MINUTES
OF THE
CRANBURY TOWNSHIP
PLANNING BOARD
CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
TIME AND PLACE OF MEETING
The regular meeting of the Cranbury Township Planning Board was held at the Cranbury Town Hall Municipal Building, Old School Building, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, New Jersey, Middlesex County, on October 6, 2005 at 7:30 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
Thomas Harvey, Chairperson, of the Cranbury Township Planning Board, called the meeting to order and acted as the Chairman thereof.
STATEMENT OF ADEQUATE NOTICE
Pursuant with the Sunshine Law adequate notice according to the open public meeting act was provided of this meeting’s date, time, place and agenda was mailed to the news media, posted on the Township bulletin board, mailed to those requesting personal notice, and filed with the municipal clerk.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Mr. Kehrt, Mr. Speer, Mr. Stannard, Mr. Stout, Ms. Weidner, Mr. Harvey
PROFESSIONALS PRESENT
Ms. Carolyn Cummings, Court Reporter; Josette C. Kratz, Administrative Officer/Planning Secretary; Cathleen Marcelli, Township Engineer, Joseph Stonaker, Esquire, Planning Board Attorney; Richard Preiss, Township Planner
MINUTES
July 2005
Mr. Stannard moved that the board accept the minutes with the corrections previously suggested. Mr. Speer seconded with a correct. On the second roll call of vote of July 21, 2004 he was not listed as voted and it showed he motioned so he would have voted yes.
Minutes Approved
August 4, 2005
Mr. Speer motioned for the approval of the minutes. Mr. Stannard seconded the motion.
Minutes approved.
RESOLUTIONS
PB 375-99 KHOV
Block 20.07, Lot 1
Block 20, Lot 10.01
Old Trenton Road
Soil Removal
Mr. Speer moved that the resolution be approved as submitted. Mr. Stannard seconded the motion.
Ms. Weidner pointed out that there was a problem with the numbering.
VOTE ROLL CALL
AYES: Mr. Speer, Mr. Stannard, Ms. Weidner, and Mr. Harvey
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: Mr. Kehrt, Mr. Stout
ABSENT: Mr. Dreyling, Mr. Golubieski
MOTION CARRIED
ORDINANCE REVIEWS
Ordinance 08-05-22 An Ordinance of the Township of Cranbury Amending Chapter 150 of the Land Development Ordinance to add new sections 150-110, et seq., Entitled “Required Growth Share Affordable Housing Obligation”
Mr. Preiss explained that they were two of the recognized ways in which a municipality may make its affordable housing obligation per the growth share. One would be to take an existing unit and undertake gut rehabilitation. That means more the a cosmetic rehabilitation and then have that unit preoccupied by a family that qualifies as either low or moderate income housing with the affordability controls in place. The buy down/right down was where the municipality would purchase existing units and either resell them or rent them to people who are qualified as low and moderate income and therefore get credit as well.
Mr. Preiss said that the differentiation is that if the Township designated a particular property for affordable housing then as part of the designations the zoning would take into consideration what the appropriate density. In this situation, asking the developer to meet his obligation that was created by that development the assumptions was that there would not be an increase in density or intensity in terms of floor area to accommodate those obligations. If the maximum floor area ration was 20% and there was an obligation to building units and the determination was that the developer should build them on site, part of the 20% would be the FAR that would be taken up by that affordable housing. It would not be able to do 20% office and in addition build four additional units.
Mr. Speer asked if he was interpreting density as either FAR or units per acre.
Mr. Preiss said that it would the “either or”. On a particular property the maximum number of units would be 18 that would throw off an obligation to build two additional units. In that situation the ordinance would be say they could built 18 units but two of them would have to be affordable. Not 18 plus 2 additional units. The growth share ordinance is really to capture growth beyond what Cranbury plans to do itself to meet its affordable housing obligations. If there was a development that was not anticipated by the community and that was approved the understanding would be that they created the additional obligation they would be responsible to provide the affordable housing or taking advantage of one of the programs. If the decision of the Township community was that those units should be included on the property than there would be no increase in density over what was permitted under the zoning or no increase over FAR over what is permitted. The affordable housing units would have to be provided within those parameters.
