I think it
was four. Yes, is one. No, no, no, it's not. It's over. Five. This bug is making me crazy. Okay. So, this is not right here. It's already Yes. Okay. So,
that's deficient and we're exceeding and we're exceeding. Okay. Okay. So, Mr. Hawking, to answer your question, uh 3523
requires single family dwellings in the S60 shall be at least one in the garage. Not in the S60. Shall be two in the garage. This is S75. This is S75. The variance to go from a two to one car garage. I believe.
Okay. We're going to add that. I think that we that's what we just determined. If you want to go from two to one, I think that Yeah. Okay. From a twocar garage to a one.
How many cars are commonly on that property as we stand and talk now? So it's uh it's it's vacant right now. So there's no cars at all right now. We can't go by that. It's sorry. It's vacant right now. The property is vacant.
How many how many cars? Oh, it's vacant. It's vacant. Yes. What do you anticipate there to be after your project is completed? Um, I'll probably assume twocar garage. That's a two cars. That's a standard
right now. My my concern is that if you have more than one car garage, one car, how does the second car manipulate out of the garage? So, I I believe I believe um let me show I I
believe the distance that we have from the garage coming out into the driveway is enough is is is it's long enough to have the cars there because the garage is a little bit of a setback further into the house. It's not at the property. I understand. I'm just saying if somebody's parked
there, you're going to have to take that car, bring it all the way out to Miltown Road in the driveway. Get a car out of the garage. In the driveway, you mean? What I'm saying is if there's any if there's a second car not in the garage, you're going to have to take the first car and bring it all the way out to Miltown Road in order to get that car
out of the garage. Understand? Okay. Sorry, we we we didn't have the discussion before, so I wasn't I wasn't prepared. I didn't know the surveillance for to car as well. Well, I know I assume you're doing this as a as an investment. Yes, correct.
Yeah, it's gonna something to think about that it's It's going to really inhibit the use of that driveway in and the garage. Yeah. Backing out to a busy road every time somebody needs to get out. One car blocking it.
It's a pretty narrow driveway as it is. Your garage is currently in the back of your home. It's It's in the back. Yeah. So, I believe the driveway though I mean I'm just on the point if you're inside the garage, but if you're outside the garage, the space is big is big enough for two cars to be Oh, you could fit two
cars, but I'm just saying not inside the garage. Yes. But if one car needs to get out and the first car is blocking it, that car is going to have to back all the way out onto the Miltown Road to get the first car out. What it means when you go into the driveway, you turn into the garage at the side. So that turn, I believe, is
wide enough for the two cars that you could fit them next to each other without having to um remove one car. I don't think a car backing out of the garage has enough room to go
around backing out around a car next to it and come down that narrow driveway because it's it is extremely narrow. I have I have to agree. I I You're looking at the survey, right? I
on your T2. Yeah. On Yeah. T2 when we see the the existing versus the the proposed site. Um no, there's an existent moving up. Yeah, it was just moving up. Yeah. So, there's a garage existing where it is
right now. We're just moving up. How far is your house from the nursery? I'm not sure. I'm not sure. Three houses away next door. No, not next door. Um, let's
see. See if you can pull it up. Yeah. I don't I don't know if there's any nurseries. One, two, three, four. I'm sorry. Yeah. Five. Four. Four houses away. uh square footage. The house is pretty small.
How many bedrooms are going to be in the house when you're done? Uh, three bedrooms or four bedrooms? A total of three bedrooms? A total? Yes, total. Four bedrooms. More bedrooms. Yes, Mr. Oxy. I see one on the first floor
and four on the second. That's five. And and what is the parking requirements for a five-bedroom house? You have to have more than two cars able to park. It's um per RSIS,
right? I'm going to have to try to find that. I think my guess is it's two and a half makes it three. What is the reason that you're eliminating the two-car garage to I see you're putting a an
entry there. Is there a way to look at this and maybe maintain the two-car garage? Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Um I it didn't come up as a variance before. That's why we didn't plan plan it out. Um, if it was, I would have just kept it as a two-car garage, but it wasn't it wasn't discussed at all that it was a variance.
