Board of Adjustment/Zoning Board

FORT LEE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT September 28, 2021 Present: H. Liapes, J. Nitti, H. Jo, D. Conway, E. Hong, D. Sugarman Absent: S. Tropea, L. Pacheco Also Present: J. Bonica, Esq., P. Grygiel, Phillips, Preiss, Grygiel, B. Intindola, Neglia Eng. Chairman Sugarman called the meeting to order at 7:32 p.m. NOTICE OF MEETING: Chairman Sugarman stated: Let the minutes reflect that adequate notice of this meeting has been provided in the following manner: On December 8, 2020 this Body, by Resolution, adopted a Schedule of Regular Public Meetings for 2021. The time, date, and location of said schedule was posted on the Bulletin Board at 309 Main Street. A copy of said schedule was mailed to the RECORD, JERSEY JOURNAL, STAR LEDGER, SPECTRUM, posted on the Borough’s Website and was filed with the Borough Clerk. A written notice of the time, place and proposed Agenda was posted on the Bulletin Board at 309 Main Street and mailed to the RECORD, JERSEY JOURNAL, STAR LEDGER, SPECTRUM, posted on the Borough’s Website and was filed with the Borough Clerk. Copies have been mailed to all persons who have prepaid the $35.00 fee fixed for the year 2021 to cover the cost of mailing. Approval of Minutes It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Liapes and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Joh, Conway, Hong and Sugarman to approve the minutes of the meeting of September 14, 2021. Memorializations Docket #21-21, W & R Home Builders, LLC, 1543 Thirteenth Street, Block 3852, Lot 2, Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Joh and approved on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Joh, Conway, Hong and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to construct a Two Unit Dwelling. Page 2-ZBA Minutes- September 28, 2021 Docket #22-21, Stepan Karageozian, 463 Catherine Street, Block 3654, Lot 7, Minor Subdivision – Two (2), Two Unit Dwellings It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Nitti and approved on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Joh, Conway, Hong and Sugarman to grant the applicant Subdivision approval. It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Ms. Hong and approved on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Joh, Conway, Hong and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to construct Two (2) Two Unit Dwellings. Docket #16-19, Sephardic Congregation of Fort Lee, Inc., 313 Tom Hunter Road, Block 3951, Lot 7, Extension of Time – Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan – Expansion of Basement & Second Floor It was moved by Mr. Nitti, seconded by Mr. Liapes and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Joh, Conway, Hong and Sugarman to grant the applicant Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan - Extension of Time approval. Public Hearings Docket #25-21, 452 North Ave., LLC, 452 North Avenue, Block 3753, Lot 8, Two Unit Dwelling Mr. Macri stated we are here this evening seeking approval to demolish an existing one-family split-level home and construct a new three-story two-family dwelling. Christiano Pereira, Architect, 6401 Park Avenue, West New York, NJ was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Pereira stated the site plan is dated June 25, 2021, revision date September 7, 2021. Exhibit A1-Sheets 200 and 201 are colorized. Sheet T101 shows the existing conditions. There is a retaining wall that will remain. We will remove some sections of it. Sheet A100 shows the ground floor, basement – the areas of the wall to be removed were shown. The basements are to include a two-car garage, utility room and a powder room behind the garage. On the outer side of the basement, the applicant is proposing an entry room and stairs to the upper floors at the front, a recreation room and a closet at the rear, and a trash/recycling room that is accessible from each driveway. The first floor will consist of a living room with front bay window, powder room and stairs at the front of the dwelling. The rear of the dwelling is proposed to consist of an open plan dining room/kitchen. A raised deck will be to the side of the right unit from the kitchen via sliding doors. Page 3-ZBA Minutes- September 28, 2021 The second floor is proposed to have a total of three bedrooms. At the front there will be a master bedroom, two walk-in closets and stairs. The ensuite master bathroom, two bedrooms, a shared full bathroom, a linen closet and a laundry closet are proposed at the rear of each dwelling. The third floor consists of an open attic space, including a counter and sink. A terrace is proposed at the outside rear corner of each dwelling. Sheet 200 shows the elevations in color. There will be stucco finish. Sheet 201 shows the rear of the home. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Mr. Nitti asked if the trees will remain. Mr. Pereira stated we will keep one and remove two trees. Mr. Joh asked what is the highest point of the roof? Mr. Pereira stated 38’ 9” to the peak of the roof. