Planning Board - Regular Meeting

All right. Good evening, Springfield. Welcome to February 9th. Sunshine to the flag of the United States of America to the stands nationy and justice for all. Mayor Harris Lawer

present. Deputy Mayor Alex Kaiser. Mr. David Barnett. Former mayor Mr. David Barnett here. Mr. Richard Cedarquist here. Miss Julie Tomo here. Mr. Scottish here, Mr. Here, Kevin, vice chair Ler here, and chairman Jeff Tiger here.

Okay, good news. Everybody's here except uh for the record, Alex will be here shortly. So, if he's close, we will delay the application a few moments. Okay, so uh we have meeting minutes from December 2025. Can I entertain? Everyone had an opportunity to read them on the Google Drive. Any questions or concerns? Seeing none, can I have a motion to adopt the 2025 December meeting minutes? Chairman, I'd like to make a motion to adopt the December 2025. Well, no, we're going to separate that because of different only because of the uh December 2025. Can I anyone second?

Any opposed? We have a Can we all in favor? I I Anyone opposed? Okay, good. Motion passes. Let's do it for the January 2026 meeting minutes. Uh this way everyone could uh vote. Mr. Chairman, I move to approve the January 26th January 2026 planning board minutes. Any any second?

Any all anyone against? All in favor? I. Anyone opposed? Okay, passes. Perfect. All right. So, we have a resolution for all of our professionals for 2026. It outlines them of their terms and duties and responsibilities. That was on the Google Drive. Anyone have a chance to review it? Any questions or concerns? None. Any questions or concerns? I think Mr. K wants to make a motion. You want a second? Can we have a roll call? Mr. Mayor Ler. Yes. Yes.

Sorry. Vice Chair Aaron. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. So, we have an application.

Okay. Um, so let's do uh some housekeeping. Um, things first off for our next meeting is March 9th. Walking in so I don't have to stall much. Okay. Our next meeting is March 9th. Um Mr. Disco, do you want to give us a quick minute a minute or two update on some of the projects like uh completed? We had um the ugly dumpling which just got approved. Does any site work and completed gomes? Just under a minute. What's what's pressing?

Um so bottle king is open. Uh they've been open for a couple of months now. Uh they did, as you recall, the entire front parking lot was repaved and they did landscaping and they dressed up the sign. Um the Gomes project is uh creeping towards completion. Uh really haven't had much activity while the snow's been on the ground. Ugly Dumpling or U Dumpling was approved by this board. filed for building permits and they've submitted sign applications. One of the resolution conditions was signs conforming to the ordinance and they've done that. Great.

Any any other particular ones you No, I think I think that was that was good. Okay. So, um let the record reflect that uh Deputy Mayor Kaiser just joined. He's in the other room. He's walking over. So, let's do the first applications which is Ridge Apartments LLC doing business as Gateway Manor. And that's going to be the new name. And we're going to be calling it Gateway Manor going forward. Correct. Correct. This is 10.2025S which is 597 Mars Avenue block 505 lot one. This is for preliminary and final site plan bulk variance residential development. So councelor I we have I have three witnesses engineer engineer uh architect and we'll we'll go with the uh traffic experts. We'll have three witnesses tonight. Correct. Correct.

Floor is yours. Let's

All right. Uh chair, thank you for your time. Uh this is the application of um first of all uh Joseph Wel friend Wzel 975 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, New Jersey on behalf of the applicant. Uh Ridge Apartments doing uh business as Gateway Manor. Everything will be uh signed and indicated as Gateway Manor for everybody's information. It's for a property at 597 Morris Avenue at uh literally and figuratively the gateway to Springfield uh on the border with Milurn A. As the chairman indicated, I have three witnesses tonight. I have our engineer Michael Lanzafama uh who I'm going to bring up at this point, chair, and uh start the presentation. So, Mike, and we'll get him uh sworn in and qualified. Don't know who he is. Uh, do you swear affirm that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?

I do. My name is Michael Lanza. That's L Z F A M A. I'm a licensed professional engineer, land surveyor and planner, licensed in the state of New Jersey. I'm a principal with the firm of Casey and Keller Incorporated, 258 Main Street, Milbour, New Jersey. All my licenses are current and I've testified before this board on numerous applications in all three capacities. Great. I don't see any anyone have an issue with making him an expert witness.

Okay. Go. Go ahead. Thank you. Um, as Mr. Wel pointed out, the property in question is, uh, block 505, lot one, 597 Morris Avenue, uh, here in Springfield. It's on the southeast corner of the intersection of Baltishrol Way and Morris Avenue. It's the former site of the Scotty's Restaurant, Bar, Comedy Club, whatever you'd like, building is now gone. Um, and the proposal now is to redevelop the property with um inclusionary housing for senior citizens age 55 and older. Uh the property itself is approximately.83 83 acres in size, which is consistent with the requirements of the uh redevelopment zone. The 597 Marvis Avenue redevelopment area is the zoning criteria and the metrics that were used to determine whether or not the application is consistent with the zoning plan of the township of Springfield. Um all of the bulk standards as to the lot size, lot width, lot depth, um are all compliant with the zoning. Um the property itself would be redeveloped. So, let me see if I have my little a minute ago.

Are you moving in 55? I I might be. I might be. So, what what I have on the easel to my left um is a colorized version of the site plan sheet which has been amended. And I'd like to bring this in as an exhibit uh which has been amended as a result of TRC meetings uh with the municipalities professionals. That's A1. That would be A1. Correct.

You mind marking it A1 because I believe you have a few extras. So that's why we can reference in the resolution. Okay, just to orient you to the site and to the drawing. Um, Morris Avenue is along the bottom of the sheet. Walter Shaw Way is to the right. Um, on this particular orientation, north is down the sheet. Uh, so north is to the bottom, south is to the top. Um the building itself would basically be very close to the footprint of the original Scotties. It's a little bit larger but approximately in the same location. Its orientation and its uh its main entrance is located right at the intersection of Morris Avenue and Baltic Way. Uh the building would have 35 units uh senior housing units with an affordable set aside. Um, and it is a fourstory building that's three stories of units above the parking area. Uh, the parking area is basically at grade with its entrance off of Baltic Rawway as far as possible from the intersection and the light at Morris Avenue and Baltic Way. Um the building would have a total lot coverage of 14,031 square ft whereas uh which is 38.82% whereas 45% is permitted uh under the ordinance. Um the total impervious lot coverage is actually being reduced from what exists today. Currently it's over 33,000 square feet. 33,090 to be exact.

and the new development would result in a coverage of only 32,641 square ft. So, you're seeing a slight reduction in imperous area. As a result, you'll see a reduction in storm water runoff and impacts uh on the property. Excuse me. Uh the floor area ratio is consistent with the with the redevelopment plan. 1.4 is permitted. Under the redevelopment plan, we're proposing 1.36 uh as a floor area ratio. The uh number of units dictates the number of parking spaces that are required under the residential site improvement standards. Um you're required to have 1.8 parking spaces for every one-bedroom unit and two parking spaces for every two-bedroom unit. There are 21bedroom units being proposed and 18 two-bedroom units. So that results in 72 parking spaces. Um and under the new state regulations, you get um a reduction in the required number of parking spaces based upon the number of EV charging stations you provide up to 10% uh of the requirement. So um the plan initially submitted showed seven EV spaces. Mr. Disco had asked for three more. I neglected to include that on the um on the amended plan, but we will be happy uh to include three more EV ready uh spaces on the plan. So you get a seven seven car reduction 10% of the 72 spaces required. So that means that the parking requirement for this building, the number of units and the bedroom distribution we're proposing is 65 spaces question.

No, these are these are these are only for the tenants or the people that live there. The residents of the building would utilize those spaces. That's all. Um there are 50 standard spaces being proposed for handicapped. We also have six um six compact spaces located on the um on the east side of the building. Um uh the we have uh seven EV spaces, but as I said, we're going to increase that to 10, giving us a total parking area or total parking capability of 67 spaces. And we we picked up two more spaces in the back corner where we eliminated the dog park that we had on the original plan. What we also do is we increased the number of handicap spots um that are located near the main entrance by restriping the area a bit. So we picked up one more handicap spot without losing any spaces. I think that's really important for uh the application to make sure we have uh sufficient parking. Excuse me. Um uh the building will generate um additional sewer flow uh and water demand. Um but nothing that triggers any type of treatment works approval by the D. Um we will agree to uh the INI reduction uh suggestions made in Mr. Disco's memo that is replacing of some of the um manhole covers that tend to flood and bring in um unwanted inflow and infiltration into the system. So we'll do that to make sure that we do not uh cause a municipality to exceed their uh current sewer flows um in their

system. Excuse me. water is readily available and so we don't anticipate that uh to be an issue of any sort. Let me just switch. And this is this is sheet number eight in the plan set. However, it again it has been modified uh based upon some suggestions that we received during the TRC. Excuse me. So the landscaping plan and the elements of the redevelopment plan was very focused on streetscape and we were very cognizant of that and our landscape architects took great measures to create um a special environment uh around the street frontages. We've added some benches. We've added uh bike racks and benches along Baltroll and Morris Avenue. We've provided some street trees in those areas, foundation plantings to enhance the building's appearance.

Harbor,

we we we have to do that yet about the uh business improvement district. I think it was that was part of we want to get the same downtown vibe that you have in the center of town here at this intersection. So, we're going to be doing that. Maybe adjusting some of the the types of pavement patterns or type of materials being used in the sidewalk. Mr. Disco, can you not a problem? Um,

actually, if we match it currently, we'd be there.

Okay. the uh landscaping. We put some shade trees in the parking area and we've um kind of bordered ourselves um along the residential property that exists to the south with a row of six or excuse me 7 to 8 foot high arborite along with a six foot high solid fence. What is the spacing? The arborvite they're they're about 5 to six feet. So they'll grow and create a solid hedge that'll be year round. Um that would be the homeowners association. Correct.

That is correct. Um, and what we have done is when we eliminated the dog park, we added some more arborite to shield out the u southeast corner and we've added another shade tree back in that area to enhance that environment a little bit more. There's existing vegetation that's substantial uh toward the south. Jojo joining us to the east is basically like a car dealership, used car dealership. So there's not much to screen out there, but we still have a fence. solid fence. The um to make uh due to the unusual configuration of this back finger, we had to reduce the width of the driveway to 23 feet so we could m maintain the minimum three-foot setback along the southern property line. That's a dimminimous exception that's required under the residential site improvement standards. the way the property is configured. We don't see that as an issue. Thank you very much. We don't see that as an issue that the um that could be handled easily. The vehicles that moving in and out of that area are probably not going to be used all that frequently. They're in the remote side of of the site. So, we anticipate that that could be granted without any substantial detriment to the operation. No, the finger that Mr. Lonza was referencing is only 45 ft wide. So typically you have a 18 foot parking stall depth 24 way 24T two-way aisle is 42. We required in the redevelopment plan a three-foot setback for the landscape which makes

so the the when you add it all up you lo you lose one foot and so basically you've got to get the 23 foot access aisle there and that was preferable to the subcommittee members when we had discussed it early on at one of the first sub maximizes the bot right you don't have parking on the opposite side so as as Mr. Lonza FMA has indicated probably your least trafficked section of it. Just the the reality is you're just one foot short on the on the property to make it all work.

