##VIDEO ID:Q9rW-3VJgQk## all [Music] [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] chist [Music] for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] e [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] to [Music] [Music] nothing [Music] how's he doing I was down the street I was between selfmaster and Chestnut and he was between selfmaster and the welcome to tonight's meeting of the Zoning Board of adjustment of the township of Union which is being held pursuant to the open public meeting law c231 laws of New Jersey dated 1975 notice of this meeting was advertised in the local Source Andor The Star Ledger the two newspapers of record and notice has been posted on the bulletin board in the municipal building adjacent to the municipal clerk's office roll call Mr Wy here M Martins here Vega pres M Scott here Mr Johnson here Mr mcneel here Mr Graves here M rickets here Mr Champion here there being a quum present this meeting is now declared open at this time I'll entertain a motion for the approval of the minutes from September the 11th May I have a motion and a second what day was that September you say September 11th I move that the meeting minutes of September 11 be approved as written and dispense with their reading second a motion all in favor I opposed so moved Mr so are there any Communications uh Mr chairman there are no Communications continuing with continuing with tonight's meeting our first order of business will be the adoption of a resolution for calendar number 3443 trademark signs LLC located at 2255 Springfield Avenue block 4914 lot 10.03 Burlington signage at this time board members you've all had a chance to read the resolution are there any board members that would like to comment make changes or modifications to the resolution as it has been written hearing none may I have a motion in a second to adopt the resolution Mr chairman I move that this board adopt the resolution as written and has accurately memorialized in the previous findings of this board second okay our next our next order call Y Mr Wy yes M Martins yes Mr Ben Vaga yes Mr Johnson yes Mr mcneel here yes Mr Graves yes and Mr Champion yes our next order of business is also adoption of a resolution for calendar number 3442 Rd Management LLC located at 2395 Springfield Avenue clock 4607 Lot 2 Mr champy that's what we just uh no I I I made a mistake okay I did trademark signs so it will be the adoption of a resolution for calendar number 3442 Rd Management LLC located at 2395 Springfield Avenue block 4607 lot two it was for the conversion of the manager's office and 12 storage units which would be converted into two bedroom apartments board members you've all had a chance to read the resolution at this time are there any members that would like to comment make changes or modification to this to the resolution hearing none may have a motion in a second to adopt the resolution as it has been written Mr chairman I move that this board adopt the resolution has written and abely REM moralizing in the previous findings of this board second roll call please Wy yes Mar Yesa yes Johnson yes Mr McNeil yes Mr Graves yes champ yes our next order of business is calendar number 3444 TNR Holdings LLC located at 1945 Route 22 West block 2911 lot one applicant wishes to utilize the basement as a training facil facility for child birth education courses and the installation of a digital sign Mr H would you like to begin good evening Mr well it's loud good evening Mr chairman and board members uh great to see you all this evening and thanks for coming out during the holiday season on such a beautiful night at least it's not cold out so again Steven hail representing TNR Holdings LLC and I would looked preparing for this evening and working on the case it's hard to believe and was talking to the chairman that was uh 20 2017 were before this board for the approval of the medical offices and birthing center uh if you recall this building is it's it's surprising it's in the residential Zone on Route 22 there uh but it has been a commercial use for many many years I know but before uh the birthing center at uh TNR took it over it was Union plate class which had moved from Mars Avenue and also combined in there the American Flag Company and and then fell into was vacant and fell into disrepair and as you probably go by there they did a beautiful job with the building and have a a great business at the location um and what they're looking to do as part of this uh proposal is that the basement was storage but they wanted to do uh basic educational for uh for mothers and families uh with uh expecting children and uh it goes hand inand with the medical offices up on the on the on the main floor of the facility and you'll hear from our testimony there won't be overlaps uh this will be done Limited hours on the weekends and maybe a a few nights during the week uh when the medical offices are not are not open other than when there's uh let's say a medical emergency of birth or the like and uh so we're going to going to describe that there's essentially no change in the footprint of the building it's just utilization of the of the lower unit for this educational and uh uh Dr Nicole pimperton who