OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Franklin Township Board of Adjustment Meeting - December 26, 2024

Zoning Board of Adjustment — Thursday, December 26, 2024
BodyFranklin Township, New Jersey
SessionZoning Board of Adjustment
DateThursday, December 26, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:23:35

Transcript — Verbatim
0:24

Chapter two thirty-one adequate notice of this regular meeting of the board of adjustment of the town of Franklin has been provided.

0:32

Board members, applicant, professionals, members of the public, please speak directly into microphones so our recording secretary can properly process minutes.

0:41

Applicants and professionals, please fill out the sheet on the table when you've completed your testimony.

0:49

And we'll proceed with a roll call, please.

0:58

Alan Richary Rosenthal.

1:13

Next we have minutes of the regular meeting, September nineteenth, twenty twenty-four.

1:18

Do we have a motion?

1:19

I'll move.

1:20

Oh second.

1:23

Yes, let me tell you who's eligible.

1:25

Um this is for the nine five meeting.

1:27

It's uh those eligible to vote uh Vasim, Alan, Gary, um, and Chairman Thomas.

1:35

So we need a motion.

1:37

I'll move.

1:38

Second.

1:43

Okay.

1:44

All in favor.

1:45

Aye.

1:46

Aye.

1:46

Any posed.

1:50

Motion carried.

1:54

Uh September fifth, twenty twenty-four.

1:58

Uh is there a motion?

2:00

Okay, yeah, so this is for the the nine nineteen.

2:03

Um those eligible to vote, Richard Pacanick, Vasim, uh Alan, Gary, and Chairman Thomas.

2:10

I'll move.

2:11

Second.

2:15

Okay, all in favor?

2:16

Aye.

2:17

Aye.

2:17

Any opposed.

2:19

Any motion carried.

2:20

We have a resolution.

2:22

Uh Jayon Gukale, ZBA twenty-four oh oh nine.

2:29

Uh is there a motion?

2:31

Well, let me let me just so uh Alan, uh those eligible to vote, let me do it that way.

2:35

Cheryl, Richard, uh, Vasim, Gary, Bob Shepard, Bob Thomas.

2:41

I'll move.

2:42

Second.

2:45

Second.

2:47

Okay, all in favor?

2:48

Aye.

2:49

Any opposed?

2:52

Motion carried.

2:54

Uh again, no discussion on our agenda in the hearings section today of the agenda.

3:00

We're gonna make a switch.

3:02

Uh and uh caterers will be after the Millstone Valley Fire Department, which is up now.

3:11

ZBA 2400 nineteen.

3:16

Applicants seeking a D one use variants, preliminary final major site plan and a C variance to construct a twenty eight hundred eighty-four square foot pole building, twenty-three sixty-five Amwell Road, Somerset, second one up there.

3:54

Oh, that's a trial one of the people.

5:42

Good evening, Mr.

5:43

Chairman, members of the board.

5:44

Peter Lamford appearing on behalf of the Millstone Valley Fire Department.

5:55

We are here this evening to seek a D2 use variance for the expansion of a non-conforming use.

6:10

There are a couple of C variances that are uh associated with this application.

6:15

Uh unfortunately, Franklin Township uh does not allow in any zone volunteer fire companies or firehouses.

6:24

So anything that is done with respect to a firehouse requires a D variance, and since the building is not a municipal building, uh it would not it is not exempt from uh uh zoning approval.

6:38

So that's why we're here this evening.

6:40

Uh I'm going to call Mr.

6:41

Ardman uh to present the application both in this capacity as an engineer and in his capacity as a planner uh to justify the variances.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Development██████████████████████████████████████38%
Zoning Regulations█████████████████████████████████████37%
Procedural██████6%
Public Safety██████6%
Parking Management█████5%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Historic Preservation██2%
Public Engagement██2%
Environmental Protection█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Franklin Township Board of Adjustment Meeting - December 26, 2024

The Franklin Township Board of Adjustment held a regular meeting on December 26, 2024, at 12:30 PM. The board approved prior meeting minutes, a resolution, and conducted hearings on three zoning applications: a pole building for the Millstone Valley Fire Department, a banquet facility for Andaaz Caterers, and a multi-tenant shopping center use variance for Princeton Route 27 LLC. All three applications were approved with conditions.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes: Approved for the regular meetings of September 5, 2024, and September 19, 2024. Votes were unanimous.
  • Resolution: Approved for Jayant Gokhale (ZBA-24-00009). Vote was unanimous.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public offered comments or testimony during the hearings.

Discussion Items

  • Millstone Valley Fire Department (ZBA-24-00019): The applicant sought a D(2) use variance, preliminary and final major site plan, and C variances to construct a 2,884-square-foot pole building at 2365 Amwell Road, Somerset (Block 512, Lot 5.04) in the A (Agricultural) Zone. The firehouse is a non-conforming use in all zones; the expansion is for additional equipment including a water rescue vehicle. Proposed C variances included impervious coverage (from 47.1% to 54.2%), lot coverage (from 11.5% to 14.9%), front yard setback (existing 76.4 ft vs. required 100 ft), side yard (9.9 ft vs. required 50 ft), and rear yard (78.3 ft vs. required 150 ft). The applicant demonstrated enhanced stormwater management (7,200 cubic feet of storage vs. required 1,546 cubic feet). The board approved the application.
  • Andaaz Caterers, LLC (ZBA-24-00016): The applicant sought a D(1) use variance to convert a previously approved 50-seat overflow restaurant space into a 94-seat banquet facility at 3887 Route 27, Somerset (Block 34.01, Lot 32.02) in the N-B Zone. The use

Meeting Transcript

Chapter two thirty-one adequate notice of this regular meeting of the board of adjustment of the town of Franklin has been provided. Board members, applicant, professionals, members of the public, please speak directly into microphones so our recording secretary can properly process minutes. Applicants and professionals, please fill out the sheet on the table when you've completed your testimony. And we'll proceed with a roll call, please. Alan Richary Rosenthal. Next we have minutes of the regular meeting, September nineteenth, twenty twenty-four. Do we have a motion? I'll move. Oh second. Yes, let me tell you who's eligible. Um this is for the nine five meeting. It's uh those eligible to vote uh Vasim, Alan, Gary, um, and Chairman Thomas. So we need a motion. I'll move. Second. Okay. All in favor. Aye. Aye. Any posed. Motion carried. Uh September fifth, twenty twenty-four. Uh is there a motion? Okay, yeah, so this is for the the nine nineteen. Um those eligible to vote, Richard Pacanick, Vasim, uh Alan, Gary, and Chairman Thomas. I'll move. Second. Okay, all in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed. Any motion carried. We have a resolution. Uh Jayon Gukale, ZBA twenty-four oh oh nine. Uh is there a motion? Well, let me let me just so uh Alan, uh those eligible to vote, let me do it that way. Cheryl, Richard, uh, Vasim, Gary, Bob Shepard, Bob Thomas. I'll move. Second. Second. Okay, all in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. Uh again, no discussion on our agenda in the hearings section today of the agenda. We're gonna make a switch. Uh and uh caterers will be after the Millstone Valley Fire Department, which is up now. ZBA 2400 nineteen. Applicants seeking a D one use variants, preliminary final major site plan and a C variance to construct a twenty eight hundred eighty-four square foot pole building, twenty-three sixty-five Amwell Road, Somerset, second one up there. Oh, that's a trial one of the people.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com