River Edge Land Use Board

BOROUGH OF RIVER EDGE LAND USE BOARD MEETING MINUTES ZOOM MEETING April 14, 2021 Zoom - Meeting called order at 7:30 Chairman Caslin made the required announcement concerning the Executive Orders 103 and 104 Open Public Meetings Act and N.J.A.C. 5-39-1.1 to 1.7: Adequate notice of this meeting has been displayed on both the bulletin board at Borough Hall, and published in the Record and Ridgewood News for the people who are interested in this meeting. The meeting is being recorded electronically through ZOOM. No flag salute. Meetings are held electronically via ZOOM. To join the hearing via smart phone, computer or tablet. log in information and a link to the meeting will also be posted on the Borough web site at https://www.riveredgenj.org/. Members of the public may submit written comments in advance of a meeting, which will be read during the public portion of the meeting. Written public comments submitted prior to the meeting must identify the name and address of the commenter8. No anonymous comments will be accepted. Written comments may be submitted via e-mail with the subject line “Public Comment” to the Municipal Land Use Clerk, Ed Alter at ealter@riveredgenj.org or by mail addressed to: Ed Alter, Municipal Land Use Clerk, Borough of River Edge, 705 Kinderkamack Road, River Edge, NJ 07661. E-mailed comments must be received at least forty eight (48) hours prior to the meeting. Mailed comments must be received by 12:00 p.m. the day before the meeting. If you would like to make a public comment during the meeting, please press the “Raise Hand” button on Zoom or dialing *9 on your telephone keypad to raise your hand. The Board will address you by name or by the last 4 digits of your telephone number. The Board will unmute your microphone. You must state your name and address prior to making a public comment. You may also mute and unmute yourself by pressing the microphone icon on Zoom or dialing *6 on your telephone keypad. Members of the public are permitted to submit written comments prior to the meeting via mail or email which will be read during the public comments period. Roll call: Mayor Papaleo – Here Chairman Chris Caslin- Here James Arakelian – Here Vice Chairman, Dick Mehrman - Here Lou Grasso - Here  Ryan Gibbons - Here Michael Krey – Here Eileen Boland – Here Dario Chinigo – Here Gary Esposito – Here Bruce Feffer - Here ALSO PRESENT: Marina Stinley, Esq., Mr. Behrens, Robert Costa · · Approval of Minutes – 3/24/21 – (Correction needed to be made as follows: The minutes showed Chairman Caslin running the meeting but it was Mr. Mehrman who ran the meeting). Motion – Mr. Gibbons; Second Councilman Chinigo – - Minutes approved · Memorializations David Porter 293 Berkeley Road, Block 906, Lot 14. Motion to approve. So made – Mr. Krey; Second Mr. Grasso. Roll Call – Mayor Papaleo, yes; (Chairman Caslin was absent at last meeting ineligible to vote on any of the memorializations); Ms. Boland, yes; Mr. Mehrman, yes; Mr. Grasso, yes; Mr. Krey, yes; Mr. Arakelian, yes; Councilman Chinigo, yes; Mr. Gibbons, yes and Mr. Esposito, yes. Motion passes. Mark Dolaghan 608 Fifth Avenue, Block 508, Lot 28. Motion to approve. So moved – Mr. Gibbons; Second – Mr. Esposito. Roll Call – Mayor Papaleo, yes; (Chairman Caslin was absent at last meeting ineligible to vote on any of the memorializations); Ms. Boland, yes; Mr. Mehrman, yes; Mr. Grasso, yes; Mr. Krey, yes; Mr. Arakelian, yes; Councilman Chinigo, yes; Mr. Gibbons, yes and Mr. Esposito, yes. Motion passes. Mr. and Mrs. Kirimca, 120 Davis Drive, Block 1202, Lot 2. Motion to approve. So moved – Mr. Mehrman; Second – Mr. Arakelian (Mr. Feffer has just joined the meeting) Roll Call – Mayor Papaleo, yes; (Chairman Caslin was absent at last meeting ineligible to vote on any of the memorializations); Ms. Boland, yes; Mr. Mehrman, yes; Mr. Grasso, yes; Mr. Krey, yes; Mr. Arakelian, yes; Councilman Chinigo, yes; Mr. Gibbons, yes; Mr. Esposito, yes. and Mr. Feffer, yes. Motion passes. Page 2 · Completeness Review Jack Auserian, 282 Oak Avenue, Block 1206, Block 4. Addition to the existing one story dwelling as well as a rear deck addition. Proofs were submitted and are sufficient and the application can proceed to be heard by the Board. Motion for completeness - So made – Mr. Gibbons; Second – Councilman Chinigo. Roll Call – Mayor Papaleo, yes; Chairman Caslin, ; Ms. Boland, yes; Mr. Mehrman, yes; Mr. Grasso, yes; Mr. Krey, yes; Mr. Arakelian, yes; Councilman Chinigo, yes; Mr. Gibbons, yes, Mr. Esposito, yes. and Mr. Feffer, yes. Application