Yes. Mike said, you know, this you're maximizing the parking set back on the south side where that resident is the three feet. So you're just losing a foot uh to make sure that maximizing that setback for that resident on the south side. So I see no issue with it. Okay. Now there there is a variance required for the setback on the north side of that same finger. Uh we have one foot proposed where three feet is required. This is uh not an exact continuation of an existing condition. The the existing condition is about one and a half feet. So we're only losing about 6 in and that's adjacent to the used car dealership. So that's the uh area right along here. So we would be asking for a variance. In my mind, this is this could actually fall under both the C1 and C2 criteria. C1 because of the unusual configuration of the property uh and the improvements that exist thereon. And the second being C2, the benefit of having an area with sufficient parking and proper maneuverability area certainly outweighs any detriments associated with the lost buffer given the fact that it's a commercial use. immediately adjacent to us. I don't see that as a significant impact uh on the adjoining property or the intent and purpose of your zone plan uh or any detriment to the public good.

No issue at all. No. Now, one thing I I'd like do like to bring up is that when we added the two additional parking spots, 90% is the allowable building or excuse me, allowable impervious coverage limitation. When we added those two parking spots, we it actually went slightly over its 90.3% which is about 115 square feet. It's still well below what was existing. I just Exactly. That's You agree with that? Absolutely. Mr. Chairman, open up to the board for questions, but I think the benefits of having

Exactly. That that was my that was my argument. Thank you. Um I I think basically we we have Mr. Disco's memorandum of U February 4th. We have no issues in making modifications suggested therein. We also have Harbor Consulting's February 6th memo and we see no issue with those comments as well. Okay. I know the police department went title 39. Title 39. Yeah, correct. Uh chairman, the U applicant would consent to title 39.

And then did you when we had fire chief, deputy chief, nice guy, he said uh he wanted a copy of the plans where everything turns and works. Yeah, we provided we provided a vehicle turning template on Friday afternoon. I believe Jennifer distributed it this morning. We we haven't heard back I think from the fire chief. I I spoke to Michael Mastone Mastone today who's fire chief or fire captain and he said it's fine. Again, he they displayed the turning movements into the site and within the the traffic aisles of the site. They're not going under the building. They would never park within a fall zone. So they were comfortable with the access.

Did they give did off go back to the police chief? Save it for the traffic accidents. We got a tally list of the accidents over the last couple years for that general area there. Okay. I tried to highlight them without mention that were bal as opposed to Mars turn bike or avenue. All right. So we'll talk about that. At least you have that. Okay. Perfect. All right. I that was basically my my testimony. I tried to provide you with proofs for the variances being sought and a landscaping plan was given in accordance with our discussion. That is correct. The additional

Yes, the landscaping plan added a tree at the southeast corner, added the arbor vites. It um touched up some discrepancies on the schedule. Uh it does need to add the two-year maintenance aspect of it. Minor thing can be condition or resolution compliance, right? Um, as far as landscaping, I think that that some of the landscaping changes. I think we also talked that if there were any field additional landscaping feel necessary right through you know plantings that there needed to be one or two more near the transformer area that that was

further question you said you uh these were amended plans when were they amended we we amended them after our uh TRC meeting Friday morning. We submitted them via email back to Ms. Law uh late in the afternoon on Friday. So, that in our packet, the amended plan? Yes, was there a snow removal plan? There's what? Is there a snow removal plan? If I can uh go ahead. Yeah. Snow,

right? Snow. Snow. Obviously, it's a very small site, so it will have to be removed off site so that we maintain the parking. Uh the uh property maintenance will be handled by the applicant. And is there a difference whether or not there's a homeowners association or a management company this in terms of maintenance?

No, it would be it would just basically devolve to the homeowners association same responsibilities. Obviously, this, as I said before, mayor, this site is one which you don't have available location to push uh snow, especially from the one we just had. Uh so, the snow has to be removed off site, but uh with this spaces we do have underneath the building, that will kind of cut a little bit down on that, but snow will be removed offsite. I didn't even know that was up there. All up there the whole time. Richard You're proposing new fences, correct? All All new fencing around the property.

Not white. Not white. Not white. Not white. They're solid. Probably a beige color. Personal distaste. Sorry. White. White vinyl. It's going to be a solid. A solid. Yes, that's correct. No chain link. We did a white stand out. The what what we do have. I don't know if this shows up there, but along Baltroll at the main entrance, we are going to have like a decorative row iron type fence with some pillars to kind of dress up the entrance.

Sure. Um, yeah, we're we're using LED type lighting fixtures. I I don't know. Can you go to uh another slide? Uh, sheet number seven, I believe. The original The plan set, the full plan set.

Mike, you reviewed the lighting, correct? Yeah. The redevelopment plan enumerates lighting standards, minimum or average light values for pedestrian and drive areas, and they they meet those that those topics, but he can describe how it's being lit. That's good. So you you could see there you go. Perfect.

So we we have several light fixtures along that southern boundary line. One near the house. You could see the hatched area for the house. But what's really great about these LED fixtures, you can have zero cut off and you can totally shield the light source. So that would not have a negative impact on that property owner. And if if you were able to see those those foot candle levels, there's a series of dots with foot candle values, you're you're at zero right by the house. So you have no spillage uh onto the adjoining property and a properly properly uh illuminates uh the parking area. And then what you can do because this is a residential property, you may have people coming home late at night. These LED fixtures can be reduced to 50% after 10 p.m. So it's even less of an impact, but still provides adequate light for people to move in and out.

So let's maybe I think a good idea maybe Mr. Disco. Sure. If it's necessary. Yeah. Can they control iPhone, iPad or No, you you can you can time it. You can program it. You can program all the fixtures to go off at a certain hour, dim down to a certain hour and come back up if there's motion sometimes. Okay. I think a good condition of approval, Mr. down the neighbors.

Yeah, we have um on the building we have some uh sconces and things along Marx Avenue and Walter to kind of illuminate the building and it really create creates a nice enhanced uh image of the building and the streetscape.

Yeah. Well, that's the architect. Let the architect the Let the architect answer that one. The only other question I had before we open up to our professionals is You gonna go over signs? Um, I was not. Okay, great. Gabe, anything? Uh, Mr. Lafon, this just for the record, you're not proposing any street lights for more sus, right? That is correct. Okay. And you're going to have uh sconces on the building itself. Uh, and do you think that's sufficient to probably illumination for the sidewalks? I do. Okay. No other questions? Just confirm the site plan shows no ground signs. Correct. That is correct. Not anticipated. Uh other than traffic control signs.

And if there's a a building mounted sign, the architect will discuss that. That's correct. Great. But wait, there's more. For the members of the public, the way that we're going to do this is there is three witnesses that they have. We're going to let all three witnesses come up and then you have an opportunity to ask questions of each of the witnesses and make statements to the board. So instead of you coming up each and every time this way it'll give you an opportunity to hear everything and see if some of your questions are answered but everyone will have an opportunity. Just want to put on the record whether it's Mr. Lanzafama or somebody else if there's a generator planned and where that would be. Is there a generator?

That's a good question. Nothing was shown when we discussed it. No not at this time. And if there would be a generator, so just to be be clear, our ordinance, and I know this fact, because you're up against residential, you will have to come back before the planning order. Correct. If you if you weren't touching residential, you were in a different area, you wouldn't have to come back, but you will have to come back for a site plan if you put Understood. Is that correct, Mr. Disco?

That's correct. Yes. Again, we're just concerned that when it's not shown on the site plan that we're reviewing now, suddenly it could be in a in a very disadvantageous location, it's going to be very visible perhaps and create. You guys should consider if you're going to do it, but you would have to come at this point in time unless if you didn't finish it carried, you'd have to notice just touching on the EV, if the board members recall what happened with Congregation Israel, we requested that they not have public spaces

because Same thing here. If you have TVs, everybody decides it's cheaper here than at the Waw Wa. Suddenly, you're going to have a parking problem here and obviously it has to be excluded from it. Just seems prudent to make this private. It's for the benefit of the people that live there. Always rethink it in the future, but I think I think it should be a condition of approval. And if it becomes an issue the other way, you need That's our desire. Great. So, that'll be a condition. Go ahead. I missed this. It's okay. during the sub. Yes.

Yeah. Right. We we we have we would have to Right. Yeah. We have to work with DOT on that and with New Jersey Transit obviously. Uh typically what we do is we fence off the area to make sure that there's no construction activity that would block people from gaining access to the bus stop. We'd have to create a pedestrian access plan is what we typically do for New Jersey Transit and u we would do that here on this application as well.

You that you'd have to talk to transit. We have no I am not consist. Oh, you got a picture, Mike?

Wasn't the shot wasn't there? Shelter, excuse me.

No, exactly. So, is it is it something that we can know on I just don't want an old bus stoping the rest of the area. Just move your We're gonna put all this work into cleaning that up. Perfect.

It's her fat fingers. What? There you go. Yeah, it fits the vibe. So, it's it's actually in front of you. Well, right. That might not be your problem. Right. Right on the front. I don't think that's your problem. Well, that that's the that's the Scotty's parking lot. currently. So, yeah. That's their property. Yeah, that's our property. That's our property. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, where is the relationship? Yeah.

No questions. No questions. Okay. No questions. Okay. Thank you, Julie. I'm so sorry. Could catch you. No worries.

Okay. So, let's go to the architect want to talk. Yeah,

I agree with you. Okay. So, let's let's keep that. Okay. Go ahead. Um, could you uh raise your hand? I've never seen you before. This is a longer process. You swear affirm that the testimony you're about to give is truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I affirm.

Uh, can you please uh state your name for the record? Spell your last name. My name is Jonathan Kabida, architect. Last name is Ku Y B I D A. Council, would you like to uh John, why don't you give the board the benefit of briefly of your qualifications, your education, your licensing?

Sure. I hold a masters of architecture from NGIT in the year 2009. I uh my license is in good standing. I uh have prep uh appeared before boards in Tennifly, Wayne, New Jersey, Bridgewater, and Orange in the last year and a half or so. I work at uh Jarmal Kaisel Architects and Engineers. I my position is director of architecture. John, you're licensed to practice in architecture in the in uh state of New Jersey. that license is current and up to date. Correct? Yes, sir.

Okay. I submit uh John for the purposes of uh testimony in the field of architecture. Okay. If I could pronounce your name correctly, I would say it Kabida. Kabida uh gave too many life getting it wrong. So it's quite all right. I'm used to it. John K. That's it. Okay. I think one has any question. Thank you. These are the better pictures. These are the pictures. Capital T H E. All right. So, let's review. Go ahead. The last page which would show the rendering you don't mind.

Okay. It's easy.

The propos proposed project consists of 38 unit multif family residential building. We have 20 one-bedroom units and 18 two-bedroom units. It is a new four-story structure designed as an age restricted for residents aged 55 years and older. The development will comply fully with the state's uniformed housing and affordability control requirements. It is situated at the gateway to the township. The building is envisioned as a high quality addition to the streetscapes that the residents can take pride in. The fourth floor has been designed thoughtfully as and is integrated into the building's roof line effectively minimizing the visual impact and helping the structure appear lower in height. That's what you see in the rendering before you. Yes. So that would be on SD 102. I believe this would be on SD 104, the bottom drawing, which is the left side elevation or the east elevation. So you would be you would see this.