was here in 2017 was scheduled to testify this evening but um she had a little more of a priority she's helping give birth right now so uh we said that uh we'd try and cover the operational but it is pretty straightforward so uh and what we'll do is I I'll call upon uh Mr Joe Bachi our engineer to take us through the site change is again very limited by way of site change it's essentially utilizing the uh the lower part of the facility but I I'll just give a little bit of a an overview the the present uh facility upstairs operates Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except on Wednesdays they do have 11: to 7: and uh again you'll see that the uh there uh there is adequate parking at the site there's never an overflow of parking and then the lower unit the educational uh they will essentially operate perhaps Tuesday Thursdays and Saturdays with no conflict they wouldn't do Wednesday because that's when the uh the facility is open a little bit later in the evening but uh again same same number of employees in the upper level and limited again it's more of a classroom setting in the lower level so what I'd like to do and we did have have the reviews from cers no problem complying with any of those terms and conditions and we have the fire department we'll work with the fire department as we always do to address any comments that the fire department has so I I'd like to then first call upon Mr Joseph Bachi to take us through uh the site plans existing conditions and then what's proposed by way of improvements good evening Mr bot this is Rob panso the board attorney I do know for the record that I marked a one the application with supporting materials as it was submitted and I marked a to the eka site plan which consists of four pages there's a two-page uh uh plan as well as a survey and a fire Tru maneuvering sheet so there's four sheets A1 and A2 uh Mr B you going to ask you to swear or affirm that the testimony you provide this evening is the truth and the halter yes and for the record State spell your name with your business affiliation uh Joseph Bachi B A CI with eka Associates addressed at 328 Park AV Scotch Plains New Jersey any change in your engineering qualifications when you were last certified as an expert in this board probably in the last couple weeks I believe uh yeah no no change uh still licensed and in good standing thank you okay all right so Mr Boni uh obviously your firm worked on the the application in 2017 you're well familiar with the site and the property if you could take us through existing conditions and then what's proposed by way of improvements to the site and know there's somewhat limited uh at this uh at this location it's essentially repurposing the lower lower unit sure um starting on sheet one of our site plan set um as usual I'll draw your attention to the zoning map uh here in the center you can see the lot's roughly uh triangular in shape we're bound to the Northwest here by Wade Terrace uh which is a paper street it's actually um it's not developed as vegetated um and then beyond that you have a town-owned property which is also vacant and vegetated and then Residential Properties on this block here uh to the Northeast uh you have Rosemont AV North with with Residential Properties across the street there and then to the South you have uh Route 22 with uh commercial properties across the street from it there uh so let me just answer one thing I forgot to point I appreciate you bring out the map yes Wade ter uh is in fact a paper Street we're not proposing it's time to utilize that at all but that acts as a nice buffer and then you have the municipal property and the other and I planner will probably touch on it that last lot uh to if you look at it to our right that's actually a billboard so it's not like there's a house on the corner overlooking this business you got a billboard on that corner sorry thank thanks for pointing that out yes the billboard um I'll also touch on as Mr hail mentioned this is in the residential Zone uh but it really does fit for a commercial property you know with with all this um Frontage on Route 22 here um I think the commercial use fits uh where it is I don't I don't think a residential property would would fit there um at all so and and it's been working as a commercial use um as as we are all aware uh we'll go to our survey uh just to go over the existing conditions and again not much is changing um total lot area 29,6 Square fet uh you see here on on the North End of the property of the one-story block building again the footprint of this building is not changing uh in The Proposal um you have multiple entrances uh the main entrance being on this corner here that I'm highlighting uh then entrance to the basement in this location to the west and then to the east another uh entrance to the basement and a a quasi kind of loading area um here to the Northwest aside from that uh most of the site is parking lot as you can see um there were a number of variances that were previously approved in the last application um really you know setbacks we have um sorry bear with me they're they're highlighted nicely in the Colliers report I'll uh I'll touch on a few of them um we have the front yard