The use of the house a lot. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That long driveway backing out 7 and 1/2 ft past. Yeah. I mean, if everything else is okay, I'm probably going to have to rethink the two-car garage versus uh
single. When you say you want to rethink things, do you intend to produce other other other uh plats or other surveys to be able to show us what you're planning on doing. Yeah, we'll do a side survey. We'll do another survey.
I move for a tableabling. Um I just I want to just I if we could get the standards, but um I don't want to put I'll get them. Thank you. It's coming up. Yeah. One of one of my
concerns is if they can't manipulate the cars that all of a sudden there's going to be extra pavement added in the future in the back of the house by somebody who's realizes that their driveway doesn't work and then they're going to have to go over 40%.
Understand? Yeah. So, and we already have a lot of issues with drainage coverage problems in our town. So, we're trying to minimize as lot coverage as much as possible. Madam chair, this is from 2017, but I don't think the parking's changed. U most of the changes
to RSIs were 2004 to 8, something like that. It requires for a five- bedroomedroom home, three parking spaces. Fourbedroom home uh would be, excuse me, three-bedroom
home, twobedroom, two threebedroom, 2.5, fourbedroom, uh 2.5, three bed, three for a fivebedroom. So, you were right. Right. Good memory. Okay. So, I think what we would be
looking for would be a a plan where the twocar garage remains so that there's um ample room for them to be able to
park and get out. Okay. Um so with that I think we are we have a motion to carry this um which Bruce if you have the next meeting date that we would be able to announce. It's May 20th if
they'll be ready for that. Yeah I'll make sure it's ready before that. Okay great. So May 20th 2025 for anyone that is here for application 2025-5. Um this will be carried till
then. Is there a second? A second. Mr. Pers. Yes. Mr. West. Yes. Mr. Hawkstein. Yes. Merano. Yes. Mr. Pearlman. Yes. Vice Chair Cunningham. Yes. Ander. Yes. And thank you so much. Thank you. Mr.
Good. Just before you go, couple things. Um, if you're ready to go forward on that date, you will not need to renotice the neighbors or publish. Um, all additional documents should be in 10
days before that date. Um, and please revise the application as well to indicate all of the variances that are actually being sought. I'll do that. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Have a good night. Okay. Okay, the next application that
I'm going to call is application 2025-6. This is for 48 Evergreen Avenue, block 30004, lot 16, sideyard setback variance to install an AC condenser on the property. Good evening. How are you doing? Well,
how are you? Excellent. Are you the only one here tonight to testify? I'm the only one here to testify, although my brother's in the back there. We both purchased the home and live in it. Okay, great. So, we're going to swear you in. Okay. And
please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth? Yes. Please state your full name. Spell your last name. Provide your home address. Alex Freriededenberg. F R I E D N B E R G. Home address is 48 Evergreen A,
Springfield, New Jersey. Thank you. Okay, Mr. for Freedenberg. Tell us a little bit about your application. Yes. So, my brother and I closed on the home in January, moved from Mountainside, and when we purchased the home, we had an
inspection done, obviously, and we identified the home was heated by a boiler, had radiators throughout the home, and um a lot of the piping was identified to be corroded in certain places due to prior leakage. So we noted that as something that would need to be
addressed and the boiler was also almost 20 years old. So subsequently closed on the home and you know we had an idea that we eventually wanted to address the HVAC but a week later our pipe burst in the basement. So we kind of sped up the process of doing that work. went to a
few different contractors, hired a contractor, and proceeded with installing a new central heating and air conditioning system, and we went with kind of a hybrid system where we have a furnace in the basement and an AC condenser outside. There's duct work in
the basement that now heats and cools the first floor. And then we did mini splits on the second and third floor bedrooms because it was going to be very difficult to get duck work and it'd be extremely expensive to run duct work in in an old home like this. It's was built
in 1926. So walls are thin. So given the mechanicals of that, all of the bedrooms are on this exterior wall of the home. So running the line sets for the mini splits from the bedrooms was going to be easiest to drop that condenser and heat