There's no color. Um I I don't have colored renderings of the sides. No. So this drawing, this particular drawing I have not revised. The only thing I did to it was remove any color from Yeah. the colors didn't come out correct. But I will

before you you had showed the rendering, there were certain colorization uh from the streetscape from from the uh corner of Morris and Baltistrol. Uh I think the chairman's question is if you were standing on the other side as you were walking up Walter Stroll would those be the same type of colors and same type of materials similar type of that you would have the same visual scape you wouldn't have a different uh colorization on the other side. That is correct and I mis misunderstood the question. Yeah, we're using the same high quality materials around the entire building all four facad. So

I did bring a few So obviously it's our intention that you're showing that you're using an issue like color is not available when you go to order you'll have to go back to

well yeah we we we anticipate in resolution compliance to you know what we're showing tonight is representative of what we intend on using and obviously uh we don't control uh availability as the chairman knows But we'll certainly uh integrate with Mr. Disco and whoever else at the township with regard to the finalization of the materials each had them glued on the board but they just kept falling apart.

Okay. So this this would be the brick that we a color variation that we plan on using. That's A3. A3. I don't have a Sharpie. Do you have a Sharpie? Here we go.

Okay. So, that would be the brick. And then on the base of the building, we have a combination of like a cast stone. So, this is be like a thin veneer, you know, we try to be about an inch thick. Same thing with with the brick. We're going to make that like a thin veneer. And it's going to be high quality thin veneer. So, corners, anywhere there's joint, you know, you won't it's going to be high quality. And we're gonna have high qu craftsmanship. So it'll look identical to to full brick.

So that is like be. Yes. You see in the rendering, especially in the corner, you know, there's slight tonal variations. So that's what those you said a stone material or concrete.

It's it's a it's a pre-cast concrete. Looks exactly like a stone. And then I also have um a few other samples. I have a semi-titious uh plank siding and the panel siding. So try and remove these. I don't know about these. These aren't coming off. Yeah. Well, we'll just pass we'll just

we'll pass that along. I also have uh where the metal canopies are along the first floor. Um so starting all the way in the back left corner, we have a canopy that extends and then on either side of those three fourtory brick structures, we have canopies like five foot overhangs. So the overhang would have this. It's not black, it's like a dark brown. And that would also be in the front in the corner where it says Gateway Manor. That would also have the brown. is consistent with what you guys have.

I believe it is based upon past renderings that went before the TC, but um there's a slight variation of the shade. I can't tell you that. The direction it looks good. And we I also have an example of the shingled roof that's going to go on the fourth floor as well.

Okay. So, you showed us the building layouts. Yes sir. That's correct. describe what they're famili So on the the canopies there, those canopies are about 9 ft in height, but going around the back of the building specifically. Uh so we have a 15 foot uh ground floor to the second floor. It's 15 feet in height. Allow two feet for structure. So um two to three feet so you can comfortably drive 12 feet underneath the building. So it'll allow for various uh trucks and vehicles to be able to turn around in the parking lot. And then all the materials that you see here are consistent on all four sides. And um moving back to the Boltraw and Mars, it's all going to be high quality material. It's we're going to have a series of benches. um the landscaping that Mike had described, it's going to be very consistent with this image that you see here, it's a way to really enhance and beautify uh this area of downtown. And although it's not depicted here, the brick pavers will be on the sidewalks. So, it's just a a real strong

statement to the streetscape, the building. It's all integrated, and I I think it's something that we all could be proud of. And additionally, um this is is a four-story building and we did our best to really um try visually reduce the height. So the fourth floor is built into that roof and you see like these roof dormers. Um and then in that corner we have a threetory element with a roof. It kind of I call it an octagon, but it's really six-sided structure. So it's a really a good way to anchor that corner. So as you come down Mil Millburn A, it's just a building. It's makes a strong statement and it's you know people say what building do you live in? I live in gate m gateway man. It's it's that place.

Right. So John uh there were a number of questions that the uh we had at the TRC and I know the board had with regard to the signage. Uh obviously we have the the um sign that's at the corner of Morris and Baltist. uh identifying this as Gateway Manor. Um and uh you want to talk about that sign and then other signage at the site? I think that was the chairman's question. Signs comply with

Yeah. So that sign complies with the the ordinance. So that sign is nine square feet on drawing S102. I believe I revised it to actually show a sign of of you know the square footage and the dimensions of it. S103 I apologize. S yeah S103. Yes. Mark S103 as John was S103 what we're looking at that was submitted to the board. Correct. There's no

it it was but because the question about the size of the sign I decide let's go ahead and revise this. Okay. So we'll mark that as A6. Chairman you said there were two signs. It's just the one. Previously over that main entrance it said 9 597. I revised it so it it matches the rendering. Anything further? What is your thoughts on the bus?

We're saving that for the end. Let's go through the

Okay, thank you. So, I will go to uh yes to one more first floor. Yes. Thank you. That's SD 101. So the ground floor features a primary entrance to the building serving as the project's main point of arrival. So the corner of Mars and Boltraw is just primarily for aesthetics and and the architectural presence. Really the the entrance uh the occupants of the building will be entering the entrance off the back of the parking lot. Uh in addition to the entrance the the occupants, we also want to have any visitors come there as well.

I think it's I'll I'll flip it. That's the main entrance where the street is where they have the sign. Yes. Yes. So that's the street where the people

So um after they park in the parking lot, they're going to enter here in the back of the building. So this would be underneath. So that's how we envision 99% of the time the occupants would be entering here. Uh so yeah, centrally located would be the two. And then we also have some doors where there's a loading area back here. So you get an occupant, you get new furniture, a move in, move out. There's loading here and then you can enter through which is the one of the amenity space is the storage storage lockers. So each unit would be able to have one. And then so you park the vehicle here, come in through the corridor which is about six feet and wide and then you enter into where the elevator is and then you can go and go up to the second floor, fourth floor and you know load your furniture.

Yes. We also have a gym which is about thousand square feet. There's also a day room here and a multi-purpose room. room. Yeah, it's a date room. What's going to be in there? Seats. Exactly. And you can go down in there. You kind of hang out. Morning coffee. Just really communal room. Be some furniture. Yes. Yes, there will be.

It's wide enough to accommodate it. You may have people working from home or work out of that. Sure, we could do that. Yes. You know, because we envision, you know, outside there's some activity out there. So, some maybe some high, you know, bar height stools and chairs and things like that. We'll come up with something to show the board. Um, what else do we have? I talked about the amenities.

The trash is located in the back here next to the loading area.

So, that's a good question. distance. Obviously, there's a fence. It's nearly 58 ft to the property line. Yeah, her house is about another seven ft away. 65 ft. But this is an enclosed room. Yeah. Totally enclosed. Um it's trash compactor trash shoots on the upper floors that bring the refu down. And then the only time the doors are open is when the garbage truck pulls up. That's my next question. Yeah. So I I just want to be clear. There's no outdoor trash. There is no outdoor trash. No outdoor storage of trash. None whatsoever.

And um the does each level have a refu room? Because I if they do, I'm not seeing it. I just see a utility room. You have you have a recycling room and a refuge room. Is that That's the utility room. Yes. Cool. You dropped the drop it down. Yep.

We We'd have to work it out with the refuge carrier and we can certainly do that. They they usually are always willing to cooperate with potential clients. Yes. So that will be aval

if it if it's during the week. I think you can start at 7 or 7:30 for construction. That's fine. So after 7:30 can go I mean noise standards change at 11 uh 10 or 11 o'clock at night. Okay. As a practical matter, I think they're going to come when there's the least amount of vehicles that impede their quick pickup.

They're going to come when it fits their schedule, but but they're going to have to contract that it's not 530. That's unacceptable. That that's something we've done in the past.

During the day,

we have two stairwells. Where are they? So, so I have uh they're located on either sides of the building. We have two. So, down uh at this end, the left side of the building here, and then where the elevator shaft is, we also have another stair. So, for building this side is is code compliant. It's typical to have two stairwells, one elevator shaft, right? And one elevator. Yes. Yes.

Absolutely. It'll have controls on it. Okay. I think we saw the thing. We want to see the upper floors. They are different. Oh, they are. They are slightly. Yes.

Okay. Then go through. So SD uh 102 I have not revised this drawing so it's the same as previous previously submitted. So um see the second floor. So each typical floor which would be floors two and three has a total of 13 dwelling units. The layout includes seven one-bedroom units represented in the orange color and there are six two-bedroom units represented in the blue color. A dedicated utility room is also located on each floor across from the elevator. There's also a trash room located plan north, I'm sorry, which is here at the top here. And it stacks on all all four floors and discharges onto into the trash room.

That is that at the end of the hallway there? Yes, it's inside a dedicated room. It's fire rad that's going vertically down to the trash room. Correct. And each room has an exhaust so there's no smells or anything. So, and then so that's the layout of each floor. I have typical and large unit plans. So, excuse me.

Yes, they do. Yes. So, just quickly, so the one-bedroom unit, um, each unit is fully accessible. Um, uh, you come into a welcoming entry that leads into a modern open concept kitchen and living area. Each dwelling unit includes its own inunit laundry machine conveniently located off the dining room area. So, it's in the center here. Um, the primary bedroom unit is spacious at 14 and a half by 11 12 ft. All units are fully accessible throughout and including the bathrooms. The two-bedroom unit that is shown here on the left is similar to the onebedroom except it includes an on suite that is with the bedroom being even more generous at 11 by 16 ft. Inside the on suite also has a his and hers closet here with its own private bathroom. Okay. The fourth floor which is slightly different than the second and third. The only difference is in this corner here because of the designed feature of the the main entrance. It doesn't have the fourth floor extend up here and it allows me to also kind of tuck in the elevator machine room and a small utility room here. Otherwise, it's identical to the floors below.

Outside outside the first floor, there are no other. That's Yes, that's correct. And then the roof floor plan, which would be the next drawing. roof is up there in that corner.

So, okay. of the roof. So, the majority of the roof is designed as a flat roof system. It has a white ru white tpo membrane to reflect the sun to help with the sustainable environmental aspects. There's a slope parapit that extends around the entire perimeter and also conceals the fourth floor below. Um, it also allows us to m uh screen off any mechanical equipment that we will be putting on the roof. So we're allowing um to have

uh no the so we'll have about three and a half feet of power pit screening. So you will not if you're on the streetscape on the you won't be able to see if you're

uh I don't believe you'll be able to see it. You may see a few inches of whatever units that we have up there, but a majority of it will be screened. Um, we captured that and I just have a couple comments on the exterior building elevation. That's really great. I'll be quick on this. So again, we have the thin brick veneer that's incorporated um primarily in these features here on the building which we showed the examples. U cast veneer accents that also enhance the architectural character. Um let's see here. This is that fourth floor that we are concealing. So I just want to show that those windows will have the asphalt material and we have on this bottom right hand corner we are showing examples of lights that we will be putting on the building that was coordinated with the civil drawings. And did I show talk about the signage?

We did. Yeah, we did. Okay. Yeah. And that's it. Um resolution compliance on the um these elevation views. You see the dash line which represents the flat route. So they could put the equipment in there to verify that it's not that it's properly screened. I was with Mr. Barnett's question about laundry and trash. I was satisfied. Um I think you could probably go to your uh elevation and maybe discuss the sconce lighting because I think um board members understand.

Okay. So, I I think the rendering really kind of helps tell the story for the lighting. So along the first floor we have a series of wall sconces and that allows us to uh illuminate both upwards and downwards. They're going to be LED and we they are dimmable. So just to make sure we get the correct light levels and it really enhance that that streetscape. And then we also have some lighting and you'll kind of see it here at the top and the bottom. Uh, so when I say the bottom, it's really the second floor. Here at the bottom of the windows and then here at the third floor, we have some down lights. So you have an up light here and a down light. And that just kind of we have it here at this brick bumpout and then here. So that's really the the lighting strategy. And we did that along Mars a and then also on bolt straw.