setback on rosem AV um 25 ft required 14.74% back on Wade Terrace uh 12T would be required for this sidey yard uh again existing and proposed and previously approved is 2.61 Ft uh impervious coverage is not changing we've received a variance uh for 90.8% not changing 60 uh is required uh on the previous application uh the parking standards have changed a little bit so uh 45 parking stalls were required in the last application and we were approved for 36 so with deficiency of nine uh we actually are we're proposing we're keeping the same amount of parking but the there's actually reduction in the requirement um so we're we're you know some with the ordinance changing we are uh reducing that burden as it relates to the ordinance so uh 29 are required 37 are proposed with EV credits um you know additionally no loading space is here the site Works without a loading space it's been working as such uh and that was previously granted um there's a number of I don't know if you guys want me to go through every single I think these are all preexisting conditions that are not being intensified or exacerbated by this application it's highlighted nicely in colors I can touch on any if you'd like me to but I don't want to waste your time going through every single one there's a number of variances um I mentioned the parking lot um in terms of grading everything the site gently slopes to Route 22 so any storm water runoff it's going to 22 that's going to be the same case in the proposed uh site with the minimal changes so no impact to the residents um in that regard um that's essentially it there's the existing building the existing parking lot uh and that really makes up uh the site with some limited green areas okay and I think we are reloc oh you're going to the site plan now I'll I'll go to the uh site plan uh a little busy in here but if I zoom in I think you can see um the I'll start with the lighting that's uh kind of jumping off the screen here uh so this lighting plan was previously approved no changes are proposed to that um you can see where I visited this site the striping has faded a bit so um we'll restripe the parking lot but again um there's really no change to the parking uh it's ADA Compliant uh we are adding the the one make ready uh EV space to be compliant with the new uh EV ordinance um we previously I don't think I mentioned this we previously did uh get approval for uh 22 foot wide uh Drive Aisle 24 is required we're keeping it at 22 the main change we are seeking from a site perspective um not you know not relating to the to the basement of the building our architect will touch on that um so we are proposing a new sign I'll show the the detail of it on the top right here oh sorry uh so there is an existing sign there which we uh received approval for if there's a no offset from the property line against 22 we're leaving it in the same space um but we are planning to install a 97 Foot Led um sign there where 20 foot is required uh the sign it's not going to be like a flashing type of sign and speaking with the client what they're going to put on the sign is kind of advertising those classes that they're looking to do now um and they'll kind of promote some of the some of the newborns of that they've birthed at the center you know nice picture of the baby name date of birth kind of promote uh their facility that you know the fact they they are a birthing center and and promote the classes that they're that they're looking to do no increase in the size of the sign though I think it's just re uh I think it's a slight increase slight yeah but very minimal increase yeah sorry let me go to the uh yeah hold on it is yeah we were approved for 89 square feet previously um it's going to be slightly larger 97 square feet okay um less than 10 square fet yeah um that really sums up the changes to the plan I think we're relocating or addressing the trash yeah thank you Steve um yeah right now the the trash kind of conflicts with that uh quasi loading area that I mentioned uh in this area So the plan is to relocate the trash to this corner of the site I just put the barrels there and they'll be you know available for pickup right off the street on and it will be shielded and it will be shielded yes yeah screens appropriately okay all right that really sums up this and you have no no issues with the I think you touched on it with the colar letter dated uh October 29th 2024 yeah no no issues there okay and as I mentioned uh no issues from a site perspective with the comments from the fire department we'll work with them to address any uh yeah we'll say we are we are uh proposing they had a concern about uh being able to access let me zoom in a little uh navigate through the site with these three uh parking spaces there uh those are being removed but we are still keeping the same amount of um I think overall we're we're keeping the same amount of parking with removing those I'm yes okay great all right thank you Mr botev no further questions at this time are there any board members that would like to question the testimony Mr Bachi has provided hearing none are there any members of the public that would like to question the testimony Mr baji has provided hear me none