pump on the side of the house that we did. Now, you know, unbeknownst to us, first-time homeowners, our contractor had, you know, told us that they would secure the necessary permits and file the permit application. Um, we provided them with a survey. Their understanding
was that the setback was five feet from the property line to you know place something on that side of the home. Um we weren't aware but you know they went proceeded did the work. I think they started on the 19th of February. We saw that they filed the
permit application on the 24th. So after they started the work and then we subsequently received a notice in the mail shortly thereafter that our permit application was denied but the work had already been done. So seeking the variance so that we don't have to move
the condenser units. Um mechanically it's the best place for them to be. It doesn't really disturb any of our neighbors and it's not visible from the street. So that was the purpose and intent of the variance. So we do we know the exact dimension
from the sideyard from the from the boundary line. The house is 10.1. So if the AC units two plus a set back off the building of two, you're about six to seven. Okay. Yeah. I think it's part of the application. It
it when I looked at the application, I couldn't find which side of the house the AC was on. So I went to the zoning denial from Mr. Herbert, found that, and I I made copies to distribute. you know, so it's on the left side of the house as
you see those two solid lines. But this is the full survey that's in the application package, right? We're not marking this in are we marking this into the record? Mark it because I didn't have it. I had to look for it. Oh, okay. Ju just to be clear on what was just handed out. It's the survey,
but are the two little filledin blocks on the left the house? Is that where the condenser is going? I I assume that that's right. Those two blocks are the two condenser units. Okay. And do you know the distance from the property line
to to the edges of them to the edge of the units? To the outside edge of the units. Yeah. I don't know that distance. I think we calculated six feet. Okay. based on the location of the condenser and the
size of them. Yeah. I And I would have went out there. I didn't know they were actually installed already. So, okay. This is the Bernardet side of the of your house, correct? Correct. And this document will mark as A1 because it was not part of the 10day
application. Can you have one for the record? Okay. Uh, okay. Any questions from the board? Is there a full basement in this house? Full basement? Yes. Yes. And if your contractor would have gotten
the permit and found this out, he could have easily put the units in the back of the house and within the setbacks. Am I correct? Well, there's uh there's there's he he potentially could have, although there's a paved patio area. Then there's a storm
door on the one side of the house. There's a Billco door and and then there's kind of some landscaping shrubbery on the opposite on the left side of that landscaped patio area. So, there wasn't there wasn't really like a pad open. We'd have to probably clear an
area by cutting down that bush or So what you're saying is between the stairs and the left side of the house there's there's vegetation that would be correct. Correct. What is planned to be done for noise? I mean you're you're almost up
next door to the house at the corner of Bernardet and u uh Bernard and Evergreen, right? What are you planning on doing so that the noise that emanates from the
uh uh from the condenser unit will not adversely affect the you're much closer next door neighbor. Yeah, I I I understand the question. I think um we have inspected the units, you know, while they're running. They're
brand new units, so they're highly efficient. They're extremely quiet. And we've also spoken with our neighbor next door and they didn't seem to have any issue with it and no complaints as they've been running. It' be nice if they were here to say that themselves, wouldn't it? I agree.
One thing I did observe about that the house next door, it only has one window on that side. This is true. of the uh where it would beh facing the the units. There's only one window and it I believe it's on a second floor. Right. So that's
right. There's minimal effect of I would think of noise. You know, that would be different if there was windows on that first floor level where those units are, but the fact that it's elevated up in the air and that's the only I observed and they have a fence on that whole side. Am I correct? Correct. So they
won't even see our units. Um I will say um based on modern units, they are very quiet. modern HVAC professors, but they do age. When they age, they get noisier.
