PLANNING BOARD MEETING
BOROUGH OF WANAQUE
Regular Meeting
May 21, 2009
Meeting called to order by Vice Chairman Joseph Graceffo
with a salute to the flag.
ROLL CALL:
John Di Meglio William
Rucci
Mayor Dan Mahler David
Slater
Joseph Graceffo Ed
O’Connell
Kevin Platt John
Shutte
PRESENT: Attorney Steven Veltri and Engineer Michael
Cristaldi
ABSENT: Chairman Gilbert Foulon and Member Eugene
Verba
This is a Regular Meeting of the Wanaque Borough Planning
Board and adequate notice has been given and it has been duly advertised by the
placement of a notice in the Trends and the Herald News, mailed on January 16,
2009 and a notice thereof has been posted on the bulletin board in the
Municipal Building in the Borough of Wanaque and a copy thereof has been on
file with the Borough Clerk.
MINUTES:
from the April 16, 2009 Meeting.
MOTION TO APPROVE: made by Member Rucci, seconded by Member
Platt, voting yes were Members Di Meglio, Mayor Mahler, Platt, Rucci, Slater
and Shutte. Members Graceffo and O’Connell abstained.
COMMUNICATIONS
REPORT: No questions asked.
APPLICATIONS
STATUS REPORT:
NEW BUSINESS
APPLICATION: “DTM Productions” (Disc Jockey Entertainment),
Janice Vineis, 41 Blackrock Terrace,
Vice Chairman Graceffo mentioned the comment made by the
Fire Prevention Bureau that sheetrock must be placed over the hot water heater
and Ms. Vineis said that hasn’t been done yet. Ms. Vienis mentioned that she
and her husband are now the owners of the building. Vice Chairman Graceffo mentioned another
comment that the property taxes haven’t been paid on this property and Ms.
Vineis said that should have been taken care of at the time of the closing on
May 8, 2009.
MOTION TO APPROVE
SUBJECT TO THE SHEETROCK BEING INSTALLED OVER THE HOT WATER HEATER AND THE
TAXES BE PAID BEFORE A CO CAN BE ISSUED: made by Member Rucci,
seconded by Member O’Connell, voting yes were Members Di Meglio, Mayor Mahler,
Graceffo, Platt, Rucci, Slater, O’Connell and Shutte.
CONCEPTUAL
DISCUSSION: Cosimo Santoro & Raffaele Santoro, owners of
Architect, Gianni Intili, 1 Hillside Terrace,
Vice Chairman Graceffo asked if Mr. Intili had any
information about the wetlands in back of this area as to what they can
encroach. Vice Chairman Graceffo said the back end of this property is up
against a brook. Mr. Intili said that is correct and they know they have a
certain distance to maintain and their civil engineer looked into it with the
NJ DEP. Vice Chairman Graceffo asked how many parking spaces are they allowing
and Mr. Intili said they’re providing about 63. Mayor Mahler wanted to know how
much fill are they bringing into this property and Mr. Intili said he thinks
they’re taking fill out.
Member Rucci wanted to know if any consideration was given
to Lot 38.01 because there is a very small house on that lot and will be very
close to the proposed structure. Mr. Intili said they’re maintaining a 10 ft.
buffer plus the driveway and trees could be provided between the residential
and commercial area.
Mayor Mahler mentioned the egress to the property with the
two driveways, and wanted to know if they talked to the County about this. Mr.
Intili said no they have not and they were waiting for the Board’s response to
this project. Mayor Mahler told Mr. Intili that one of the issues they will
encounter would be the right turn only on Ringwood Avenue because when the
Dunkin Donuts property was developed they were told no left turn out of the
property and there is a turn lane for the right turn, but where this proposed
site is, the road narrows down and there’s not enough room for a right turn
lane. Therefore, it appears to be right turn in and right turn out. Mayor
Mahler also asked if there’s a storm drain that empties out of that property
and Mr. Intili said that would be maintained by the applicant.