counselor yes i' now like to call upon our architect David Buckman thank you Mr Bachi is this uh oh yeah a182 uh yes okay 82 I'll close I'll close mine out so you don't get okay thank you close this out for you now I know twice as much as I knew before feel very old right now standing in front of this that's why you pick the young people to help with the I have the real drawings here I ask you to swear or affirm that the testimony you provide this evening is the truth and the whole truth yes I do and for the record State spell your name with your affiliation yes David Buckman it's bu u c k m an okay Mr Buckman I know you actually appeared here in 2017 but just briefly again confirm your credentials yeah I um well I got my bachelor of architecture in in uh in uh 1985 and uh started this firm in 1988 long time ago uh I testified here done a lot we accept Mr Buckman's great thank you Mr chair all right so uh Mr Buckman uh obviously having worked on the project in 2017 you're well familiar with if you could take us through I guess the focus would be on the floor plan for the uh for the educational training area in the proposed uh in the lower unit I sure will not so bad um I'm looking at uh the sheet A2 and Rob maybe we could have Mr Buckman's plans marked as uh A3 A3 for the record okay this is the drawing it should be the drawing that you guys are looking at though that you guys have um make it a little bigger all right so fairly simple it's a it's right now a big large space uh it's a, 1450 Square ft uh this can you see where I'm pointing yeah this is it's the it's flipped from the site plan you were looking at but this is the stair coming out of the basement okay and so on one side there is a stair and then on the other side there is a stair so as an architect we love that we have the two means of egress already existing and in good shape uh adding a bathroom it'll be handicap accessible and we all these spaces are already currently there they're all utility spaces so it leaves this space I'm circling here as a one large space we simply uh want to put in new lights and and uh sheetrock outlets and it's going to be used to open space as uh for training um as I understand it will be for people for birthing training um and I think it's being given by the staff by some of the staff which is why the hours will be different from when they're open for business because the staff will be up there okay so um I I have no problems I've read the well you want to ask me yeah go ahead I've read the reports I have no problems the um and we got today or yesterday the fire departments uh they had four issues and we we have no problem we will um certainly go through uh with the fire department and make sure we meet all the fire safety we do anyway but we will we will sit with them and and go over that okay so there's essentially no change in the Upper Floor where the medical and birthing facilities are that is correct and then there's no change in the footprint of the building it's just repurposing the lower area to provide this ancillary service also correct okay great all right I have no further questions of uh Mr Buckman at this time are there any board members that would like to question Mr buckton yes Mr chairman what is the space currently being used as now for just it's all big open it's not finished and it it's storage yeah any other board members with questions I mean this is a birthing center sorry that's all right that's right it's a birthing center so it's [Music] 247 do you anticipate or have you anticipated any issues um when there's a birth or something is going on you know Mother Nature has its way of interfering with what we plan on doing um where there's classes you got a full class downstairs and you got a full you know center operation Affair you anticipate any issues with um with OCC occupancy in the building being it's a good question but no uh this the staff upstairs is is separate there are some as I understand who might be doing training but that's why they do it when they're not open upstairs and as far as birth as we see tonight you never know when it's going to be it's different it's it's it's different staff yeah we did discuss and again Dr pton would have been here to explain in more detail but yeah we did talk about that in our preparation meetings and our actually our planner will touch on a little more but yeah generally the the training facility in the lower unit will not be will not conflict with the hours of the medical but again if someone needs to come in for a birth Dr pimperton and Kony explained to us that that's a very limited amount of people the whole top isn't open you might have you know the the nurse the doctor and perhaps the mother and father and that's generally up there uh and and the the lower unit isn't uh you know it's it's classes so even if there is that usually people would come in in one vehicle if it's say you know a couple that would come for training so it's a great qu we were thinking of that question personal experience with this s okay uh although I guess it is because they do have evening uh hours on Wednesday night and this is a Wednesday that may be but I I don't I know my kids uh when they were born they we didn't