The Zoning Board of Adjustment on Monday night pushed an application to its April meeting for a 14-unit townhouse complex off Barnett Street because of insufficient information.
Become a Patron of RahwayRising.com
The initial application had proposed two, five-unit townhouses on two lots and was carried from the December and January Zoning Board meetings. Since then, the application has added a third lot and another 4-unit townhouse for a total 14 units.
Colonia-based Pine Street Rahway LLC is under contract on a single-family home at 2147 Barnett St. (Block 358/Lot 8), and Lot 9 while already having acquired Lot 10. The original plan only included Lots 9 and 10, which are wooded areas adjacent to Flanagan Field, abutting the Linden border.
An amended application filed with the city on Feb. 8 shows one four-unit townhouse on the adjacent Lot 8 — the corner of Pine and Barnett streets — in addition to the original two, five-unit townhouses on Lots 9 and 10. The 14 units would sit on just less than 1 acre across the three merged lots, with a total 16,349 square feet, according to the application.
The application seeks preliminary and final major site plan approval as well as a D use variance — since townhouses are not allowed in the medium density R-2 single-family zone — and Bulk C variances:
- Minimum lot depth: 200 feet required/93 feet proposed
- Minimum front yard setback: 30 feet required/15.5 feet proposed
- Minimum side yard setback one side: 20 feet required/16 feet proposed
- Minimum rear yard setback: 30 feet required/13.8 feet proposed
- Maximum building coverage: 20% required/33.1% proposed
- Maximum lot coverage: 50% required/56.7% proposed
- Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR): 40% required/61.9% proposed
The proposed townhouses would have a single-car attached garage and a front porch. Zoning would require 2.4 spaces per unit (34 in all). The original plan proposed 41 parking spaces, including two off-site parking stalls to the north of the buildings, however, it’s unclear if those will be designated for residential or visitor parking.
The applicant proposes to vacate the existing Pine Street right-of-way, and improve it with a paved road, curbing, lighting, and installation of an underground storm water management system.
The matter has been carried several times since the December meeting, specifically because of comments raised in the reports from board professionals, Zoning Board Attorney Mark Moon said. The adjournments were meant as an opportunity to address concerns raised by professionals, he added. Since additional parcels are being acquired, there are going to be further changes to the application.
James McCarthy, counsel for the applicant, “candidly agreed” with Moon’s assessment. Those responses were not submitted, he said, and sought suggestions on how to proceed.
“We really don’t know what you guys are looking to do here. Having those concerns and questions addressed in writing and drawings revised as to what changes are coming is not an unreasonable demand before we start wasting time on testimony being presented,” Moon said. He recommended carrying the application another month, however, the next meeting is scheduled for March 15. That makes for a quick turnaround as documents should be received by professionals no later than 10 days before the meeting (March 5, next Friday).
Discussion continued for about 30 minutes as to whether to push the application to the March or April meeting before it was finally settled that it would be heard at the April 19 meeting, with applications and documents to be submitted no later than March 22.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting RahwayRising.com by becoming a Patron.
