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Record of Proceedings

Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - September 18, 2025

Zoning Board of Adjustment — Thursday, September 18, 2025
BodyFranklin Township, New Jersey
SessionZoning Board of Adjustment
DateThursday, September 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:59:38

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:00

If you're if you have access to a seat, please sit in it.

0:04

Try and remain still and let us uh try and do the talking.

0:10

Oh.

0:12

Good evening.

0:13

It's the zoning board meeting of September 18, 2025, in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act PL 1975, Chapter 231.

0:23

Adequate notice of this regular meeting of the zoning board of the Township of Franklin has been provided.

0:30

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

0:40

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

0:47

Please call the role.

0:49

Cheryl Bithia, Faraz Khan, Shependu Singh, and I think that's all have asked to be excused.

0:58

Richard Brocanick.

1:03

Here.

1:04

Alan Rich.

1:05

Here.

1:05

Gary Rosenthal.

1:06

Here.

1:07

Robert Shepard.

1:08

Here.

1:08

Michael Doherty.

1:09

Here.

1:10

Kunala Kia?

1:11

Here.

1:11

Chairman Thomas.

1:12

Here.

1:13

We have minutes to the regular meeting, August 7th, 2025.

1:17

Alan Rich and Michael Daugherty cannot vote.

1:22

We need a second.

1:23

Second.

1:23

Wait, who said it?

1:24

I'm sorry.

1:26

Oh, Gary.

1:26

I apologize.

1:27

I didn't hear it.

1:28

And you second by the same thing.

1:31

Yes, that's correct.

1:33

Masim Birdas?

1:34

Yes.

1:35

Gary Rosenthal?

1:36

Yes.

1:36

Robert Shepard?

1:37

Yes.

1:38

Kunalakia?

1:40

Yes.

1:40

Robert Thomas.

1:44

Okay.

1:47

Resolution IDI logistic ZBA 240010.

1:53

We need a motion for that.

1:57

This is the one that we were sent late.

1:59

That is correct.

2:01

Okay.

2:03

Okay.

2:03

I'll second that.

2:06

Okay.

2:07

Vasim Birdas.

2:08

Yes.

2:09

Alan Rich?

2:11

Yes.

2:12

Gary Rosenthal?

2:13

Yes.

2:14

Robert Shepard?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Development█████████████████████████████████████████████53%
Procedural████████████████████24%
Zoning Regulations████████10%
Economic Development██████7%
Historic Preservation██2%
Religious Land Use██2%
Engineering And Infrastructure█1%
Environmental Protection█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - September 18, 2025

The Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment met on September 18, 2025, at 7:00 PM. The board approved the minutes of the August 7, 2025 meeting and a resolution for IDI Logistics (ZBA-24-00010). The board heard and unanimously approved a use variance for Bounce Air Adventure Park LLC to operate an indoor recreation facility. The board also began hearings on a subdivision application by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of U.S.A. but carried the matter to November 6, 2025, after public testimony.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The board approved the minutes of the regular meeting on August 7, 2025.
  • Resolution IDI Logistics (ZBA-24-00010): The board approved the resolution for IDI Logistics unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Bounce Air Adventure Park: No public comments or questions were offered. The application was open to the public but no one spoke.
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church Subdivision: Several members of the public spoke during the question-and-answer period for witness Josh Zeman and engineer Daniel Miola. Questions focused on the adequacy of public notice, timing of document submission, impact on the Ukrainian community, stormwater management, building access, and the relationship to the cemetery. The board's attorney guided the public that questions must be limited to the witness's testimony. The board also noted that all application materials are available on the township website.

Discussion Items

  • Bounce Air Adventure Park (ZBA-25-00019): The applicant sought a D(1) use variance to operate an indoor recreation facility (trampoline park, bounce house, party rooms) in a vacant former Office Depot space at 940 Easton Avenue, Somerset, Block 385 Lot 2.07 in the G-B zone. Testimony was provided by the applicant's engineer (Chu Fangyang), owner (Hang Lin), and planner (Alison Coffin). The facility will be approximately 20,500 square feet, with hours Monday–Friday 2:00 PM–8:00 PM and weekends 10:00 AM–9:00 PM. Target age is 5–15; adults 18+ only permitted during private events. Expected weekday patrons under 100, weekend peak 225. Employees: 8–10 weekdays, 15–20 weekends. Parking is shared with the shopping center (over 800 spaces). The planner opined that special reasons exist for the variance, the site is suitable, and the use will not detrimentally impact the zone. The board unanimously approved the variance.
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church Subdivision (ZBA-25-00008): The applicant proposed to subdivide the existing 32.6-acre lot (Block 469 Lot 1.06) at 135 Davidson Avenue into two lots: a 14.9-acre lot (proposed Lot 1.09) to be retained by the church, and a 17.7-acre lot (proposed Lot 1.08) to be sold for a warehouse development. The subdivision is conforming to all bulk requirements. The board heard testimony from Josh Zeman (partner at Creation Equity, the prospective warehouse developer) and Daniel Miola (engineer). Discussion included the need for easements, the relationship to the proposed warehouse (applications ZBA-25-00007 and ZBA-25-00009), and the historic commission's prior approval. The board also discussed the possibility of beginning hearings at 7:00 PM at the Board of Education building for the next meeting due to expected larger attendance.

Key Outcomes

  • Bounce Air Adventure Park: Approved unanimously (all members present voted aye). The board granted the D(1) use variance.
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church Subdivision: The board voted to carry the hearing to Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Franklin Township Board of Education Campus, 2301 Route 27, Somerset, NJ. No further notice will be sent; the public is advised to check the township website for updates. The two related applications (ZBA-25-00007 and ZBA-25-00009) were also carried to the same date with no further notice as per the agenda.

Meeting Transcript

If you're if you have access to a seat, please sit in it. Try and remain still and let us uh try and do the talking. Oh. Good evening. It's the zoning board meeting of September 18, 2025, in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act PL 1975, Chapter 231. Adequate notice of this regular meeting of the zoning board of the Township of Franklin has been provided. Board members, applicants, professionals, and members of the public, please speak directly into the microphone 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. Please call the role. Cheryl Bithia, Faraz Khan, Shependu Singh, and I think that's all have asked to be excused. Richard Brocanick. Here. Alan Rich. Here. Gary Rosenthal. Here. Robert Shepard. Here. Michael Doherty. Here. Kunala Kia? Here. Chairman Thomas. Here. We have minutes to the regular meeting, August 7th, 2025. Alan Rich and Michael Daugherty cannot vote. We need a second. Second. Wait, who said it? I'm sorry. Oh, Gary. I apologize. I didn't hear it. And you second by the same thing. Yes, that's correct. Masim Birdas? Yes. Gary Rosenthal? Yes. Robert Shepard? Yes. Kunalakia? Yes. Robert Thomas. Okay. Resolution IDI logistic ZBA 240010. We need a motion for that. This is the one that we were sent late. That is correct. Okay.

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