Eng. Cristaldi asked if any variances were needed and Mr.
Intili said none right now and based on the plans, they meet all the Bulk
Requirements.
Atty. Veltri said the Board is concerned about the height of
this building and they should check the height and compare it to the Borough’s
Ordinance because if there’s a height variance involved this Board cannot hear
this application and they would have to go to the Board of Adjustment. Atty. Veltri said the Board couldn’t evaluate
the plan unless they know what the Bulk Requirements are. Atty. Veltri said
that Mr. Intili is saying that this is a two-story building and the Board is
suggesting it may not be and therefore that would be a variance. Mr. Intili is
also stating that this proposed building is
30 ft. in height and that’s
something he needs to look at carefully; Mr. Intili maybe right, but the
Board is pointing it out.
Vice Chairman Graceffo said the two different styles for the building are; one is a contemporary look and the other is a more traditional look. Vice Chairman Graceffo said he would like to see something carried traditionally like the “Town Centre” rather than creating another different scheme of building design and the town is going through a redevelopment and it would be nice to continue with a traditional look.
Mayor Mahler said the stores look to be about 6 ft. below
the road and when riding along
Vice Chairman Graceffo told Mr. Intili, as the plan sits now
as far as conceptual view, if they meet all the present zoning codes, they have
the go ahead to continue the project, but if there’s encroachment on the
wetlands, height restrictions, egress and ingress issues with Ringwood Avenue
from the County, those are all things that are going to come up as they
continue to become involved with the project. Vice Chairman Graceffo added,
that he would like them to maintain the tradition of the downtown area of
Haskell rather than go into another style or landscape of a modern building.
Mayor Mahler asked about the sewers since they would be
below grade and would they have to pump the sewer up. Mr. Santoro said they
have contacted the Sewer Authority and Mr. Intili said his engineer was told
there would be no issues with the sewers.
Mr. Intili thanked the Board and he appreciated all their
comments.
OPEN TO PUBLIC
DISCUSSION: None/Closed
Planners are here to provide the Board with information that
was requested at last month’s meeting and to give the Board an overview
basically of the planning aspects of developing the Master Plan:
Eng. Joe Augustyn from the Alaimo Group came forward along
with Eng. Michael Cristaldi and Ken Albert, P.E., P.P. of K. Albert Associates,
Inc.,
Vice Chairman Graceffo said the purpose of hiring the
planners is to help the Borough with the development of the Master Plan. Eng.
Cristaldi said the reason the planners are here tonight is to discuss the
Master Plan such as property lines that go right through the middle of people’s
properties and that should be adjusted to keep it in one zone, a lot of
Redevelopment Zones and at some point the Master Plan would
be good if they tied all of those together. The planners are here tonight to
explain how much work might be involved in doing the Master Plan and take into
account the Highland Areas and how they might want to zone areas like Mountain
Lakes Estates that is sitting empty.
Eng. Albert said he was told the Borough received a grant
and was asked to work on that grant sometime ago but he couldn’t for a lot of
reasons. Eng. Albert said he believes there is a third planner. Eng. Albert has
been asked to work on the grant that is partially to evaluate the
Member Rucci spoke up and said that Chairman Foulon’s
intention was to have both planners guide the Board in developing the Master
Plan.
Vice Chairman Graceffo asked Eng. Augustyn, from his
perspective in review of the Master Plan, what does he see in terms of the
extensiveness of the Candle Factory property. Eng. Augustyn said he worked on
the Borough’s sound designation back in 1997 through the Alaimo Group and
therefore is familiar with Wanaque. Eng. Augustyn said the Borough is in the
Highlands Preservation Area and the Borough is under their jurisdiction. There
are issues with the Land Use Plan such as zone lines that are not correct. Eng.
Augustyn said they will go and see the Building Inspector and find out what his
issues are and they want to reduce the applications before the Zoning Board and
make rules very clear for the Planning Board.