Were there any previous units there before you did this work? There was nothing there. Um, the only they had window units for cooling, so they just had the radiator system. So, there was no modern, you know, heating and cooling system. So this is first time the home has had
anything like that. So how many units are there on the side of the house now? Two. Have you had a discussion with the contractor to move them because they made the mistake? We did have a conversation with them about that. Um and part of the reason they put them
there and part of the reason they don't want to move them is because mainly the mini split system. The line sets run from the unit directly to the split heads in the bedrooms and all of the bedrooms are on that exterior wall of
the home. So if you really put it on any exterior any other exterior wall, you'd be running those line sets around the siding of the home. So it would be more expensive and probably a loss of efficiency. So you know they they said they wouldn't they would prefer not to
do it that way on any other wall. You even space anywhere else on the house to move them to if that were an option. Um, I mean, we wouldn't put it on the front of the home. The backyard was was challenging. And on the side of the
home, we have the detached garage um where there's then a door and then a paved area for a walkway. So, it really was our best option. How big are these units? There may be, you know, they're right tight up against the home. They maybe come out two feet
and they're maybe four feet wide, give or take. Why Why were the I think there was an application that was denied or permit that was denied. Was that cured at some point? Was there a denied permit? Well, the zoning permit is denied because it
setback. Yeah. Right. But it was already installed, right? How about in the back of the house alongside that uh bill door to the to the right of the Billco door
if you're looking at this survey? Actually, it would be to the left to the left be on the Bernardet side by those two new houses newer houses that are erected. Yeah. So to to the left of those stairs, there's vegetation. There's a large bush right there. So we'd have to clear that out. Typically
there is that the only impediment clearing out one bush. What's that? Right. The splits as well. There have to be
Correct. It also reduces the efficiency of the unit to bring it up. More best thing is more direct the line running is the more efficient they they are. So to continue to run piping makes the unit less
efficient. Correct. It looks to me from the aerial that the fence on the neighbor really truncates at the rear of the house. It doesn't propagate up the whole sideline. Looks like the applicant's home has I'm going to guess those are our vites
lining rear and the side probably to Mr. first point put add requirement for more arborites to screen these and the one window that's on that side
is doing the best you can defense is not extending far enough to really encompass that Any other questions from the board? Any questions from the public for the applicant? None. Okay. Any members of
the public here wish to speak on this application? May I ask one additional question? Yes. You said you were worried about the cost of doing things alternatively or you just saying we think it's going to be more.
The contractor didn't quote it, but they said it would be more expensive to do it that way. Plus, the decrease in efficiency for going the longer distance you go again with the line sets for the mini splits, the less efficient the system.
So, the answer is you do not know specific just I don't have a number for you now. I think it's okay. Um, I'm in favor of granting the relief. Um I I mean in looking at you know the
location to the dwelling and and the um and the screening of the arborvite and the fact that there's one I don't I mean it's a maybe a bathroom a tiny window um no you
know I don't think bedroom windows on that side I'm I'm I don't think that um it would cause any detriment to the neighboring property. So if anyone is yes that the fact that your neighbor is not here also says something
that if they were objecting to it they probably would have come here and objected right um I would suggest that as as per Mr. Disco suggested putting some arbor vites or some kind of vegetation to to screen it u along the
property line if this was because there's no fence there. Um okay how would one get there to mold the grass there's so narrow on this other side there's 10 ft have on the left side. It should be adequate.
I I would agree with you. I I I would be in favor of this that Okay. Is there a motion to approve with the condition of installing additional arborvite for screening of
the condensers along the property line? Can I ask a question? Sure. Does it specifically need to be arborvite trees? I think it just needs to be some sort of vegetation to screen it. So maybe we won't say that. Vegetation for
screening. Arborites are quite large. Yep. Yeah, they grow. Are you good with that? Some some type of evergreen that would Fair enough. Okay, great. Miss Napano, Mr. Wax, yes. Mr.
Hawkstein, yes. Mr. Fenbound, no. Mr. Pearlman, yes. Vice Chair Cunningham. Yes. And Chair Cow, yes. Motion passes. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. The final application this evening is application
2025-7506 Ashwood Road, block 251, lot 25. This is a request for a lot coverage variance for a sun room. Yes. Okay. Yes.