is deemed complete. Dominick and Francine Munofo, 332 Van Saun Drive, Block 1107, Lot 36, Development of additions to existing dwelling of associated site improvements, rear yard setbacks and front porch encroachments in the front yard, seeking variance relief. Proofs were submitted and are sufficient and the application can proceed to be heard by the Board. Motion for completeness - So made – Mr. Mehrman; Second – Mr. Krey. Roll Call – Mayor Papaleo, yes; Chairman Caslin, ; Ms. Boland, yes; Mr. Mehrman, yes; Mr. Grasso, yes; Mr. Krey, yes; Mr. Arakelian, yes; Councilman Chinigo, yes; Mr. Gibbons, yes; Mr. Esposito, yes, and Mr. Feffer, yes. Application is deemed complete. · New Business · Jack Auserian, 282 Oak Avenue, Block 1206, Block 4. Addition to the existing one story dwelling as well as a rear deck addition. Seeking lot coverage variance. The applicant and the architect are sworn in. The architect is Pierre Gabucci, Axis Architectural Group, 16 Highwood Avenue, Englewood, NJ. The dwelling is a one story ranch . The applicants requested the architect to redesign a master bedroom. The house had already exceeded the coverage that was allowed, both for the building and the improved coverage. The addition will be tucked into the back corner and stayed within the setback Page 3 requirements on the back of the house. The applicant is seeking three variances. One is for building coverage; the second is lot improvement and the third is a front setback issue. The architect feels that this renovation is not detrimental to the neighbors as it is tucked in the back. They have maintained the side yard setbacks and even the front porch is kept to a very small one story canopy addition. The architect does not feel that this is detrimental to the street or the town ordinance or impairs the intent of the municipal code. Mr. Behrens requests clarification as to the variances being requested. The first variance is for building coverage. They are allowed 25% and the applicant is asking for relief to go to 34.6% . The second variance is for the improved lot coverage. The requirement is 35% and the applicant is requesting relief to go to 43.4% and the third variance is for the front setback. Required is 30 feet and the applicant is looking to be at 24 ½ feet. The applicants would comply with any storm water issues if necessary. Public benefits would be the minor aesthetic change to the front of the house, the front porch canopy adds a little to the facade. Questions are opened to to Board. Ms. Boland believes the lot coverage is excessive the lot in not undersized and larger then most lots in River Edge and she feels 43.4% is a bit too high. Mr. Krey agreed with Ms. Boland as to the lot coverage being excessive. He wanted to know if squaring off the bedroom with the existing line of the house loosing 2 1.2 feet if the width of the bedroom would be something the applicant would consider to mitigate the level of the variance they are requesting. The architect points out that by doing that it would bring them to 42.6% from 43.4%, dropping to to 0.8% something he feels the applicant would consider. Mr. Krey's second question regarding the existing landscaped between the breakfast room and new master bedroom, there is an open area there and that appears will remain open. The architect explains that they are trying to get some windows in the existing kitchen and bathroom. Mr. Krey suggest moving the entire master bedroom and slide it into that space, the applicant will delete the requirement for extending the patio, bringing the bedroom right up to the patio and the applicant would be moving it in and keeping it in line with right side of the existing exterior wall. The architect suggests reducing the deck to something more minimal, saving about 400 square feet. Overall the entire Board had an issue with the lot coverage being excessive. They would like 40% in keeping with the expectations of the Master Plan and the ordinances that are currently in place. The Mayor points out that the maximum building coverage site is 38.4% over maximum bringing it to 138.4% in total, the maximum improved lot coverage is 24% over maximum improved lot coverage. The architect suggest getting rid of a shed and portion of the deck bringing it down to just shy of 40%. It would be 3,800 square feet instead of 4,129 and it would decrease the building coverage as well by the same proportions going from 34.6 down to 31both equivalent to the coverage. Councilman Chinigo questioned removing the shed. He asks the applicant if he was aware that the lot was over