Plannng Board

City of Trenton Planning Board Public Hearing Thursday, April 10, 2025 City Hall Members in Attendance: Charles Romanow, Chair Diana Walker Caty Dominguez Markus Green Jeff Halpern Patricia Ni’ma-Mohammed Anthony Santora Members Not in Attendance: Randy Baum, Vice Chair Jonathan Conner Joseph Harrison Staff in Attendance: Brian Weakliem, Program Analyst Michael Herbert, Planning Board Attorney Cherry Oakley, Planning Board Secretary PUBLIC HEARING Current Planning Board Membership (as of 4/10/25) Class Term Ending Date Board Member I (Mayor’s Representative) Mayor’s Term Markus Green II (City Employee) 12/31/25 Anthony Santora III (City Council 12/31/25 Joseph Harrison Representative) IV (City Resident) 12/31/26 Patricia Ni’ma- Mohammed IV (City Resident) 12/31/28 Randy Baum IV (City Resident) 12/31/25 Jeff Halpern IV (City Resident) 12/31/27 Caty Dominguez IV (City Resident) 12/31/25 Jonathan Conner IV (City Resident) 12/31/26 Charles Romanow ALTERNATES IV (City Resident) 12/31/25 Diana Walker IV (City Resident) 12/31/26 VACANT 1 The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM by Mr. Romanow. The Open Public Meetings Act was announced and a quorum was verified. Approve meeting minutes of February 27, 2025 Member Aye Nay Ab-stain Motioned Seconded Charles Romanow X Diana Walker X Caty Dominguez X Jeff Halpern X X Patricia Ni’ma-Mohammed X X Anthony Santora X 25-P-1201ES - 1201 E. State-CARRIED Applicant: Deluxe Development, LLC Property Address: 1201 E State St Trenton NJ Block:26801 Lot:2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Project Description: Review of court settlement pursuant to the “Whispering Woods” public hearing process. Mr. Herbert announced that 1201 East State St. will be carried to the May 22, 2025, Public Hearing at 7PM in City Council Chambers, and because of the nature of the application, notice is required to be served again. Case was called at 7:16pm 25-P-576SC-576 S Clinton Ave. Applicant: Edgar Pacheco Property Address: 576 S. Clinton Ave. Block: 15609 Lot(s): 4 Redevelopment Area: Roebling Gateway 2023 Zoning District: Industrial-Mixed Use (I-MU) Landmarks Historic Preservation District: N/A Project Description: Applicant is proposing to construct a 2-story mixed-use building consisting of 2 residential units and a commercial space on the first floor. Mr. Edgar Pacheco introduced himself. The following Applicant’s professional was sworn in: 2 Lawrence Murphy, Engineer The following Board Professionals were sworn in: Joseph Gray, Engineer Aaron Schrager, Traffic Engineer Michelle Taylor, Planner Mr. Murphy presented his credentials, and he was accepted as an expert before this Board. He described the history of the site and the structure on it. He presented Exhibit A1: Site Grading and Lighting Plan and Exhibit A2: Architectural Floor Plans and Proposed Elevations. He described the location of the parking. He described the proximity of the parking for each unit and the walkway that enables access without walking on the grass. The trash enclosure will be expanded to provide adequate storage since there will not be a basement. There will be building-mounted mini-splits for the climate control of the apartments. There will be a restriction provided within the leases that will require the parking spaces to be cleared on certain days in order to facilitate trash pick-up. The lights will be 3000 Kelvin. There will be bicycle parking between the trash enclosure and the building. Because the building is on the property line, the lights will illuminate the sidewalk. A waiver is required for the distance between the alley and the driveways, as well as a variance for the parking setback. He described how the size of the automobile maneuvering space was similar to a typical drive aisle. Hours of operation have not been determined because a tenant has yet to be secured for the retail space. There is no parking on-site except for the residences above. There is also no parking in front of the restaurant, which is not dissimilar to the rest of Trenton. Customers must find parking down the street and walk to patronize the business. There is another business in the vicinity of this business and this is how parking is handled. For landscaping, there will be ground cover in the rear of the property, likely Junipers, where there is not already hardscaping. Venting for the restaurant will be routed through the back of the building, up the side, and to the roof. Signage is anticipated to be window signage. More details will be known once a tenant is secured. If the sidewalk is damaged during construction the Applicant will replace it. The Applicant agreed to comply with the Board Professionals’ comments in their memos. There will not be any seating in the restaurant as it is a take-out restaurant. As there is no place for a loading zone so the Applicant agreed to stripe the area and refresh the No Parking Zone signs that are faded to make sure that delivery drivers know that there is no parking in front of the store for their pick-ups. If the ordinance requires the Applicant to pay an Open Space fee for each dwelling unit they agree to do it. Mr. Romanow asked if there was anyone from the Public who wanted to speak for or against this application. With no answer from the gallery the following vote was set forth: 3  Approve 25-P-576SC-576 S Clinton Ave Member Aye Nay Ab-stain Motioned Seconded Charles Romanow X Diana Walker X Caty Dominguez X X Markus Green X Jeff Halpern X X Patricia Ni’ma-Mohammed X Anthony Santora Mr. Jerome Myers, of the Public, indicated that he and the other members of the Public present were told to return to tonight for the 312 Church Street application. Mr. Herbery advised those present that that application was carried to the April 24, 2025 hearing. Adjourned 8:05PM Respectfully submitted Cherry Oakley, Planning Board Secretary 4