There's no under canopy lighting. Correct. There's no under. That's correct. I don't have um is there any green building elements or any other elements related to architectural design within the building?

So what we did was uh the white tpo roof membrane to help with the heat island effect. We also did uh the HBAC. We intend to use energy uh efficient uh equipment and then also with the plumbing fixtures with the low flow. Uh that's what we're planning on using. And then m Mr. Chairman, just just for record, I just want to put on on the statement in terms of architectural finishes, I think the brick is the most attractive element of the building. And I think brick in that corner piece would be more visually pleasing in my opinion. Having that brick could be

Yeah, sure. I think I think my opinion, this is my opinion, this area could be brick to match this and this. It's more symmetrical because This cement finishes are only on the bottom. So it's not on the second or third. So I my opinion I think the brick making this area brick would match really nice parts. I mean I

yeah it's it's a good suggestion. I mean listen I I think because of its prominence here um because it is the gateway to the town we felt that this um cast stone stone feel is really something that gives an anchor. It's heavy material. It symbolizes something that's heavy. It's strong. It's prominent. So that's why we went in that direction. uh because it really is the focal point especially as you come down Mars a that's the direction we want and that's that's what we feel so that's why we went in that direction your thoughts

I'm inclined to agree with us I like this like opinion for every single person here in this room so strategy makes sense That's your benefit or so briefly John about the about the lighting sconces just yes cover that in one second when the mayor comes uh back on the day just one second just cover the light Okay.

Okay.

Yes. So, we're putting our our lighting strategy is on Mars and on Bolt Straw. So, we're using uh light sconces on the first floor. They have up lighting and down lighting. They're dimmable. So we're able to working with the town engineer make sure we get the correct lighting uh levels that we want. So that'll be at the bumpouts here and you can actually see it. We kind of highlighted them in various spots here, here, here. And it go also goes down the straw and then also on the upper portions of the building above this caststone band that wraps up. We have up lighting here, here, and then along the building. And then at the top, which is the top of the third floor, we have down lights here, here, here.

Okay. Thanks, John.

Yes. typically we don't have any issues with that.

Um it was discussed in our TRC meeting with fire uh and they said that that underclarance would be acceptable for um for ambulance. So yes um I'll leave it you know to building code and whether they need it they need to put a sign near clearance. I mean that is certainly don't want anybody driving into it but you would think you know it would be more of a U-Haul thing most people are going to be on the other side.

We'll leave it to him to figure that out. Fair fair comment. Can you talk a little bit more?

Yeah. Okay. So along the front, all the windows you'll be able to see through into the building, but on the parking lot side, most of the windows that we see are more of a faux window, more for aesthetics.

No, the they're all real windows. Yeah, those are real windows. Yeah. No, no P tax. So, one of the So, the um so we're we're still trying to figure out the strategy for for that. We wouldn't use Pax because PTAs don't look very nice. So, I mean, there's the options of like a magic pack or you could do a split system.

It's approximately 15 ft. Yeah. Walter Sh. It's about 13 14 ft. It you have articulation in the facade of the building. So you get little nooks in there and that's where we put some benches and bicycle racks. But you should have adequate separation. We meet the setback requirements of the ordinance.

Sure. We're not office.

Uh I believe on the first floor I I carved out a um office on the actually shown here. Let's

Yeah, but that doesn't answer the will there be somebody on premises. not going to be it's not there's not going to be a superintendent on uh premises. Uh this is uh will be maintained. If it's uh rental uh there will be property maintenance uh company that will handle uh the property and if it's an HOA they can certainly at that appropriate time I think we're showing some area right John maybe even they can carve out a piece of the community room for their office. Uh but you know this that would be up to the HOA at that time.

I get the HOA but I guess property manager.

Oh absolutely. I mean look the the fact of the matter is chair uh this is as I've said before the name of the building and literally it is the gateway to Springfield. Uh there is a certainly a very strong desire I know by this board and by this township to have a high quality product here. There's certainly a desire by the applicant to have a high quality product and to maintain that product. Uh how will this site uh live into the future unless it's wellmaintained? So it's only in everyone's best interest including the applicants to ensure that the property is uh properly maintained and whether it's uh owned by um owned and rented or individually owned uh it would be the same uh quality standard. Correct. Yes. Correct. A previous iteration we may have had one but that has since been removed. windows.

So they they alternate. So where the building where the light gray is on either side of the brick, it's recessed. So that's where we put the awnings. And then also there's an awning. Yeah. So right where the cursor is. I don't know. Uh, it's non- illuminated.

Yeah.

Right. Um, we would have some sort of a feature that would deter birds from sitting there and doing their business. Um, usually you see those birds bird strikes and things like that. I mean,

right. But but I I what I will say is, you know, we don't really envision it to be like very thick. It's something that's be thin profiled. So, I don't really envision a bird kind of sitting on there. right? Um well we'll we'll answer that question in a second

there. So on and uh let's see the first floor. So across from the elevator bank, we do have those storage units for each each apartment. So yes. Yeah, we thought that was important feature to have. So Sorry.

I don't believe so. I think there's We did not show any new ones. I think there's an existing one by the bus stop, but we didn't show any new ones. We can certainly work with the, you know, the the downtown improvement as far as the streetscape goes. So, if there's certain you want to match the benches and the other elements, the bike rack. So, we may end up throwing a few waste cans in. Yeah,

good point. Really? Good questions. You see well now. Yes, Mr. Chairman. Just one more. I'm I apologize board. Uh when Gabe brought up the green building elements. So every year when we meet with environmental commission, they ask us about green roofs. So put on the record, is a green roof feasible? I usually get that a no from the architect. That is a no. Okay. So I again they ask us and we ask uh a lot of the time and it just I don't want I'm not going to profer why it's not feasible. If you want the architect to do that that's fine but I just know

every time we ask an architect it's not feasible cost prohibitive and the like and you know I'm just putting it on the record. Good. Okay.

Yeah, we're going to have traffic come up to address uh what we received from Mr. Disco as well as from the uh police question. Let's take 7:52. till 8:00. That's fine, Jar. It's your meeting. Yes. All right. So, for the record, we're going to

One, two, three. Start making it seems like the Oh, Julie. Julie, you back there. There's a Okay, see you Mr. Punch. It has to re reach like a certain score or something like that. All right, it's 8 get started. So, we're we're respectful of everyone's time. So, councelor, do you want

Yeah, chair, let me just very briefly just clear up a couple things. Um, when u Mr. Lanzaf was up, I think he made a little bit of a calculation error. He indicated there were 35 units. Actually, 38 units. I want to make sure that everybody's aware, it is 38 units. That is number of units. And when we were looking at the uh floor plan of the first floor, we were talking about the office. Just so for clarity sake, there is a management office on that first floor that can be used whether it is rental or homeowner association. Uh and there will be um a presence on site uh for the purposes of property maintenance and making sure that the uh entity is um the area is properly uh maintained, the building's properly maintained. So I just want to clear up those few points. Chair.

Uh chair. Um I'm going to have uh my traffic expert come up and we can proceed on that. Is that okay? Yes. And tell us about her. Okay. Justine, you want to get sworn in? Uh raise your right hand. You swear from the truth that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Yes, I do. Uh please state your name and spell your last name for the record. Sure. Uh Justine Fox, last name FOX. Um, I am a project manager with Stonefield Engineering. Address is 92 Park Avenue, Rutherford, New Jersey. Okay.

Okay. And sorry, Matt. Uh, can you give us briefly your qualifications, your education background, and your uh, licensing? Sure. Um, I have a bachelor's of science in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Maryland. I am a licensed professional engineer in the state of New Jersey. My license is current and in good standing. Um I have over nine years of experience in land development within the state of New Jersey with the majority of that time as a traffic engineer with Stonefield. Um ask the board to accept Miss Fox as an expert in the field of traffic engineering. Have any concerns? Is anyone seeing none? Let's proceed.

All right. So Justine, you were retained by the applicant to take a look at the access circulation and I think you've also received uh some comments that Mr. Disco had as well as the police department. You want to give the board the benefit of your insights?

Sure. Of course. Um as previously mentioned, Gateway Manor is located at the southeast intersection of Morris Avenue and Baltistra Way. Um this is a pretty much six leg intersection that's a under DOT jurisdiction. It um sits on the edge of both two municipalities as well as two counties. So it is a bit of a complicated intersection. For that reason the proposed site driveway is located as far south from that intersection as the property frontage does allow. Um, that driveway is 24 ft wide. That is typical of a residential development and provides for safe access to and from the development. I believe it was requested by the engineer that some sort of um mechanism would be put in place at that driveway to allow for any queueing on Baltistro way to not block that driveway. And I would agree in my professional opinion something like a do not block the box striping on the public road of right ofway in front of that driveway would mitigate any concerns that queuing from the signal um you know would block residents from being able to exit that site. That is my recommendation on that. Um I also looked at the on-site parking and circulation. Again, the majority of the site does have those 24 foot wide drive aisles, which is more than sufficient um to maneuver in and out of all those parking spaces. We meet the parking requirement, which per the RSIS standards and the EV vehicle um credit does bring the parking requirement down to 65 parking spaces. I did also want to just compare what's

proposed to the IT, that's the Institute of Transportation Engineers standards for this land use. Um, it kind of breaks multif family residential up into a few different categories. I started with looking at the land use code specifically for senior adult housing in multifamily um in a multif family configuration which does include 55 and up developments such as the one here proposed here today. Um based on the IT the um the parking demand for this type of development is about 6.7 spaces per unit um which equals only about 25 spaces. Parking demand here is measured by just like going to the site and counting the vehicles on the property. So that can include residents, it can include guests, it can include employees. Um so that again based on senior adult housing only about 25 spaces uh sorry vehicles on an average weekday are anticipated. Um, however, I did also look at just what an average low-rise development, that's any development with three levels of residential living or less. Um, and those averages range from about 0.9 vehicles per unit to about 1.5 vehicles per unit. So again, we'd anticipate at any given time there'd most likely be uh between 35 and 60 vehicles on site. So those proposed 65 spaces would be more than enough to meet even the highest standards if you were looking at a 38 unit residential low-rise with no age restriction and every unit being two bedrooms. Um again this is a mix of one and two bedroom. So in my professional opinion it is more than sufficient to meet the parking um demand.

What if what happens if there's no spots other than the 10 Um, you get to the site. Yeah. Someone's throwing a big party. Sure. And there's no spots, only the 10.

It is my understanding it's up to the property management of how they would mark the EVs while they are um in they're intended for charging. They do not necessarily have to be marked as no parking unless otherwise charging. Um I also do want to mention that those typically are installed staggered. You begin at opening the requirement is a third of them have to be installed and every three years it's another third and another third. So I think by the time six years passes they would figure it out. Correct. You agree with that? Yes. That's exactly what it is. Perfect. Continue. Great. Um

talk about the subcommittee we talked about getting out. Sure. Queuing the signage pavement bricks or whatever we called it. Talk a little bit about the queueing. So if someone's trying to make a right or left traffic lights red cars queue up talk a little bit about that. I think you have do not lock Yes. How many cars and all that stuff? Mr. Disco did a subsequent

Yeah. So, that driveway is proposed about 140 ft back from the intersection. So, you will be able to kind of fit between six and seven vehicles along that uh roadway width before you would interact with the um with that driveway. I I did go to the site on two different occasions. One was off peak hour and one was during peak hour. Um it was peak hour today which the Monday after Super Bowl may be a slightly smaller uh traffic volume on the roadway. I did only see about two vehicles queuing at at Bolstrom uh Baltist way. Um I believe that do not block the box will be sufficient for those you know few busiest hours in a typical day during that weekday morning or evening rush where you do see queuing at that intersection. Uh yeah, I would I believe so. And with the added lighting um along the building, I think in general that entire corner is going to be a bit more illuminated that you would be able to see that. And those typical signs are reflective. They're MUTCD standard to be able to see in the dark.