Yes, please. Mr. uh Ferraro. Yes. You signed this application. Are you the owner of the property? No, I'm representing the owners. They're sitting behind me right here. The owner is here. Yes. Okay. Um, are you an attorney? No, I'm representing New Jersey Sun Rooms. I'm an architect. Okay. You can't
represent her if you're not an attorney. You can testify. I testify, but I'm going to ask Miss Reed to be sworn just Okay. Sure. or or Mr. Rei to be sworn as as the owner. So, if you would both raise your right hand. You swear or affirm to tell the truth. Yes. Please
state your state your full name. Spell your last name. Give us your home address. Iran. Ready R E D Y 50 I 506 Ashwood Road Springfield New Jersey. Thank you.
Sorry. My name is John Ferraro. F R Rap City. Thank you. M Mr. Ready, just for the record, you're the owner of the property and you've retained Mr. Ferraro to present expert testimony concerning the
application. Okay. Thank you. Does he have to for the license? Um I think we have to do that. We're going to Vader him. But let's let's start with that.
He's been there. I think that if he's going to testify as an expert, the question, right? So, can you give us the benefit of your background, education, um your current licenses and whether they are actually current and in good
standing? Yes. Thank you. Okay. You want specifics? Yes, please. Okay. So, I'm an architect for 38 years. I am licensed in New York, New Jersey, and several other states. I am nationally certified by the NCAB which is the National Council for
the Architectural Review Board. And you are licensed in New Jersey is current and in good standing. Yes, I'm licensed and insured. Excellent. Any of the board members have any objections to qualifying Mr. Ferraro as an expert in
architecture? None. You may proceed. Oh, I'm sorry. You want license in New Jersey? Yes, I am. Okay. Okay. Please proceed. Okay. So, um the readies are wishing to put a 337 square foot sun room in the rear of their home.
Uh this is creating the lock coverage uh requirement from the denial letter. Uh the reason for the sun room is so that they can enjoy the outside of the house and have some protection from the elements as well as having a room that they could use more than just the summer
and spring months. Um, the conservatory will sit on a footing and pier system very similar to the deck that's there now. The deck will be removed and the sun room will go in its place. Currently, there are
screenage uh screened uh evergreens that block the view from the neighbor to the proposed sun room. And there is no land disturbance because these footings are pretty much similar in number and size to the deck that was there. So that will
also be maintained. What is being done for water abatement? Right now there is no plan for water abatement. The the lot is pretty flat. So we don't see any concern of the water traveling onto the neighbors property. Additionally, even though the PA system
that's there is not considered pvious, it is indeed pavers and has a pvious nature to it. But I'm not claiming that it is pvious. It's it's but I would suggest it's more pvious than let's say a concrete patio. A lot coverage does a lot coverage does
increase by more than 200 square ft. So we would typically require mitigation for that. So the mitigation could be provided or the lot some lot coverage element on the site could be removed to get it under 200 square foot net
increase. There seems to be a there's 60% coverage on the site. There's a lot of pavers and other elements. So perhaps some of them are not necessary. I'm in agreement with that. Is the owner willing to work with
engineering to mitigate? Would you like to speak to them? Yeah. I typically use a cult system. I'm sorry. Okay, Mr. Ready is sharing with us the existing storm underground system that's
there now. Come on up. They do all the gutters connect to the storm drain. So, I exactly don't know where it goes, but uh water doesn't flow onto the property. Well, again, we're trying to prevent downstream property owners from
the net increase. So, if the roofs are connected to the municipal storm drain system, that's not mitigating. That's just fasttracking it downstream. So, again, uh there's a couple of options here. They could remove some of the again with 60% lot coverage got to be
something I would I would think that's not necessary or you could do as the architect suggested a mitigation system a cult system as long as the volume is provided for the net increase in lot coverage. But that would that would
require an excavation underground which would disturb either a grass area or vegetation or a paver area depending upon where it was placed. So and again this is arising because the deck by our definition is not a lot
coverage element. Presumably, the ordinance anticipates that water will flow through the openings in the deck to a a pvious area below the deck. And that of course now will be changed by the installation of a a roofed area. Um, may
I suggest that yes, it does change, but at the same time, that land is still open to air, so water will be able to get beneath it just as it did with the deck. It just won't be coming from directly that
that may well be the case, but the two options are that that we're giving would be the mitigation efforts or a reduction in the impervious coverage. So, so is it possible to get you the owner would have
to decide, but it doesn't I don't believe that um if you're unwilling to do either of the two that we would be able to grant okay the relief. So can we get the approval with the agreement that we will submit with
the with the construction documents the plan for mitigation um well that is a decision of the board but if that's what I'm asking as a condition of the approval if the board is willing to approve that yes the mitigation okay effort this way I can
educate my client to his options I'm sure we'll be able to come up with something the option is there has to be what uh mitigation for correct runoff. So correct that is the options. It's a matter of how you do it as well. Or or reduce or like he said get it below the
200 script. Yeah, that's yeah which is opening up the area to correct take on that additional That's correct. I understand. But I guess the question is is if they're going to reduce the impervious
area while it's an increase, is there a need for relief then or we'd have to figure out the actual You still need relief for lot coverage even if they reduce it to 200. 200 is just our standard where mitigation is usually mandated. Okay.
