Board of Adjustment/Zoning Board

FORT LEE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT June 28, 2022 Present: H. Liapes, D. Conway, S. Tropea, J. Luppino, E. Hong, D. Sugarman Absent: J. Nitti, H. Joh, L. Pacheco Also Present: J. Mariniello, Jr., Esq., 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 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. Approval of Minutes It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Tropea, and passed on a vote of 5-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Luppino, Hong and Sugarman to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 14, 2022. Memorializations Docket #14-22, Smile Building 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. Luppino, seconded by Mr. Conway, and approved on a vote of 4-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Luppino, and Sugarman to grant the applicant Amended Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan approval. Page 2-ZBA Minutes-June 28, 2022 Acceptance/Completeness Docket #20-22, JJR Properties, LLC, 2400 Fifth Street, Block 7154, Lot 9, Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Tropea, seconded by Mr. Liapes, and approved on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Tropea, Luppino, Hong and Sugarman to deem the application complete. Mr. Macri will call for a hearing date. Docket #21-22, Ashok & Joanna Lakhiani, 1612 William Street, Block 4053, Lot 1, Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Tropea, and approved on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Tropea, Luppino, Hong and Sugarman to deem the application complete. Mr. Macri will call for a hearing date. Docket #22-22, THR FL, LLC, 204 Tom Hunter Road, Block 3956, Lot 23, Change of Use It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Luppino, and approved on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Tropea, Luppino, Hong and Sugarman to deem the application complete. Ms. Khorozian will call for a hearing date. Public Hearings Docket #32-21, Bhairavi Pandya, 256 Forest Road, Block 1953, Lot 1, Single Family Dwelling (continued from the Public Hearing of April 26, 2022) Chairman Sugarman stated this application is carried to the meeting of July 26, 2022. No further notice is necessary. Time is waived for the Board to act. Docket #19-22, Seung Ryong Lee, 1422 Fourteenth Street, Block 2251, Lot 10, Two Unit Dwelling Chairman Sugarman stated Ms. Hong is recused from this application. Mr. Macri stated this application is for a three story, two-family dwelling. Steven Collazuol, Engineer, 1610 Center Avenue, Fort Lee was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Collazuol stated currently there is a split level two-story dwelling on the property. The new entrance will be on the side of the building. Two driveways are proposed. There will be a drainage system installed in the rear. The landscape plan was shown. Rhododendrons, azaleas, Page 3-ZBA Minutes-June 28, 2022 plum trees and two new trees are to be planted. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Mr. Conway asked if the plum trees would be replacing the mature trees that are there now. Mr. Collazuol stated yes and the applicant will be making a contribution to the Municipal Tree Fund for the trees that are not being replaced. Mr. Intindola asked if the retaining wall will be removed out of the right of way? Mr. Collazuol stated yes. Mr. Intindola asked what will be happening with the rear wall? Mr. Collazuol stated it will remain. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. 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 two family dwelling is proposed. It is the same footprint as the house to the left of us. This will be an all brick structure with some stucco. The dwelling will be three levels. There will be a planting strip in between the two driveways. On the basement floor of each unit, there will be two (2) car garages, recreation room, utility room, powder room and three closets. The first floor has a living room, dining room, kitchen, eating area, family room, powder room and wood deck for each unit. The second floor consists of five bedrooms, two bathrooms, nine closets and a laundry room for each unit. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. David Spatz, Planner, 60 Friend Terrace, Harrington Park was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Exhibit A1 – Photo Board of Site and Surrounding Area Top left-subject property Top right-to the right Bottom left-to the left, north Bottom right-across the street, two-family home Mr. Spatz stated we are in the R3 zone. One D variance for FAR and several C variances are required. The site is well suited for what we are proposing. There is no drainage on site, we are providing drainage. The zone permits two-family homes. There will be parking on site. We Page 4-ZBA Minutes-June 28, 2022 exceed the building coverage by 900 square feet. Additional landscaping and buffers will be provided. The building meets the setbacks but the stairs project into the setback. We are .71 in height above what is permitted. The surrounding area is all similar in height. We are similar in height and setbacks as the surrounding area. I think there is a limited impact on the street. 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. It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Liapes, and passed on a vote of 5-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Tropea, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to construct a Two Unit Dwelling. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Luppino to adjourn the meeting at 7:57 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Linda Garofalo Linda Garofalo Recording Secretary