Board of Adjustment/Zoning Board

FORT LEE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT May 27, 2025 Present: H. Liapes, J. Nitti, D. Conway, H. Joh, S, Tropea, L. Pacheco, J. Luppino, D. Sugarman Absent: E. Hong Present: Suzanne Cevasco, Esq., D. Juzmeski, Neglia Eng. Chairman Sugarman called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. NOTICE OF MEETING: The Chairman states: Let the minutes reflect that adequate notice of this meeting has been provided in the following manner: All members of this Body have been advised in writing at least 48 hours prior to this meeting of the time, place, and proposed Agenda of this meeting. A written notice of the time, place, and proposed Agenda was posted on the bulletin board of Municipal Building, 309 Main Street, Fort Lee, New Jersey. On the same date, a copy of said written notice was mailed to the Record, Jersey Journal, Time Warner Cable and Fort Lee Online. A copy was filed with the Borough Clerk and, on the same date, copies were mailed to all persons who have requested copies of such notices and have prepaid the fee fixed for the year 2024. Approval of Minutes It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Joh and passed on a vote of 4-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Joh and Sugarman to approve the minutes of the meeting of May 13, 2025. Memorializations Docket #2-25, Moore Builders, LLC, 193 Moore Street & 2453 Second Street, Block 7052, Lots 10 & 11, Minor Subdivision & Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan – Three Unit Dwelling & Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Pacheco and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Joh, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant Minor Subdivision & Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan approval. Docket #7-25, Splash Bros NJ, LLC, 7 Hazlitt Avenue, Block 3555, Lot 8, Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Liapes and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Joh, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to Construct a Two Unit Dwelling. Page 2-ZBA Minutes-May 27, 2025 Docket #8-25, 1180 14th, LLC, 1180 Fourteenth Street, Block 1054, Lot 5, Amendment to Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Conway and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Joh, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to Amend a Two Unit Dwelling. Docket #9-25, Elizabeth Builders, LLC, 441 Elizabeth Street, Block 4052, Lot 10, Amendment to Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Joh, seconded by Mr. Pacheco and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Joh, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to Amend a Two Unit Dwelling. Docket #10-25, Tremont Avenue, LLC, 1060 Anderson Avenue, Block 358, Lot 5, Amendment to Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Joh, seconded by Mr. Conway and passed on a vote of 6-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Joh, Pacheco, Luppino and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to Amend a Two Unit Dwelling. Docket #12-45, Victoria M. Jung, 1431 Fourteenth Street, Block 2854, Lot 5, Two Unit Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Joh, seconded by Mr. Liapes and passed on a vote of 4-0 by members Liapes. Conway, Joh and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to Construct a Two Unit Dwelling. Docket #14-25, Oleri Builders, LLC, 231 Tremont Avenue, Block 2556, Lot 1, Single Family Dwelling It was moved by Mr. Conway, seconded by Mr. Joh and passed on a vote of 4-0 by members Liapes, Conway, Joh and Sugarman to grant the applicant approval to Construct a Single Family Dwelling. Reconsideration Docket #16-24, Byung Moon Choi & Ok Gyu Choi, 417 Catherine Street, Block 4055, Lot 11, Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan – Three Unit Dwelling Mr. Daniel Lee, Esquire, representing the applicant, stated the applicants have lived in this home for more than 30 years and they’d like to reconstruct. The two other units will be occupied by other family members. They’d like for all the family to live together. They thought the property Page 3-ZBA Minutes-May 27, 2025 was 75’ wide but it’s about 72’ ½” wide and the parking lot from the office next door is on their property. This is about 2 ½ feet. Mr. Mark Martins, Engineer, 55 Walnut Street, Norwood was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. He stated the deeds overlap. The parking lot is on our property. We do not know who the legal owner of the 2 ½ feet is. Mr. Lee has submitted modified plans to the Board. Exhibit A-site plan dated October 11, 2024 Mr. Martins stated the proposal was 62 feet wide by 56 feet deep. The new proposal is 60.5 feet wide by 55 feet deep. This has been reduced. The projections were 2 feet and are now one foot. The deck size has been reduced by 2 feet. The building height was reduced by 6 inches to 35.9’. The FAR is now reduced. The width of the driveway has been reduced. Drainage will be improved. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Mr. Juzmeski asked will you comply with my report dated November 18, 2024? Mr. Martins stated yes. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. Exhibit A1-modified colorized plan from previous submission. Mr. Hojoon Chung, Architect, 21 Grand Avenue, Palisades Park was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Mr. Chung stated I testified on the original application. The attic is now 1 ½ feet shorter. There will be 6 parking spaces, but possibly 10. The rooftop floor is reduced. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Mr. Juzmeski asked on the ground floor will the swing doors still be changed to sliding glass doors? Mr. Chung stated yes. Mr, Juzmeski asked what are the materials to be used on the exterior? Mr. Chung stated stucco, hardy plank and brick. Mr. Conway asked if there are any planting strips in between the driveways? Page 4-ZBA Minutes-May 27, 2025 Mr. Chung stated no. Mr. Liapes asked can you put this in? Mr. Chung stated yes. Mr. Pacheco stated thank you for listening to us, taking our comments into consideration and revising the plans. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. Mark Martins stated all improvements currently on the property will be removed. Sheet 2 – drainage and grading plan – we have a retaining wall on the left side, 3 feet in height. There will be Cultec chambers under each driveway. Utilities will go to the street. Landscaping plan – two trees are to be removed and replaced with three trees. Junipers, azaleas, hostas and arborvitae will be planted. The driveways were reduced in width. There’s not much room to install a planter. We prefer to be able to park two cars in the driveways. There is street parking on the opposite side of the street. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Mr. Luppino asked on the right side, is there room to move the steps over and add a planter? Mr. Liapes stated we always ask for a planting strip in our applications. Mr. Martins stated we can add a planting strip between units B & C. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the public. David Spatz, Planner, 50 Friend Terrace, Harrington Park was sworn in and his credentials accepted by Chairman Sugarman. Exhibit A3-Photo Board of Site & Surrounding Area Top left-subject property Top right-to the right, east Bottom left-to the left, west Bottom right-across the street, 3 family home There are other three family homes in the area on similar size lots. We require a use variance, D variances and bulk variances. The site is well suites for the proposal. It’s one of the larger lots in the area. Drainage improvements are being provided. There are three family homes in the neighborhood, one is across the street. The property can support the larger building. The height Page 5-ZBA Minutes-May 27, 2025 is consistent with the neighborhood. The bulk variances have all been reduced. There’s no loss of street parking. Chairman Sugarman asked for questions from the Board. Chairman Sugarman asked the photo on the bottom right, it’s a three family, where is it in relation to your plan? How much higher or lower is your application? Mr. Spatz stated we are lower in height to one across the street. There’s a two family behind us. Chairman Sugarman asked if any member of the public would like to come up, be sworn and testify on the application? Mr. Lee stated this application stands on it’s own. It was moved by Mr. Joh, seconded by Mr. Liapes and denied on a vote of 3-3 by members Liapes, Joh and Pacheco to approve the applicant Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan approval. Mr. Nitti, Mr. Conway and Mr. Tropea voted to deny the application. Chairman Sugarman was present. The application was denied. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Mr. Liapes, seconded by Mr. Conway to adjourn the meeting at 8:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Linda Garofalo Linda Garofalo Recording Secretary