they we didn't pick their time they picked it I think the baby tonight knew they were open on Wednesday nights that's right because it's a C-section the C evening thank you thank you any other board members he none are there any members of the public that would like to question Mr Buckman's testimony hear none counc yes i' now like to call upon our professional planner Mr Nicholas graviano good evening Mr graviano can I ask you to swear or affirm that the testimony you provide this evening is the truth and the whole truth I do and for the record State spell your name with your affiliation yes my first name is Nicholas last name graviano g r a v is inv Victor i o I'm a planner and partner with graviano and Gillis Architects and planners with a business address of 101 Crawford's Corner Road in Hell New Jersey great and Mr gra you know even though I reckon back to when George Petco always enjoyed when you gave all your degrees but Mr graviano has appeared many times before this board uh the board will accept his credentials thank you chairman and Mr graviano obviously this is a unique piece of property being on Route 22 and being in the residential Z Zone yet being a commercial operation for many years if you could please provide the planning justification for the relief being sought all right I hope I make it through this testimony I think my grandma's that can control the thermostat here it's a little toasty but uh yes so I would just like to touch on one thing uh to just uh answer some of Mr mcneel's questions uh the the birthing classes only have four people in them at a time they're are by appointment only um there would be a midwife uh one of the nurses employed by the facility and and the the couple that's uh giving birth so um it's a very modest operation by appointment only so it's not like it's a large class op operation it's very modest in size um that uh as was stated previously is outside of normal business hours um so the applicant is before the board this evening requesting expansion of the pre previously approved D1 use variants for the medical use at this facility it relates to a piece of property at block 2911 Lot 1 um I actually was the planner for this application back in 2017 I can't believe times moved on that that quickly but um this is a very rational and and modest expansion to the existing medical facility it's certainly a better use of space than the storage that was previously in the basement this will go a long way towards educating parents and and educating expecting mothers on uh the duties of of child care and the ins and outs of child care so it's certainly uh is an activity that promotes the public health safety morals and Welfare and as we look at the expansion of the non-conforming use that's one of the key elements that the applicant must demonstrate um as this board knows and the planning board knows you know we have self storage facilities for a reason so taking a storage out of this basement making it a productive use that ties into the use upstairs certainly is of great benefit to the community um as Mr Bachi indicated there were numerous variances granted in the 2017 application uh the applicant ceased to continue forth all of those previously uh granted variances except for the ones that were newly created that I'm going to touch on in my testimony um those variants are listed in section 1.1 to 1.15 of the October 29th 2024 Colliers letter uh so firstly the applicant is requesting the expansion of non-conforming use since that was granted by a D1 use variance the applicant's request again uh must meet the D1 variance proofs uh so the applicant must demonstrate the positive criteria as well as demonstrate that there'll be no substantial impairment to the Zone plan or zoning ordinance that's the negative criteria uh looking at the positive criteria uh this site is certainly particularly suited for the proposed use it exists today uh this is certainly an accessory activity uh of the existing commercial use um that will go hand inand with the business that exists today um as we stated in 2017 this is an appropriate location Mr botch touched on this in his intro uh This Is A Highway location that's a rational location for a non-residential use uh this certainly advances purpose a the municipal land use law promotion of public health safety morals and general welfare the use in its own right does that I I touched on that previously it also advances purpose G to provide sufficient space and appropriate location for a variety of commercial uses to meet the needs of New Jersey citizens and then lastly it also advances purpose I a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques and good Civic design and arrangement I certainly think it's good Civic design arrangement to get a more productive use out of that basement square footage um there's certainly no substantial impairment to the Zone plan or zoning ordinance with the modest requests for expansion that the applicant's requesting this evening uh moving on to the C variances the applicant requires a c variance for the maximum sign area whereas 50 square feet is permitted 97 square feet is proposed which is 8 square feet more than which was previously uh granted in the 