There Cranbury Township has the options for considering raising the density. It was only in the situation where the developer creates an obligations by venture of their development and wherein the Township we want you to build it onsite. There are these other options were it maybe transferred, in payment in lieu, buy existing units or so forth.
There were no public comments raised.
Mr. Kehrt moved to make a recommend that the Township adopt this ordinance. Ms. Weidner seconded the motion.
VOTE ROLL CALL
AYES: Mr. Kehrt, Mr. Speer, Mr. Stannard, Mr. Stout, Ms. Weidner, Mr. Harvey
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Mr. Dreyling, Mr. Golubieski
MOTION CARRIED
Ordinance 08-05-23 An Ordinance of the Township of Cranbury Amending Sections 76-24 and 76-25 of Chapter 76, “Development Fees” of the Code.
Mr. Stonaker said that this was the change in fees based on the fair share ordinance.
There were not public comments made.
Mr. Kehrt moved to make a recommend that the Township adopt this ordinance. Ms. Weidner seconded the motion.
VOTE ROLL CALL
AYES: Mr. Kehrt, Mr. Speer, Mr. Stannard, Mr. Stout, Ms. Weidner, Mr. Harvey
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Mr. Dreyling, Mr. Golubieski
MOTION CARRIED
APPLICATIONS
PB 091-05 Jen-Dar Realty LLC
Block 2, Lot 10, LI Zone
1246 South River Road
Conceptual Review
REPRESENTATIVES: William Moran, Esquire
David Orron, Esquire
Vincent Piacente
Lorle Totten, Crest Engineer
All representatives were under oath.
Mr. Orron explained that the property was located on South River Road in the LI Zone. They would need a bulk variance for lot size. Presently there was 28,300 SF used for office. The proposed office would be a two-story office at the rear of the property. Each unit in the building would have a separate entrance to the outside. To the second floor there would be an exterior walkway to avoid a common entrance. They would need to request a site yard variance. The neighboring properties were fully developed.
Mr. Preiss made a suggestion for 25 ft and a 75 ft setback. He indicated that the site was fairly isolated surrounded by the larger warehousing. The existing building was of a 1970 architectural design and tying that into the new building would be the way to go. Either completely separate or integrate design. He would have to see more of the architectural before giving a full idea. Parking in the front was against what the Township recommended, which was unfortunate thing of having the building in the rear. He would like to see the parking screened as much a possible.
Mr. Feranda asked about the location of the banked parking and was there sufficient access for emergency services only one side accessible. Elevator entrance should have pedestrian protection.
Mr. Kehrt felt there could be blending of design between old and new buildings. He was concerned with removal of large mature trees. He mentioned the boulevard was being used loosely and should be encourage to be made more real.
Ordinance 09-05-24 An Ordinance of the Township of Cranbury Repealing in its entirety Chapter 93 of the Code and Replacing it in part with New Chapter 21 in Part 1 of the Code, entitled “Historic Preservation Commission,” entitled “Historic Preservation.”
Mr. Mark Berkowsky, Cranbury Historical Society, spoke concerning the Ordinance, indicating the Ordinance had been a presentation of the sub-committee formed by the Planning Board. Mr. Berkowsky stated it was felt the Ordinance may be misunderstood and not get the community support, being only a restrictive Ordinance and have a negative response from the community at-large.
The members of the Planning Board discussed various items in the proposed Ordinance; members on the Commission not having to live in the Township, design standards as well as language in the Ordinance.
Discussion would be continued at later date.
ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING
There being no further business, on motion duly made, seconded, and carried, the meeting was thereupon adjourned.
CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARY
I, Undersigned, do hereby certify;
That I am duly elected and acting secretary of the Cranbury Township Planning Board and, that the foregoing minutes of the Planning Board, held on October 6, 2005, consisting of 9 pages, constitute a true and correct copy of the minutes of the said meeting.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name of said Planning Board this February 23, 2006.
Josette C. Kratz, Secretary
/jck