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. Matthew Seckler, Engineer & Planner, Stonefield Engineering, 92 Park Avenue, Rutherford, was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Seckler stated Exhibit A2 – site plan – dated September 13, 2021, 10 pages. C3 shows the site plan and the grade change. Mr. Seckler stated an underground drainage system is proposed with a 1,000 gallon tank. A two- car garage is proposed. There will be two driveways. One tree is to remain. Two trees to be removed. There is one tree near the HVAC, we will try to keep it but the roots may be disturbed. Chairman Sugarman stated if you do not replace the trees that you remove, a contribution to the Borough Tree Fund is necessary. This is a condition of approval. This site is next to a two-family home. There are several others in the area that have a similar design. We are seeking a D6 height variance for the pitched roof. A D4 variance is also required for the additional FAR. The site can handle the density. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Mr. Intindola asked if the driveway access is close to the center of the site. Mr. Pereira stated yes. Page 4-ZBA Minutes- September 28, 2021 Chairman Sugarman asked if any member of the public would like to come up, be sworn and testify on the application. It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Conway and approved on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Joh, Conway, Hong and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to construct a Two Unit Dwelling. Docket #23-31, Monica Cisneros, 451 Brinkerhoff Avenue, Block 1054, Lot 18, Two Unit Dwelling Stephen Collazuol, Engineer, 1610 Center Avenue, Fort Lee was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Collazuol stated page 6 is the site survey. There is a two-story dwelling on the property. Sheet 2 – grading and drainage plan – the building is 565 feet long. The garages pitch towards Fourteenth Street. There will be a water retention system. Utilities will come from Fourteenth Street. Sheet 3 - landscaping plan – the applicant is proposing to retain the tree in the Brinkerhoff Avenue right-of-way. There will be six boxwood plants along the side lot line and existing retaining wall in the left unit’s side yard. Two additional boxwood plants are proposed at the east corner of the property surrounding the left unit’s HVAC unit. A plum tree is proposed in the Fourteenth Street yard, located to the left unit’s front walkway. Six boxwood plants are proposed to the right of the right unit adjacent to the building and entry platform. A second plum tree is proposed in the yard to the right of the right unit. We will also add some extra boxwoods and one more plum tree. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. Koe Kim, 449 Brinkerhoff Avenue stated we live behind the property. His Mom is concerned with the height of the home and losing the sunshine. Chairman Sugarman stated the Architect will address this comment. Vassilios Cocoros, Architect, 467 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Cocoros stated this is a corner property. The entrances will be on Fourteenth Street. The entries are on the ground floor. The driveways fit two cars. The plan on the board shows the layout of the rooms. The basement is proposed to consist of a ground level entrance, entry foyer, and stairs to the upper levels. A recreation and powder room are proposed at the rear of each dwelling. There is Page 5-ZBA Minutes- September 28, 2021 access to a paver patio at the sides of each dwelling from the recreation room via sliding doors. The first floor of each unit is proposed to consist of a living room and powder room at the front of the dwelling. A dining room and kitchen will be at the rear of the dwelling. Each kitchen will have direct access to a raised wood deck at the side of each dwelling. The second floor will consist of a hallway and stairs to the other levels and a master bedroom, ensuite master bathroom, and two walk-in closets at the front of the dwelling. At the rear of the dwelling there will be two bedrooms, a laundry closet, linen closet and a shared full bathroom. The attic floor is proposed to be finished with a kitchenette, powder room and two closets. A roof deck is proposed at the rear outside corner of each unit. A total of 10 light fixtures are proposed. In response to Mr. Kim’s comment, Mr. Cocoros stated the sun will be slightly blocked. Mr. Kim questioned the roof terrace. Mr. Cocoros stated the view of the rooftop will face to the front, it’s a small corner area. Mr. Kim asked if there will be windows in the back. Mr. Cocoros stated in the dining room and kitchen. Chairman Sugarman stated Exhibit A1 is Mr. Spatz’ memorandum dated August 9, 2021. Chairman Sugarman asked if any member of the public would like to come up, be sworn and testify on the application. It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Joh and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Joh, Conway, Hong and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to construct a Two Unit Dwelling. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Joh to adjourn the meeting at 8:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Linda Garofalo Linda Garofalo Recording Secretary