maximum improved lot coverage and the maximum building coverage when the purchased the home. Applicants response was no because they had work done prior to the home and there were no issues. Councilman Chinigo agrees with Mr. Krey's solution to simply slide the entire area over. Mr. Mehrman suggests adjusting the size of the deck. The applicant will pull the request for approval tonight and resubmit for the next meeting. No renotice is necessary. Motion to carry application to Page 4 May 12, 2021 – So made- Mehrman; Second – Mr. Krey. The application for Jack Auserian, 282 Oak Avenue, Block 1206, Block 4, will be carried and heard at the May 12, 2021 meeting. · Dominick and Francine Munofo, 332 Van Saun Drive, Block 1107, Lot 36, Development of additions to existing dwelling of associated site improvements, rear yard setbacks and front porch encroachments in the front yard, seeking variance relief. Charles Sarlo, Esq. Appearing on behalf of applicants. Applicants are sworn in. Mr. Sarlo gives an overview of the application. This is an expansion of a single family home. Interior renovations as well as exterior renovations. Intent is to improve the front facade as well as adding a second floor and going out the rear to provide more living space. There is a front yard setback requiring variance relief. The requirement is 30 feet, The applicant is requesting a variance where the new front yard setback would be 27.9 feet. Also a rear yard setback 22.2 feet exits and the C requirement is 25 feet and the applicants are proposing an 18.1 foot setback. Those are the two T variances being requested. The other is a design variance – the height of the covered porch not permitted to exceed the first floor in height of the roof line. Architects are Matthew Evans, architect/planner and Philip Finnamore, Evans Architects. Existing square footage of the home is 1, 048. The proposed home would have a very small increase to the existing first floor of about 212 square feet of living space. It would add an additional 52 square feet to the existing garage and it would add a second floor addition of 1,045. When complete the house would be 2,305 square feet. The engineer is sworn in. Kiersten Osterkorn. They are proposing a seepage pit to take the entire roof water system. She does not find any impairment to the zone plan. Ms. Osterkorn believes the benefits outweigh any detriments and that the proposed development is a great improvement to the site. Mr. Behrens – He acknowledges that this is a corner lot and in this particular neighborhood there are very few corner lots that have compliant rear yard setbacks and this is one of those cases. The house is at the compliant 30 foot compliant front yard setback and has a pre-existing non-conforming rear yard setback of 22 feet where 25 feet is required. The variance relief being sought the minimum front yard setback which measures 27.9 feet to the front bay window where 30 feet is required, the portico has a compliant setback but is over by about 5 square feet above the maximum 35 square foot threshold, the rear yard setback is going to be decreased to 18 feet where there is a pre-existing non-conforming setback of 22 feet where 25 feet is required and the fourth variance is for the front porch which exceeds the first story in height. Mr. Costa addresses water issues the Borough has had on that block so he suggests to applicants to keep that in mind as yo the expansion of the house in that area. Motion to open to the public – So made, Mr. Krey; Second – Mr. Gibbons. Motion to close to the public – So made, Mr. Gibbons; Second – Councilman Chinigo. Motion on the application – Mr. Mehrman makes a motion that the Land Use Board regarding the application for 332 Van Saun Drive, Block 1107, Lot 36, that the requested variances be approved with the understanding that Mr. Costa will review seepage pits and any soil movement requirements when the package is submitted for the building permit. Second, Councilman Chinigo. Page 5  Roll Call – Mayor Papaleo, yes; Chairman Caslin ; Ms. Boland, yes; Mr. Mehrman, yes; Mr. Grasso, yes; Mr. Krey, yes; Mr. Arakelian, yes; Councilman Chinigo, yes; Mr. Gibbons, yes; Mr. Esposito, yes, and Mr. Feffer, yes. Motion passes. The Board acknowledges a email received from Mark Dolaghan whose Resolution was approved this evening complementing Mr. Alter for his organizational skills and keeping things moving smoothly and was very appreciative he is of Mr. Alter's efforts. Motion to adjourn - So made – Mr. Gibbons; Second – Mr. Mehrman. Meeting adjourned. Page 6 -7 -