The signs I'm worried about like um there would be signs uh along with that striping on the ground that say do not block the box. Um the revised plan that Mr. Lansza presented has the the grid on half of the the northbound side and there's a sign indicated to do not block uh which is mirroring the testimony you're hearing. the best we can do. I well it's certainly a very practical and and something that would hopefully people the vehicle operators would obey so that if there's an emergency you can get a fire truck in there without having

What about what the concern is is if you are coming from Avenue make a left or right on someone's making into that How many cars will take before that blocks back up on Mars? You got the 140 ft. So, six, seven vehicles. When I observed it on the Wednesday night for two hours, not once did I have that situation. Okay. So, I counted cars every minute

and the maximum I had was six cars in a minute. So when the light at Milbour A turns, you get that maneuver where they make the right because they have to go right and then they're either going continuing right west or turning into Baltimore. And it comes in a wave, but the most I counted was six. Now again, you have somebody there with the block don't if you have the don't block the box, you're going to be able to make that maneuver and the issue doesn't arise. Okay? So we're trying to guard against it. We do we're doing the best prudent that we can do,

right? For a little extra stripe uh traffic striping, which is annoying, but you know, it will be the best that we can do and we're alerting it with the sign and you know, obviously if people don't adhere to it and enforcement's there in the morning, that's where I saw the queue, it's probably the same people going every day or whatever days they're working, you know, but if this was a restaurant or retail, then it would be a lot worse than Yeah. So this is the better of the situation. Well, it would be worse if you had a there was a retail establishment where cars were coming in and out more and coming to there as opposed to the 35 38 residents. That's my question. Is that

well yeah obviously the people who live there are going to be used to the the condition and adjust to it. Whether whether they themselves are not going to block the box we hope but um anticipate it. Not sure what the question is. So my my thing is the traffic from this 38 units 38 compared to Scotty's restaurant or if it was a retail

um I could actually give you those numbers if you'd like. Um I did run a quick trip generation comparison using it. That's the Institute of Transportation Engineers trip generation manual. Um for the Scotty's restaurant the land use is called drinking place and they typically only would study the busiest hours of an establishment. So we have data on a weekday evening and the Saturday. Uh the weekday evening had a total of 44 um vehicles in and out of the driveway. So that includes both vehicles turning in or out compared to the weekday evening of a 38 unit residential development where there's only 10. So you're seeing about 30 less vehicles in and out during the busiest hour of the day when you compare those two different land uses. Um and there is even a larger a much larger difference on Saturday. So it it is relative to what could be there a much lower traffic generator. And typically residential really just sees the two busiest hours when people leave for the morning for work and come home at for work from work. However, this is 55 plus. So not all residents may be leaving every day. If you want a negative for traffic, it's obviously Scotty's was not generating an AM peak hour massive thing unless you had a delivery. There's just nobody there. They weren't even open. So if if you're opposed to this for some reason, the trips that are generated in your AM from a residential, which would be probably consistent with any other use, including a retail use, isn't just an evening, you know, use that. That's the facts. That's the reality. But compared to Scotty's, the PM certainly much less.

I mean, I I use different categories. And Scotty wasn't there, they'd be able to put like a retail establishment and that could generate a lot more than what 38. Yeah. You have restaurants that aren't drink. When I looked at the restaurant category, for instance, drinking obviously you would hope nobody's drinking in Springfield at 8 a.m., but legally happened. But obviously there could be a restaurant that was paid, you know, breakfast, lunch or whatever. You could generate a lot more than what normally is permitted. The numbers game. Okay. Let's um anything further? Um just quickly wanted to talk about the clearance because I did hear some accidents

and accidents. Um uh the clearance was testified to be about 12 feet. Just for reference, a typical ambulance is about 8 to 10 feet. So, they would be able to navigate underneath that covered parking. Um, there's questions about U-Haul. The typical two-bedroom U-Haul um recommended vehicle has about a 10 to 11 foot clearance. So, again, they would be able to navigate underneath that um that covered parking. Maybe that's something the property manager put in the notes lease agreement just as an FYI,

of course. And then I also did review the accident data both provided to us as well as NJ dot historic data for the intersection. Um I actually first looked at it from Farley Place to Boltistra Avenue not to be confused with Boltistra Way which is located about 200 feet to the east. Um because this is a manylegged intersection, there's about 200 a little more than 200 accidents in that entire stretch. When you kind of break it down between Morris Avenue, what

Oh, sorry, between 2020 and current day. Um the the specific kind of um more directly in front of our site between Boltra Way and Morris Avenue was about 36 accidents. you saw a mix of um what you would anticipate at a multi-le offset intersection. There was right angles, there was rear ends, there was left turns, sidewipes. There was not a specific accident type here. Um and I think that's important to note that there's, you know, not a glaring improvement that could be made. It is a complicated intersection. We've done our best to mitigate where our access is because of that.

Um All I got was a a tally of the accidents, you know, just just a list, but they they're not specific yesterday. So, all I did was highlight anywhere I saw highlighted. So, you know, most of them are obviously not it's a highly tra even by Miss Fox's standards. I mean, you're averaging about 1.5 accidents a month, and that's what's reported. I I mean, that's that we've all driven by there. It's a very

There's multiple accidents a month. So, you you regularly see uh red and blue lights going down there. You regularly see it. And in my professional opinion, the streetscape improvements may have a positive impact on that. There is sort of a visual idea that as drivers are driving through a more residential area that they take more precautions than they would on a large two-lane commercial um strode if you will. So let's open second. I just want to go to our professionals first.

Oh yeah. Could you just comment would NJ do I don't know if nonlicability or interest letter be required for this? It would not be required because there's no um there's no driveway in existing there's no driveway and proposed uh I could tell you right now they would approve it. There's a negative uh trip generation, net trip generation. And um in looking at the signage, I mean, there's a no left turn sign, correct?

For the light because it's a right only turn. We added a uh no stopping or standing sign along that right side, which to me makes, you know, you're not going to have the likelihood of somebody parking there. It was raised by subcommittee about, you know, a ride share or Uber Eats temporarily parking there. That was taken into consideration. So, we added the sign. And there's two other signs that direct deliveries into the surface parking lot to the rear. So, obviously, you got to police have to enforce it. Um, but uh I don't see any other signage uh that you could do. I mean asking your opinion I

uh correct and like I mentioned there is more than sufficient parking on site so any of those deliveries I I believe a driver themselves would prefer to be in the on-site parking lot away from roadway traffic. Um the signage is there to direct them onto the site and there would more than likely be more than enough parking for them to wait out their delivery, pick up anyone, whatever it is. The current street uh is listed as no parking on the southbound side, the opposite side. There's actually a sign that says no parking 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday on the residential side of the side. Didn't Captain Rachel say they're going to have to make an amendment?

Well, we might it might have to do a resolution. I don't What was not clear with this absence of signage is what happens from the the Scotty's driveway now to the corner of Mars. It's unsigned. Okay. Presumably, it's either going to mimic the Monday to Saturday 8 to 6 no parking and certainly if we added no stopping or standing the council would have township committee would have to probably by resolution do that. So when maybe you could follow up with Captain Rachel and then if he feels there's something needs to be changed he'd go to the business administrator. Well, it was it's incorporated into the plan which is the adding the no stopping or standing sign. Okay. So then he would then then likely the township committee would have to okay

I mean we don't have to act on that now certainly prior to operation of yeah resolution compliance or um where co is given or something like that to make sure plenty of time. Okay so Gabe anything no comment Mr. Chairman the only other thing is Mr. Fum showed the uh the cross-hatching again on half of the street. Is there a difference between half street or whole street?

Uh typically queuing would only be on that northbound approach. So um it would not necessarily be needed on the southbound approach. And I did just want to also mention that all the streetscape improvements along Morris Avenue would be under DOT jurisdiction and their review. Correct.

No, that's Morris Avenue. Yeah, Crescent Road to Morris Avenue.

Correct. The the benefit of the light there is you do sort of get platoon of movements um along Morris Avenue which would allow you to cross those two lanes of traffic into that design designated left turn lane from Morris Avenue to Morris Turnpike to make that left. Alex, if you wanted to go west. people are going to have to use that and it was a high impact street

whatever I forget the terminology but there is a terminology where we try to say this is supposed to be

you're talking about crescent okay we're now saying that it's not going to get around absolutely again as a residential development. This would be a very low amount of vehicles during the peak hours compared to what could be here at this intersection. Um, again, I think it was at most 10 vehicles in a peak hour from this residential use. So, at most you're only seeing if it's half of them, you know, one car every 10 minutes, but added to Crescent Road. Sorry. It's okay. Based on your calculations, that was using a 38 car, right? Uh that's based on 38 units. That's based on 38 units. Units.

Does it I mean it does it go by how many cars or is it just based on what formula? It's the formulas are based on the number of dwelling units for the land use. Okay.

Yeah. So, uh, yeah, that driver is going to immediately try to just pull up, run out. He's going to probably be directed to that front entrance door. I think um within the app and residents should and I recommend be encouraged there is the notes section to say please enter at the driveway on Bolt on Boltress way. There's also and that is not up to

Alex daily is contin and there's the signage for the deliveries as well.

Alex, Alex, the idea is you could that that cart way, the entrance way could be a street name and hopefully that gets picked up by the map's name and that's what they'll end up using. So when the addresses are assigned, it is Jeffrey Way and it's, you know, each home has one. So that way it goes, they come in that way as that as the street name. That's the way you can solve with that and make it because the police have title 30, you know, the police have access. It's while it's a private road because they'll be maintaining it, but the street name will hopefully get picked up.

I mean, I don't know. You're saying that that might be a way to work around. I'm just saying that's going to come up Morris. They're going to a they're going to miss it and they're going to attempt to try to stop on Morris. I guarantee. And the next best thing is they're going to pop around and try to park right there and you're going to stop because they do. Yeah. Navigation is not just throw the hazards on. But it's not perfect. Just throw the hazards on. Exactly. Yeah. They're going to throw the hazards on and attempt to run into that complex if if we do it. So I was going to say if we obviously we named that street. Would that help?

Yes. Couple of things. So the subcommittee did discuss this. We talked about an indent there. We just didn't think we had the room. So there are two delivery directional signs. one facing the southbound traffic and one the northbound before you get to the site and they're saying go to the uh deliveries go there. We also have the no stop. Yes, an Uber driver only cares about speed. I get it. Um so we're maximizing it. Yes, you can. We did this at the mountain side municipal building. We had everybody at New Providence Road queuing up and blocking the access in for emergency access. You give it a name. In that case, they named it after a deceased mayor in the street and now you can enforce the blocking the box. So, so but I don't want to get into whether they want to name their

Well, no, I think I what we've done with we did this with Sachs and other developments is street names were named township committee took it on and was named after some sort of historic thing or soldier in Springfield or whatever. So, I think the name of the street would be subject to approval by the township committee that they'll give recommendations. Chairman, my my only other point here is obviously I think Mr. Jys was before was talking about the fact that there is going to be perhaps a a better signage on ball to straw with regard to the prohibition on uh stopping and standing or parking. And then it would be uh once these Uber drivers and um the GrubHub hubs and whatever Door Dashers start getting tickets for uh doing cut you off right there. They are not they're not getting tickets and and they're not there long enough and we don't have enough police. Pardon me.