Atty. Veltri added that the Master Plan was being reexamined
this year and is a six-year reexamination. He thinks what the Board would like
to structure is have the planners review the current Master Plan. Eng.
Cristaldi has given them a thumb-nail sketch of the problems that the Board is
seeing and that along with the Highlands component is where he thinks they need
to start; and then maybe put some scheduling in place where the planners can
come in and give the Board their recommendations and the Board will give them
their ideas and get this thing done by the end of the year which is the goal.
Eng. Augustyn explained that the Borough has this grant and
you want to stretch this grant money as far as you can and will meet the
Eng. Albert said as far as the Land Use Element, in his
opinion, the Board would be remiss if
they didn’t attack it. Eng. Albert said he thinks there are eight redevelopment
areas that really need to be incorporated into the updated Master Plan in a way
that works for the Borough.
Eng. Albert said there are 1300 acres in the planning area
and 4600 acres in the preservation area. Unlike other communities the Borough
is really not in a boxing match with
There are redevelopment areas along
Eng. Cristaldi spoke up and said that the Planners here
tonight are trying to point out to the Board that it is the time when the Board
should address some issues a little bit more than what they’re required to do.
One of the reasons they are here tonight is to talk about the scope of work
they want to do for the Master Plan and how far the Board wants to go with it,
what they want to get out it and what they’re spending because this will carry
along with everyone for the next several years until it’s done again.
Eng. Augustyn added that the funding is really an
authorization to Council and if you have a grant that’s primarily what you want
to use. Eng. Augustyn said the Borough fortunately has an extension for COAH
and it’s something that doesn’t have to be dealt with right now. Eng. Augstyn
said you could be pretty aggressive with that and he does know that Wanaque was
in full compliance under Round II; on Round III Wanaque has an extension.
Taking advantage of what existing housing stock the Borough has relative to
affordable housing, it seems to be a very good approach and there also is
something called Extension Control. Eng. Augustyn said he really doesn’t have a
handle on the Borough’s COAH situation, but that requires Housing Element, part
of the Master Plan and the Fair Share Plan.
Eng. Cristaldi wanted to know if a committee should be put
together or just come back to the Board and have a couple of people to discuss
this with.
Vice Chairman Graceffo said he thinks the first thing the
Board should do is talk to the Mayor and Administrator and see what the town
budget is and what they have available and then put together a committee to
meet with these Planners that are here tonight.
Vice Chairman Graceffo suggested picking a committee tonight
and the volunteers were; Chairman Foulon automatically (he is invited to attend
any committee meeting), Members William Rucci, Joseph Graceffo and John Di
Meglio.
RESOLUTIONS:
Application #07-08 Robert Barbagallo,
MOTION TO APPROVE:
made by Member Di Meglio, seconded by Member Shutte, voting yes were Members Di
Meglio, Platt, Rucci, Slater and Shutte. Abstaining were Members Graceffo and
O’Connell. Mayor Mahler was out in the hall talking to the Planners.
VOUCHERS:
submitted by Attorney Steven Veltri for Application #07-08 for review of
application and proposed plans, telephone conversations with Borough Engineer
and applicant’s attorney, legal research on jurisdictional issue and review of
revised plans and preparation of resolution for $325.00.
MOTION TO APPROVE: made by Member Slater, seconded by Member
Platt, voting yes were Members Di Meglio, Graceffo, Platt, Rucci, Slater,
O’Connell and Shutte.
MOTION TO GO INTO
CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 9:32 P.M.: made by Member Di Meglio,
seconded by Member Rucci.
MEETING OUT OF
EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 10:19 P.M.: No formal action taken.
MOTION TO ADJOURN
AT 10:20 P.M.: made by Member Shutte and seconded by Member Di
Meglio. Carried by a voice vote.
____________________________
Gerri Marotta
Planning Board Secretary