You the board even if they go lower than 200 can still require the mitigation but they still need the variance. So um eliminating some coverages here but still net increase of one or more technically because the sun it's already an already a nonconformity well over the
27%. I got it. Okay. Okay. So is the I guess the question is really for the owner at this point. If if this were to move forward and we were to approve this on the condition that you work with the um engineer to install
mitigation efforts, are you willing to agree to that condition? I need to understand better. Um okay, because I I I really do not know what's the technical what uh you're saying. Maybe if I understand them
better. that time. Um why don't we take a five minute break and you guys can discuss and then we can come back on the record. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. I did. I did. Yes. very well. Okay. Okay. So, the owners have agreed
to the cult system. Great. Um, I will provide with the construction drawings and documents for the permit, the details and the engineering for that as well as locating it on the survey. Okay. Wonderful. To see that. And then the the downspout and gutter system from the
conservatory will go directly into the cult system. Good. Okay. Before we before we take a vote, I just need to open it up to the public. Okay. Yes. So, we do have a member of the public here. I'm going to start with if there's any
questions that you have for the applicant or um the architect. Excellent. So, we're gonna have you come up now because I'm gonna open up to the public for comments on the application. I'm sorry. You have to be sworn in first. I have to be taller. I think you
can bring that down or take it off. This should do it. Uh, my Thank you. My name is Please, please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth? I do. Please state your name. Spell your last name. Give us your home address. Alisa Kinger.
K I G N E R 501 Ashwood Road. Thank you. Um my concern here was was I mean they shouldn't enjoy and have porch as they wish just that issues of drainage because I and architecture should know everyone should be aware that on the
empty lot next to them when there are sudden um downpours which happens a couple times a year the the golf course all the water drains off and there becomes flooding right before it ends before their property but there's a
segment of Ashwood that floods and it becomes impassible 20 minutes 30 minutes until the after the rain um passes and has caused damage to the houses that I in 28 years I lived here I believe I hope it's
mitigated o with the all the owners beforehand but I know that there was damage to all those neighboring houses in the past because of the drainage issue so I would want to know that that's being addressed um now so that there doesn't become more
problems um and anyone that has fixed the problem doesn't have it recurve because that rain is still going to be coming down from the drain from the golf course and obviously we have a problem with drainage right in that area. So not directly from their house but that it shouldn't you know create a different
problem that's all. Thank you very much you guys address that. Thank you. Um, okay. Any other members of the public here? None. All right. So, uh, thank you for your comments. Um, I think
that with the agreement to, um, mitigate with the system, um, I would be in favor of granting the relief. Members of the board, if you're in agreement, is there a motion? Move to approve with the condition that they
apply for the drainage system. Second, Mr. Hawkstein. Yes. Mr. Wex. Yes. Mr. Bersinbound. Yes. Miss Naperano. Mr. Pearlman. Yes. Vice Chair Cunningham.
Yes. And Chair Cow. Yes. Motion passes. Congratulations. Uh motion to adjourn. Motion to adjurnn. Second. Second. All in favor. See everyone May 20th.