Yeah. They're not there long enough uh to get a ticket and I know it personally living in a complex myself living in a tough turnaround. This is way harder than my nonshort hills a where I live. You're going to see backup. I personally and I would like to it's not my my vote. I would put it up to I would make that a condition that that has to be renamed before we've you know put that in the uh they put a street name if they do put a signage is not enough for me. No off the stroll way. So if it So that's what I'm saying. That's what we would do.

Signage on the street is not sufficient. So and my second part of my response was going to be that the I I understand that the street uh sign street name issue is probably going to resolve it. So we'll agree to the street name as a condition of approval. So, um, the township committee will maybe reach out to the historic committee committee, something like that, and come up with some names like they did with the last one. Erica did it last time. Eiser way. Eiser way. I I have a point. Okay. So, let's let's let's try to be let's try to be orderly. Let's start in the order so we can get through it because it's one. So, he always shuts me up. Stop. Then we'll get to you.

Um, I don't know that this is for you, but you said triggered it. So, That's not contemplated at this time. assign but we don't assign spots just kind of

my recommendation uh based we'll well I I understand the concern I think the only thing is we just hadn't gotten to that level but assigning spaces probably will resolve that and we'll we'll we don't have a problem with that I I would recommend residential tags to not assign find specific unit spaces that can create an artificial parking. We'll we'll leave it to Mr. Disco to come up with a plan with you and he has concerns that'll come back to the question. We're just giving you a lot of work, man. Disco's underpaid and overutilized. That was all I had. I have something.

Um all the statistics that you that you stated saying all those all those wonderful things, did you take into account um or does any any statistics take into account the fact that we're dealing with elderly drivers as opposed to the general public? Sure. Um so the land use I was specifically looking at for trip generation was specific to senior adult housing. So um yes it it was um and both in terms of the parking demand and the trip generation in and out of the driveway

because statistically elderly drivers do have a higher tendency unfortunately for car accidents. And this is going to be a building that's going to be 55 plus, which means most likely it'll do more like 60 plus in reality or 65 plus. So I want I just want to know if that's being taken on consideration at all. It was with the trip generation. And I think the other benefit of that is that um an older population typically leaves their home less than a than a unrestricted um residential development. So there are less vehicles added to the road because of that.

So that okay I just want to know if that was looked at at all. Um so in subcommittee my biggest issue was really heard about this but sounds like If we file they file a map, right?

So that's it. We'll make it even if even if you'll have to figure out the mechanism even if it's not for sale. I'm just telling you what happened. It's a municipal building comes from the Providence Road. It's constantly blocked and queued. They couldn't enforce the tickets until they gave it a name. They gave the driveway a name. Okay, great. Then we have to file the plot, right? and it gave the the police the mechanism to to Great. I have a question. I have a question on that. You if you give us a name, doesn't it have to be something with that address on it? So, in other words, would it would it have to be each section of the building have a different address in order for it to be even registered on?

They're all going to have different unit numbers presumably given by So, it's going to be 38 blank blank road. Okay. they go two three four d you know 2011 you know what whatever they do mayor um did your agency perform a traffic uh we did submit a make sure I got the name right a access and circulation memorandum but I mean that fell short of a proper soy we did look at the trip generation and due to it being a significant decrease compared to the previous use. Sure. Um we

well I it's not a sign I mean the previous use was an abandoned building. So but um typically it's a substantial increase from the previous use. The there's a threshold it sets of when you would study an intersection and that's based on over 50 trips in a vehic um like I said we were seeing at most about 10 trips for this use. So,

okay. Um, and you're you're confident that with all the the mitigation and and everybody follows the rules and and and you know, we name the street and everything like that. um that this will not be a problem in terms of traffic given the high propensity for accidents already in existence with an abandoned building. I would say it would not change the traffic conditions on this roadway corridor. Okay. Hey Julie, go to you out of turn. Julie?

Yes, I'm here. No questions. Perfect. Richard, Alex, anything more

the do not block is under Bolt Bolt. I was doing so well there. Bolt way. So that I believe is under municipal jurisdiction. Everything along Morris Avenue is under DOT jurisdiction. A highway occupancy permit application will be required for all the streetscape improvements um proposed along the sidewalk. No. And do there is no driveway on the DOT road for them to review. Anything further from our professionals? Okay, seeing none. Um, before we open up the public, I know there was two before we open the public so we don't have to reopen it up to the public.

Two points we want to talk. Yes. Have we given any thought that it is a flat roof? Has anybody given thought to solar on the roof? No. Uh, no we haven't. But if uh John, did you have anything? We had not we had not considered uh placing solar on the on the rooftop.

Why? I'm just saying why wouldn't you? If it's you can't see it, no one will be able to see it. You will get you get the energy credits back. They they finance it for 30 years. And

yeah, we the the issue is we haven't calculated the um ultimate uh available rooftop to get into that uh decision making. Uh obviously um if we you know at some later point uh we may uh consider placing solar on there. That's not you know you can always place solar on an existing site. Uh but as far as right now that's not uh something that uh we have considered but we uh do take the board's uh comments uh on that as well. Lastly, bus stop.

Yeah. So, you're putting up all making, like you said, new trash cans, benches, and everything looks nice. Great job. Bus stops. So, just to how do we mitigate?

So, what my client would do as part of this because obviously the bus stop is going to be right in front of the building, right? So the quality of maintaining that bus stop and cleaning that bus stop is going to fall on him. Uh and he's willing to take that on uh on that maintenance and cleaning because obviously that cleaner bus stop is only going to be to his benefit. It's going to be the benefit of the pedestrians uh in that area. And uh

I was thinking like updating it colors and look and feel subject to NJ transit. Well, uh, my client is willing to agree to the to the maintenance and and cleaning and the maintenance of the of the, uh, of the of the bus stop if, uh, glass or whatever the plexiglass or whatever falls out, you know, he'll seek to to get that, uh, repaired and maintain the, uh, the seats. Uh, I don't think this is something where there would be a new bus stop, but rather maintenance of the uh, better better maintenance where there's probably none now. um but better maintenance and cleaning of that area which he'll take on uh going forward and throughout the time the site is is in operation

right to the far left but there are like nooks with

um I do also want to mention That is DOT jurisdiction. They would have to sign off and anything there. So you see the bus stop is shown rendering this piece right here. So like I said obviously that bus stop in essence becomes part of the project in a way. uh that he's going to be painted and this not can it be painted and cleaned up.

It will be it will be it'll be properly maintained and cleaned. I don't know what the status of the the I mean I think potentially and I think a lot of bus stops is right. So, so the question is they're agreeing to maintain it and make it look pretty.

Yeah. So, let's let's Yeah. So, it may be something that works with, right? You have the um you have the bid obviously which will also inform how well the sort of the manner in which it's kept. What? Oh, it's you. Okay, good. That's your next assignment, I guess. Okay. So, that's anything more for traffic. Nothing further, right, Justine? So, then one thing I want to put on the record since we're here is I think we've discussed with the removal of the dog park on site that there would be an offtrack contribution to the township recreation fund for 22,500.

That is correct, chairman. 15,000 would be paid at building permits. Building permits are and then 120 days later the remainder would be paid. I'm sure that the planning board attorney work with redevelopment attorney to find what fund the township has subject to the township. That's correct. Chair, does the board understand what we did? We removed the dog park. They added two spots. agreed to a contribution for what we could hope is a dog park, but it'll be up to the tattoo committee to decide what they

Okay. So, at this point, um, we're going to take this opportunity to open this matter to the public. Um, so the way we do it is for any members of the public that wish to speak, we get a lot five minutes. Uh, we'll allow you to ask questions of the professionals. We'll let them tally it and then the once they finish they'll come up and answer your questions. Is that fine? So any members of the public that wish to speak on application uh 10-25 10- 2025s uh please come up feel free. We have to swear on the dog too. So go ahead state your name for the record. And

it's Michael. Last name is Takis. T is T A K A Cs. I live at 39 Crescent Road, Springfield. Um, you're not, you know, you you're redeveloping. One thing you do is there's no way to I'm on an island right now. I feel like an island. There's no way to cross the streets any place. Especially that corner where they turn, there's no cross lines. It's like a risk for us to cross it. Every time I take her for a walk, if I want to cross that street, there's no way to get across that street. And um and also the big amount of accidents that we keep complaining about um is because this I witness walking across Morris Turnpike. I push the walk, I get a walk signal, the light stays green. Maybe happens once a month, but it does stay green and I and the cars start honking at me and I'm looking at them and I keep reporting it to everybody, but nobody seems to understand that. Doesn't happen all the time, but at least once a month when I cross that street, I hit that walk sign, that light says green

and it says to cross and that says tells me to cross. That's not the perview of our board, but it's a big safety issue that we'll have to have Mr. Disco work with the applicant to get. Is this by the bus stop? Yes, by the bus stop. And there is no way to there is no way to cross from across B. Uh what's that? Ber because there's no walk signs or anything. And then you don't know when to cross there and you're going to have these elderly people that might want to walk down the block something. You got no cross signal there, no no crosswalk, no no signage. So Mike, how would we obviously the DOT has to get involved with that as the reach out to?

Yeah, we've done that in the past. We've asked the applicant to interact with DOT for what improvements. We did this on the Lin project. We put a traffic signal in on on a so um there's a crosswalk across BR but there is no pedestrian actuation or signalization that signals a DOT signal not ours what if the board members recall we had on Victory Road I forget the name of that development there was a condition that was 12 years old about the pedestrian crossing on uh was it Main Street

we removed And well they they approached DOT. DOT said yeah you could do it full light reconstruction design 350K. So that was an unreasonable u condition which was removed by the board. So if if the applicant approaches DOT and they say redesign the whole multi-legged signal there that that's a crazy signal. Uh help me out Miss Fox. 400K whatever. So I mean it would be great to get actuation of pedestrian signals. I don't know if you do that though in in a vacuum. Again our experience with DOT is DOT is saying take the whole light.

But to the point I just looked I mean there's no actuation there. So you're relying on the vehicles who um you know it's a right turn only. So they're probably looking left and they're not even looking right. So if you're walking back to Crescent signage to alert them, well I don't know about that. It's help.

Right now it's legal to make a right on red there. There's no prohibition on right on red. Now I will tell you you put the no right turn on red there. You're going to queue it up even more. But it would help a pedestrian um to cross. Now again when I sat there for two hours I noted three pedestrians cross in that two hour time period. the PMP peak. Again, it's freezing out, so it's probably not a true thing. Snow.

The biggest the biggest peak is I can see it from my window in the morning. It's about 7 o'clock. 7 o'clock. This car is all the way down around the corners, both directions queued up. You know, saying there's only a few cars. No, in the last year it has don't know what it is, but it's a big queue and it's usually Tuesday and Thursday, not these off days that they're looking at. But I see the traffic. I would also imagine that people are If there's going to be res and yes it is 55 up now work or continue to work they might walk up that street.