2017 approval um the applicant is also requesting uh variants for the uh MA minimum distance from the property line as well as another variance for the sign area um you know I've been by this site you know dozens of times it is a site that creeps up on you so I think you know increased signage uh that's a little bit more visible certainly um goes towards promoting Public Safety advancing purpose a of the purposes of zoning of the municipal land use law can certainly be granted uh under the C2 criteria whereas hardship need not be demonstrated then lastly the applicant is requesting relief for the off street parking as Mr Bachi indicated the the township standards have decreased um when you do the calculation 39 off street parking space are required uh 37 are provided so that's only a two space deficit so there's certainly not a substantial impairment to the Zone plan with the reduced parking requirement that variance could also be granted under the C2 criteria than thank you very much Mr graviano um I have no further questions of Mr graviano at this time are there any board members that would like to question Mr graviano testimony hearing none are there any members of the public that would like to question Mr graviano testimony hearing none are there any members of the public that would like to comment on this application hearing none Mr ha would you like to make a closing remark yes uh and again sorry that uh Dr pfor couldn't be here but again duty calls so I think yeah this is a great as our Witnesses have indicated great repurposing of uh this lower uh portion of the building it goes hand inand with what occurs up top doesn't uh cause any conflicts with the uh medical up above and the educational below different times of operation as we said the act the parking requirements have actually our deficiency has decreased but there has been no parking issues associated with this facility it's located on 22 it's been in commercial use for many years if we talk about the sign it certainly is dwarfed by the large billboard that's one one lot over so I think and are willing to work with the fire department uh addressing their concerns so all those reasons Mr chairman and board members we respectfully request that the relief be granted so thank you again for your time and coming out uh during the holiday season on such a beautiful but hot night thank you Mr hail at this time we can conference this Mr Wy would you like to begin uh yes Mr chairman um I think you know this this is a good use for this basement of this building and the positive criteria outweighs the negative and I also feel that the parking with just uh short two spaces is not really a big impairment as well and I think it's appropriate location I'm going vote Yes Miss Scott um yes I thought it was very interesting application uh interesting concept U I was over here asking my colleague a lot of questions about how this works but I I think it's something real productive for community and I will also be Mr mcneel I I would agree uh with the statement that was made that this is um a rational expansion of an existing nonconformance and having a personal um interest in in this facility uh I too will plan to vote Yes M Martin thank you Mr chairman um the Varian the variances have been well Justified the training center is definitely well suited for the space um so I see this as a positive I will be voting this Miss rickets was she here no she's the alternate tonight so she won't be voting but she did leave the day okay sure Mr McNeil you would like to comment yeah I just want to clarify I have no um fin financial interest um in this facility my daughter uh used the facility some time ago for one of my grandchildren just want the record to reflect I thought about those words res no no issues there Mr Graves I feel it's a positive application there's no change in footprint of the building I'm supportive of the application Mr Johnson yes Mr chairman I think the application was presented I see no negative issues and I will also be voting yes and Mr Ben vegna thank you Mr chairman uh based on a testimony this evening I feel the variance was justified and the property is well suited uh for the proposed use so I'll be voting yes myself and as for myself I feel the uh building is well suited to support the proposed use of the basement uh for the child birth education courses and will benefit the public uh I also see no problem with the digital sign modifications uh I believe the witnesses did a great job uh it was a positive application I to will be voting yes for this application at this time may I have a motion and a second to Grant the application Mr chairman I move that the board Grant the variance applicable to this application and that council is directed to prepare a resolution consistent with the board's decision roll call Mr Wy yes M Martins yes brothera yes M Scott yes Mr Johnson yes Mr mcneel yes Mr Champion yes thank you so much and Rob January 15 2025 it's the first meeting after the reor 15th you said 15th great first first available meeting after the reor Mr chairman there being no business coming before the board I will beour all in favor opposed so moved thank you all again have a safe and happy holiday