Board of Adjustment/Zoning Board

FORT LEE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT May 10, 2022 Present: H. Liapes, J. Nitti, D. Conway, S. Tropea, L. Pacheco, J. Luppino, E. Hong, D. Sugarman Absent: H. Joh Also Present: J. Mariniello, Jr., Esq., D. Juzmeski, 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 November 23, 2021 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 2022 to cover the cost of mailing. Chairman Sugarman stated Mr. Luppino will be sitting in as a voting member tonight. Approval of Minutes It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Tropea, and passed on a vote of 5-0 by members Nitti, Conway, Tropea, Hong and Sugarman to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 26, 2022. Memorializations Docket #10-22, Jeongwon Kim, 279 Tremont Avenue, Block 2455, Lot 17, Renovation & Expansion of Single Family It was moved by Mr. Nitti, seconded by Mr. Conway, and approved on a vote of 5-0 by members Nitti, Conway, Tropea, Hong and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval for Renovation & Expansion of a Single Family Dwelling. Page 2-ZBA Minutes-May 10, 2022 Acceptance/Completeness Docket #13-22, Broadwest Corp., 2149 & 2151 Hudson Street, Block 6151, Lots 7 & 8, Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan – 99 Unit, Multi-Family Residential Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Tropea, seconded by Mr. Liapes and approved on a vote of 7-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Conway, Tropea, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to deem the application complete. Mr. Cereste will call for a hearing date. Docket #14-22, Smile Builing, LLC, 1440 Bergen Boulevard, Block 2752, Lot 8, Amended Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan – Expansion of Auto Body Repair Shop It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Conway and approved on a vote of 7-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Conway, Tropea, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to deem the application complete. Mr. Cereste will call for a hearing date. Docket #15-22, 2168 Mackay, LLC, 2168 Mackay Avenue, Block 5951, Lot 11, Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Tropea, seconded by Mr. Liapes and approved on a vote of 7-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Conway, Tropea, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to deem the application complete. Mr. Macri will call for a hearing date. Public Hearing Docket #6-22, THR, LLC, 201 Tom Hunter Road, Block 3956, Lot 23, Minor Site Plan – Signage Linda Khorozian, Esquire stated they are here tonight for a signage application. Kyung Hyun Min, 54 Grand Avenue, Palisade Park was sworn in as a Signage expert. He is the designer and installer of the sign. Mr. Min stated the sign will be a total of 12 square feet. LED channel letters will be used. The height of the letters will be 10 inches tall. The signs will be illuminated from 6:00 AM until 10:00 PM. The new tenant’s sign will be the same dimensions as the Sport Rehab Chiro sign. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Mr. Juzmeski stated the future tenant’s sign needs to be the same size, shape, color and height as the Sport Rehab Chiro sign. They should be back lit. Mr. Min agreed. Page 3-ZBA Minutes-May 10, 2022 Mr. Luppino asked if the rendering is scaled properly? Mr. Min stated no, these are not scaled. Ms. Khorozian stated we are not on the corner, there is a parking lot there. Mr. Conway asked what are the hours of operation for the Rehab Center? Ms. Khorizian stated I don’t know. Mr. Conway asked can we have this sign lit the same hours of operation or off by 10:00 PM? Chairman Sugarman stated this is a condition of approval. Ms. Khorozian agreed. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. 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. Luppino, seconded by Mr. Pacheco, and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Tropea, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant Minor Site Plan approval. Mr. Conway abstained from the application. Docket #12-22, 432 Stillwell, LLC, 432 Stillwell Avenue, Block 2854, Lot 3, Two Unit Dwelling Mark Martins, Engineer, 55 Walnut Street, Norwood was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Martins stated there is currently an existing bi-level structure with an attached garage and a deck on the property. We propose to remove the existing structures on the site and construct a two-unit, duplex style dwelling. Grading plan dated March 25, 2022 – we need to construct some retaining walls on the property. Utility connections are proposed out to the pole on the street. Cultec chambers will be under each driveway. Landscape plan – on the left side and in the center there will be azaleas. On the right side a shade tree will be planted. On each side and in the rear there will be Meyers Yews. The May 6, 2022 Neglia report was reviewed. There are eight trees to be removed and we are planting one. A contribution will be made to the Borough Tree Fund. Additional plantings will be provided in the rear. Page 4-ZBA Minutes-May 10, 2022 Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. Ilana Kempner, 1435 14th Street, Fort Lee asked when construction would start. Mr. Martins stated approximately 6-8 weeks. Vassilios Cocoros, Architect, 467 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Cocoros stated a side by side, three story, two family dwelling is proposed. It will be all brick with decks and patios in the rear. There will be recessed lights over the front door, garage doors and a light above the glass door in the basement and kitchen. Floor plans – the proposed dwelling will have a recreation room, powder room, storage room, utility room, closets and a garage for each unit on the ground floor. The first floor consists of a kitchen, eating area, dining room, powder room, living room and closet for each unit. The second floor has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a laundry room and closet for each unit. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. Ilana Kempner, 1435 14th Street, Fort Lee asked about the color of the brick. Mr. Cocoros stated the house will be light grey brick. David Spatz, Planner, 60 Friend Terrace, Harrington Park was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Photo Board of Site & Surrounding Area Top left-subject property Top right-to the right Bottom left-to the left Bottom right-across the street The R3 zone permits two family homes. The proposed dwelling is consistent with the neighborhood. The lot area is conforming. Drainage improvements are being made. Parking is being provided on site. We meet the site yard setbacks. The rear yard deck projects into the rear yard setback by 1 foot. I believe the positive criteria is met. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. Chairman Sugarman asked if any member of the public would like to come up, be sworn and testify on the application. Page 5-ZBA Minutes-May 10, 2022 Mrs. Kempner, 1435 14th Street stated when the last two family home was built I was told that it was going to be the last two family built on the block. I have just listed my home for sale. I hope you take this into consideration. It was moved by Mr. Tropea, seconded by Mr. Conway, and passed on a vote of 7-0 by members Liapes, Nitti, Conway, Tropea, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to construct a Two Unit Dwelling. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Mr. Pacheco, seconded by Mr. Liapes to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Linda Garofalo Linda Garofalo Recording Secretary