Yeah it is considerable people that now might be another problem that's there is that traffic light. There is a traffic light that's supposed to stop after, but they all run it every time. They run it because they're saying there should be a stop here on red or some kind of marker that they know the stop at that traffic light. The police have requested that, but nothing has ever happened because again, it's the state. It's the state. But there is, but people don't realize they need to stop because we're crossing the street. So, what we'll do is we'll we'll have we'll refer it to the police to look into see what they can do. But if it's the DOT, it's unfortunate.

It's a Maybe you can put a sign up there. I you know I don't know what a sign is. Just line a sign that says stop here on red. So what we'll do is I'm sure the applicant will put any signs up that would they would need to put up. So we'll bring this to Captain Rachel to ask him to review and if he comes back and he says a sign would help then the applicant will work with Mr. Disco to come up with the right signage. Certainly enhances the striping of the crosswalk and the stop bar at that. There is no stop bar there right now. Right. Yeah. So that that will be something that uh we can do. Um, I forgot the traffic. It's not a full stop street, so it is a signal. Is that something that we can work with Mr. Disco to stripe the street?

Okay, perfect. So, you'll work with m as a condition, you work with Mr. Disco to figure out the striping of the street. Also, let's refer this to Captain Rachel, see if there's any other signage. Would that be hopefully that's the case and then if heck, if it's you're hitting and it says go and the traffic light, well, that needs to go to the DOT to look at. I'm sure. Yeah, we sent we I sent we Well, they have to apply for a permit, so it'll be part of their their thing to get to get to get they get noticed. Can't promise anything, but it definitely will get noticed because heck, I wouldn't want my anyone crossing the street, it says go and and cars are coming. It's coming. No matter what you do there and there's a lot of people because they cross, they get off the bus and they cross the street and it is you go across that in the morning, you got to pay attention. Okay. Well, thank you very much for your comments.

Any other members of the public wish to speak? You can come up and state your name for the record. Okay.

Jenny Joe uh 39 question. He's my husband. So, but we cover different part. He covers the uh traffic. I cover the the uh the building. So, I have a question. It's saying you have a 38 units here. That will bring a lot people. I do not know. So it's a nice lady did a research but I'm leave I live there I know what is I was there it's like a 12 years so is that uh some research I do not know where the number came from is not accurate okay so um first of all is that visit the parkings that's you you calculate based on the unit that's a lot unit for the more small space. Now it's if when they have a visitors they have where they park they park on the street. We have like a um like a Scotty Scotty people sometime they park a street around by the crescent road which is in front my house. So the where's the parking? That's is a in in crescent road is only one lane each direction. They park on the street and the other car cannot get through it. So this is one thing I want I want to point out. Another one is that um you talk about like have a dog park. Is that is a dog friendly?

There's going to be no dog nothing. There be no dog park. So n is not a dog friendly in that facility. All right. There's not going to be dogs can be allowed in the apartments. Yeah. Yeah. That would be up to the That would be up to I think that you know that's something that the owner would have to uh decide if it's going to be uh pets are are allowed as part of his business making decision.

There's a park around the corner. Yeah. The reason I point out we have an uh other like um apartment um by the like a Mubar Avenue, right? They do have a like in part of Springfield. They do have a like allowed have a dog there. We have a dog. We walk a dog. We clean up but not everybody clean up after. Right. on the the sidewalk they have like a green like a grass it's nice look very nice you can sit down but I think is they do not pick up the yeah we obviously can't control behaviors

yeah so so that's what I say is like you allow the dog there or not then some people not pick up then they will on the street on the by my house if we talk about is like winter time we can deal with more. But it's summertime, I smell. Yeah. There's nothing we can do to control for that to happen. This happens at my house, too. I'd see my neighbors walking their dogs and they don't clean up. I tell them very nicely, please take care of it.

My hopes that people be neighborly, but there's nothing we can control from that standpoint. As far as parking, I think on Crescent, just like the street I live in, people can park all hours up until 2 am to 6 a.m.

Crescent, the south side is no parking. Uh the north side is parking initially from Bal about 10 and then it's signed no parking after that. So they there is a place that people can park guest of yourself to park. You can't stop people from if they're visiting parking there. If they park on the wrong side of the street, at least see it. They're going to take it. No park, but there's nothing we can do on the other side. We allow it. So that way you can also have res. Okay. So you answer another one is um generator. You talk about generator where the location not always put on the back of near.

No generator. So there's no generator part of this application. If there is one, you will get noticed. If you were noticed for this, you would be noticed for that. Okay. And then another thing is that uh is that the building have a surveillance cameras? Yes. Yes. So this any the security security for security purpose? Yes.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Because the somebody stole my car from my driveway and neighbors they cannot we we call them is our police officer found it but it's like a neighbors they their camera cannot catch we caught it. So that's that's is a safety and also another um thing is we want to see the trash. I did not like it. So the trash is inside which is good even though inside the summertime smell well think about this is far away from your house is part of can we can they go to the other side of building

but think about it this way people live in that building so if it's bad for them it's think about if it reaches you it's going to be a hundred times worse for the people that live there so I'm sure that they're taking the precautions to make sure it's picked up in a timely fashion that way it's not smelling within the building forget about that you are I think Mr. said 50 something feet with 65ish feet away. People live a foot away, five feet away. People are adjacent to it. So, as a board, I'm less concerned. But I know that if it becomes an issue, you report it. If there's a smell and it continues, you report it to the the township non-emergency line. They would or the board of health department. Okay. We limit it to five minutes of Yes. So, that's the one thing is the trash.

Yeah. Um um I'm not not the the what's it called? Um the bus station the bus station is better of move the other side of the traffic light. But I'm suggesting it's it's nothing that this board can control because it is a DOT standpoint. The only thing this board is going to try to do is make suggestions to make looking feel better and make maintenance of it. That's the only Yeah. The reason I point out is this because we walk our dog across street from to the Mubra Avenue a lot and then the sometime the homeless there inside the u the bus station.

Well, if there is the phone and call the non police emergency number and let them know they'll work. We we did but uh you cannot call them every time. You have to wait please show up. Mr. Chair, the five minutes is up. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, thank you very much. Okay. Thank you. Any other members of the public wish to speak?

Uh, good evening. Uh, my name is Nicholas Bombardier. I'm a Springfield resident as of uh 2016. Uh, I live in the neighborhood. I I would, uh, right in this neck of the woods of Springfield. I'm very excited to see such a, you know, beautifully designed, um, structure going, you know, into the community. I think we really need that. Uh my concern is, you know, really echoing with a lot of the other sentiments about the traffic. Uh I travel through there quite often on my way to um Morris Avenue to get to Milbour to go to the Shopright. Um and there's five different directions of traffic funneling all into that one small intersection, which is probably like maybe the size of this room. When you have cars going 45 miles an hour, making left turns, right turns. When you make a right turn and you're on Balta Way, and Scotty's used to be on your right, you could make that right turn on red. As soon as you make that right turn on red, there's another light waiting there. Sometimes it's red. on the opposite side of that in this picture

right here. This was not I think we all recognize that it was not properly right designed. Yeah. The difference would be is if this was a retail center and it could have been retail center went down able to put a few retail centers but our what we've heard from the traffic engineer as well as our township engineer planning board engineer whatever that it could be it would be worse this is a less of a use it maybe not be what we all want it to be but it's a less of a use correct Mr. of what there were individual retail shops there. That's correct.

I mean, it seems like a an assumption is what that is. Well, no. If you you have to if you have to believe if you had retail shops there, I don't want to debate. No, based upon my years of being on the board, you would have more cars coming in and out because they would be visiting these retail shops, three, four, whatever might be there. this limits with a more of a set precise number that allows our traffic study to be done to say look I'm not saying this is the best that it could be but you got 38 and how many exponential of you know visitors and so forth at least it limits it as opposed to not knowing how many people will come per day if there's a pizza shop there cutting place and so

potentially um so there's also the some of the numbers that were uh given there's 38 units it was 38 vehicles based that was put into that equation. Um, but there could be up to 60 vehicles and I, you know, if it's a it's a couple, I mean, I know most people have, you know, more than one car. Um, if we're talking about a place that's going to allow pets and we have 13 to 15 feet of sidewalk, we have uh benches. We have people 55 and over uh who start to use rollolators, walkers, uh other types of ambulatory devices, wheelchairs, turning radius on any of those corners if you're taking your dog out for a walk. These are all considerations. I'm very concerned when I have to go to that intersection. Personally, I don't like it now. Um I feel like it's the wild west on that on that intersection, especially when you're making rights. There's people flying through yellow lights. Uh there's there's I never see any type of real enforcement. Once in a while there's a Milbourne police officer uh up by the uh T-Mobile, but aside from that, it's it's it's full go. And you have people the uh gas station there. You have a oil change place. You have the Walgreens. Uh the Dunkin Donuts. It's just a lot of volume volume. And I don't I would never want to, you know, do anything that or say anything that would, you know, hurt the case of such a good uh, you know, well thoughtout business. We need that in Springfield. I'm very happy that that would be a beautiful site. I just wish there was more space. And if not, I think there needs to be strong consideration for the safety of the people in the neighborhood, but also for the residents who are going to be uh taking up residency there. Uh, again, I know it was brought up, you know, their age. Um, and and sometimes there's a, you know,

it's it's a pretty aggressive area to have a big box there. You're coming down Baltro way. You make that right turn. There's poor visibility after you make that right. And as soon as you make that right, there's people either making rights or lefts out of Crescent. And then a little further up uh from there, there's going to be a big box. And that's going to be creating uh space for people to pull in and out. And at the same time, cars from at least three directions coming and potentially making lefts off of Mars into onto Baltusway. Um I just I don't know. From what I heard tonight, I just don't feel strongly that um the traffic issues are uh have been addressed and I think there needs to be a lot more consideration. Uh, it's a it I could potentially see this being a public safety issue. I personally would not want to walk on those sidewalks. There's not much space. Um, and I would have a lot of concern for the exact location of the gateway where the sign is and where people will be entering and in and out. Um, I know that that is completely exposed to all of this traffic coming in all these different directions. uh you know and I just I I would just worry crossing over there you know with the increase in volume you know and strong with strong consideration to the residents who would be moving in.

Okay. Well, thank you for your comments. Mr. Just with the sidewalks I know we went through this it would have been in your review. The sidewalks are all size requirement by the state.

Yeah. All the sidewalks ringing the property are going to be new. Uh they're wider than your average residential sidewalk which is 4 feet. Um in terms of I just point out the rightway of B stroll way is 50 feet. Hardway is about 29 say 30 worst case you still have 10 feet of right away that no buildings in plus the articulation and the setbacks further. You heard Mr. Lazif Fox say 13 14 ft of curb to building along volway. So most of that's going to be size certainly the whole corner is going to be size. So like in front of my house it's four feet more than double more than double at the corner and the whole frontage along Mars Avenue is is new sidewalk which if you look at the condition of that sidewalk trips just um look we're not building brand new here the whole intersection. Unfortunately, we have to live with the intersection. We what we've tried to do is make this as safe as possible by keeping the driveway furthest away, which benefits the existing condition. We've also picked a use. It's a permitted use, but the the the zoning and the township committee have enumerated it's it's about the least traffic generating use over 55 residential property. But if it was Scotty zone wasn't reszoneed to residential have a Dunkin Donuts there you can have Starbucks there zone you could have had uh any retail you could have had anything acre site uh so could get something again we I think we're Scotty's didn't really operate at their full capacity certainly I'll say postcoid I don't want to

this is the least intense that that's that's the point now. Okay, perfect. All right. Any uh so I'm going to close it to the any more members of the public wish to speak on this application? Seeing none, I'm going to close it to the public or it back to the board for some comments and councils to talk. So, a couple things we we still don't know whether it's rentals versus not. I think one of the things that we talked about was putting um if the board act favorably that 45 days from the adoption of the resolution, you would have to enter into the RDA, right? We're in the uh midst of finalizing the RDA. Yes, chairman.

RDA, you're going to have to decide at that point in time rentals versus not. I we got we can't have it looming forever. I mean, I will tell you, I would imagine from my perspective, I would much rather it be for sale um sale units because that would uh that would more make it a more well tainted, more uh well-maintained site. Uh but either which way you're you're allowed. Question throwing it out. Isn't there a little bit? Isn't there a recommendation capital on hand. That's if they do an HOA. Yes. Yes.

There's there when when they when it's an HOA, they have to there will be a certain amount that they'll have to first when they close that they'll have to put in reserves and so forth. That's why it would be subject to the township attorney to review the documents. I still would want the I still would want the planning board chair to Oh, go ahead. I didn't even see who's there. Well, if I do, we're going to have to open it back up to the public. some information. Why don't you just speak to your attorney, right? Yeah.

The reason that we can't commit at this point is because we haven't done any marketing on on whether or not it would be better to be rental and I've built dozens of projects whether I've built dozens of projects to talk to you,

right? And uh at this point, we don't know because Milbourne Avenue um is is still under review on how successful they're doing with their apartment rentals because these are high-end apartments. So, we would need to see that. And there's a really good chance that marketing wise in Springfield, a lot of seniors would like to maintain a residence in Springfield, but they have a home down the shore. They have a home in Florida, but they don't want to leave. is a very desirable as everybody knows in this room community. So if if that was the case, it would be better to go with a condo type of ownership which is which is this the ownership does have nothing to do with the use. It's the same amount of residential units whether it's condo or rental. Is this hard without getting started and without doing any marketing to commit one way or the other? However, I've noted and even it's even part of the application that We will we will comply if it is rental to co-a units based on rental units and if it does go for sale we would comply to sales.

I just I'm just saying I'm talking to the attorney not here. Um I'm just saying we can't leave that out forever. You know there needs to be a time. I would appreciate it if the time could be a whatever the board would feel. Actually it's not our board. It's it's it's the township committee that that's the case. It's us that has to have a we have to since you didn't do an RDA typically we would not typically hear this application before or we may not rule on it until an RDA. Typically the RDA is done first. Right.

Okay. Since you haven't done that, our condition of approval was that you must do that. I'm know the township committee is going to put something in in there. So the question is you have to we're going to put in that you have to enter an RDA by a certain period of time. So it's going to lock you in. I'm just trying to I was under the impression that my other buildings that even residential rentals would be made a condo at any time. It's a it's a it's

you can convert at any time. So if we we commit in 45 days and we to be safe and we said I just don't ever want to lead aboard and we said at that time we're we're we're leaning towards the the rentals to comply to that and then something happened a couple of months later and it was switched to to condos. I just don't you know I just don't want anybody to say he he represented one thing and he did something else. Yeah. Okay. So here's what we're going to do. We're going to say 60 days from the date of resolution you have to enter into RDA. you work it out with the township committee on from that standpoint.

I'll tell you my preference as a board member would be for rentals and not for for for sale rather you sell condo and this way it's it's just going to be maintained better. There's a sense of ownership that all of them want to make sure where they live looks great. Okay. And I think uh sir attorney that there seems to be a real need for the condo versus uh rentals. So I'm I'm kind of leaning towards that myself that okay that might So that's fine. We're gonna do it for marketing as a condition of approval. Um there'll be you'll have to enter an RDA within 60 days. Work that out with the township committee verbalization. So

I'll work that out in terms of language. Okay. So um any approvals county dot all that stuff everything that Mr. Disco said in his review and and Gabe said in his review, Barber Consultants and Mr. Disco, yes, we will comply. Okay. Um Okay, let me open up the board and see if there's anything else. The bus bus, we're going to you're going to partner with the bids to see what you can do. Look and feel. Um yeah, the street the town, you go to the township committee. The township committee will give a few suggestions. Uh but this way it'll be named. We'll follow a final plot. So that way hopefully it get picked up with the county. So it be it's on the street spaces, right? Kaiser way. What?

No. Yeah. Sign tags and spaces. Work with check with the tax assessor. If you know if it's for sale, you'll need a lot block. If it's not, it'll be one lot and block or whatever it is. We will certainly work with township professionals. Mr. Chairman, I I I think we need to put in the resolution. It's age restricted. Oh, yeah. That's that goes without saying. Units are 55 and older for no matter what way you go. Understood. That was the whole presence of presumption. That's never going to change. Yeah. Resolution compliance. Mr. Disco brought up about what the look will feel of sure that there will be proper screenage of what the utilities on top of the roof look like. That was another one. Correct. Snow removal.

Snow removal off the site. That that will be there. Yes. That will also that will also be in the in the homeowners association docs or the or the property management docs will follow through and trash collection will not be any Mr. Korn got that 7:30 in the morning Mr. Disco to compliance with the township uh time 7 at 7:30 a.m. I think is is more than reasonable. Not before 7:30. Not before 7:30. Yes. Anything? So let me pull the board. See if we missed anything. Ken lighting plan to Mr. disco lighting plan and trees to do a site inspection when uh when the site's up and running and anything

resolution right resolution compliance chair yes on this property ago They're not all he was incorrect. They all have to be all 55.

Yeah. So it the master there has to be dedic. The question is could someone I think believe was someone under 55 be able to live there. Um that could be up to determination of the building. I guess

well you we would have done by the town

we're gonna that that's specifically included in the RDA. So we work on the RDA because 55 and I have a 30-y old wife. So that's gonna that's that RDA is going to live beyond this project. Runs with the property.

Just one question. This gentleman's concern over here speeding and everything. I lived in town for years. Has anybody given any concern?

I don't think there was any thought process of doing that. I think once again, I think as Miss Fox indicated, that would anytime you're you're entering that area, you'd have to get uh DOT approval. And um I'm not sure that that's necessarily called for under the circumstances. Mr. Disco would not allow any fixed object if it's in the clear zone. We would have to confirm the distance of the clear zone and that's based on the speed limit along the roadway. Yeah, it is about 85

the posted speed limit on the roadway. If it be at some point a car will go through the bars by Yeah, it happens once history's building I would imagine if they see it happening. Just know as the owner chaos there is a very good chance that at some point that will happen at the Mozilla. The reason why Scott on that corner was because that building got hit at least twice.

So much happened just went through it again to catch the car. Look, I Mr. Disco is it some Why don't we bring it up with the applicant to see what's what's if it's something that is possible and if it's not then I don't think DOT is going to permit that along Mars Avenue. Okay. And You could suggest a guide rail. A guide rail is not designed for a head-on. Yeah. It's for 40 miles an hour coming at an angle. So, um, now Walter roll away, you have purview here, but is that what you're talking about? Ballers on bolt roll away. It's not going to it's not going to impact because speed's not going to be there.

Okay. So seeing no more, you have everything in the resolution. Okay. So since we already mentioned everything, I'm not going to reurgitate. So can I enter ask for a motion to approve the application with everything that's been subject? Obviously, the board's going to be an opportunity to review the resolution for the next meeting. Our goal would be to adopt it on March. So can I have a motion to approve? Who's able to vote? Julie. Oh, wait. Julie, I didn't ask you. I'm so sorry. Any questions for you? I'm so sorry. I just Yeah. Okay. So, see Yeah, we have 10 members present. Nine will vote.

Nine will vote. Okay. So, seeing none, um, can I have a motion to approve the application with the conditions that we outlined? Seconded. Okay. Can we have a roll call, please? MO. Yes, Mr. Wishna. Yes, Mayor Laer. No, Deputy Mayor Kaiser. Just a second.

Uh uh I I I support the project uh at at uh at the coun council level. Uh I will continue to support it here. I I do think that over overall uh the the improvements to this corner and the look of the building will continues down our mission of this township committee and uh uh local government of improving our downtown corridor. And I think for far too long we had a a former bar that at one point was a gateway and a staple of the community, but over the years uh uh uh just wasn't pulling in enough uh uh customers to to to make it a viable and attractive site. Um, improving it with apartments, hey, might not be everybody's housing units uh uh uh might not be everybody's desire. Uh, but

I am concerned about Uber. I I think we just are not we are not reacting quick enough to the technology and that is certainly going to be especially with 55 up. We're going to rely on that in uh all time for that. Uh two, I want to see that bus stop uh improved. Um, I hope that the wiser as we build a nice new unit that improving that will be uh recognized by all. Uh, and I do recognize the the the traffic is definitely a problem. We really should it I've brought this up at the township committee level from residents. It it's the problem is that it is two towns control and make recommendations to the DOT part of Milbourne and us. And we've been at times uh the towns have gone as far as I understand police have gone back and forth at times trying to configure it. Uh uh so it is a difficult situation but it is something that I as more traffic continues to get used uh uh and enforcement unfortunately because it kind of lies between both towns uh isn't always uh uh uh the best. So, I think it's something that we really do have to punt to the police and and and kind of come up with and and see if DOT will allow signals for pedestrians because 55 plus is going to use that for the train station. It's a desirable location. It's why you are building there, right? It's not lost on anybody. Mass transit is right up the street. Uh uh and probably will be used. So, if you're telling me if and we had testimony from a resident here that crossing that is difficult, we really do have to wrap our heads around that and try to figure that out. Uh uh

uh with putting that stuff on the record, I I will vote yes and and appreciate lastly the the offtrack improvement which will go towards a dedicated dog park in our community. Uh so, thank you for recognizing that you are part of the community and improving it on the whole. So much appreciated. Say yes. Mr. Barnett. Yay. Mr. Cedarquist. Yay. Mr. Korn. Yes. Vice Chair Laer.

I've always been taught to er on the side of caution and and I do see a lot of issues. I see I see the good. I see the bad. I think the bad outweighs the good because of safety. So, I will have to vote no. Chair Tiger. So I have to add in two small conditions. One which I think we agreed the word apartments is stricken from anything going forward.

Okay. And the second and the second thing is And the second thing is um I would like in the lease agreement that obviously everyone will know their street address that that they use whatever lease purchase agreement whatever that that they're advise that Uber to use the street their street address not Mars Avenue or they can put something in the agreement so that way at least it helps doesn't doesn't mean that it will but at least it helps. I I agree chairman. Uh some rules and regulations internally for the um for the residents there regardless of how they are there. Uh I I believe that's appropriate condition of approval.

They will have a street address. They should use that for Uber. Hopefully that helps and mitigates uh concerns. Agreed. Chairman, I'll say yes. Yes. As well. The motion passes. Great. Congratulations. Thank you. Take care. appreciate you everyone's time tonight. Thank you. Okay. Yeah, this is very long. We normally never have this. Wait, wait, wait. So, there next any other members of the public wish to speak on any other things before this board? Seeing none, I'm going to close it. And then our next meeting will be March 9, 2026. Mr. Wish is going to be giving us an environmental update. Very excited for that. Motion to adjurnn, please. Motion. Okay. All in favor?