Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting – April 2, 2026

The Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment met on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 12:45 PM (evening session) to consider several applications, including resolutions for prior matters, a major site plan for PSE&G, a conditional use and parking variance for Somerset Bible Baptist Church, and a sign variance for Wash King Somerset Opco LLC. The meeting included roll call, approval of minutes, resolution approvals, and public hearings. Two applications were approved with conditions, and one hearing was carried to a future date.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The board approved the regular meeting minutes of February 5, 2026 (unanimous: 5 yes) and February 19, 2026 (unanimous: 5 yes, with member recusals noted).
• Resolutions:
  • Thirukumaran Velayudhan (ZBA-24-00002): Approved unanimously (5 yes, with two members recused).
  • JC IOS Acquisitions, LLC (ZBA-25-00020): Approved unanimously (5 yes, with two members recused).

Public Comments & Testimony

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

Discussion Items

PSE&G (ZBA-26-00003) – Major Site Plan with Variances

• The application proposes improvements to an electrical substation at 160 South Middlebush Road, including demolition of existing feeder rows and control house, installation of new switchgear, a 69kV breaker, a 230/69kV transformer, expansion of the control house, demolition of a lattice tower, installation of a new monopole and double A-frame structure, and construction of a stormwater bioretention basin.
• The board carried the hearing to June 18, 2026, with no further notification required. No testimony was taken at this meeting.

Somerset Bible Baptist Church (ZBA-25-00004) – Conditional Use & Parking Variances

• The applicant seeks permission to build a one-story, 35-foot tall, 8,640 sq ft gymnasium at 42 Cedar Grove Lane (R-40 zone). The hearing was bifurcated: only variances were sought at this meeting, with site plan to follow.
• Variances Requested: D3 conditional use variance (failure to meet all conditions of the conditional use ordinance) and a C variance for off-street parking (100 spaces proposed vs. 123 required). Impervious coverage was below the threshold (26.6% vs. 40% allowed), and the buffer does not meet the required evergreen fencing but is heavily wooded.
• Testimony:
  • Pastor Brian Fisher testified that the church has 150–200 Sunday attendees and a school of 75 students. The gym would serve existing school and church needs, not generate additional traffic or parking demand. The church does not lease space.
  • Elizabeth Dolan, traffic engineer: Confirmed no new traffic demand; counts showed 76 driveway movements on Sunday peak and 49 during school peaks. The plan adds 26 parking spaces (total 100). Parking variance of 23 spaces is justified because the gym serves existing users and peak demands do not overlap.
  • Anthony Galerano, engineer/planner: The gym will be behind the church, mostly hidden by trees. The existing 74 spaces have sufficed since 1990. The site has a one-way circulation, bus parking reduced to two spaces.
• Board Questions: Members expressed concern about sightlines, the lack of a rendering, and potential future growth. The board noted that site plan issues (e.g., driveway geometry, sidewalk requests, county input) should not affect the variance but are separate. The board discussed the need for a future site plan that addresses TRC comments, including bus parking layout and stormwater.
• Public Comment: None.

Wash King Somerset Opco, LLC (ZBA-25-00025) – Sign Setback Variance

• The applicant seeks a variance to place a freestanding sign at 1463 Route 27 (GB zone) with a minimum setback of 20 feet. The proposed sign has a base at 8 ft 9 in and top at 9 ft 2 in from the front yard. The sign is constrained by a retaining wall and a sewer easement.
• Testimony:
  • Clint Ehlers, sign designer: Presented updated exhibits (A4 and A5) addressing previous board concerns: (1) Sewer easement encroachment – an agreement with Franklin Township Sewerage Authority has been approved in principle. (2) Proximity to power lines – the sign is 5 ft 9 in from a secondary power line, exceeding the 3 ft minimum per National Electric Safety Code. (3) Site triangle – the sign is well outside the 390 ft sight triangle based on a 35 mph assumed speed, though the calculation was not certified by a professional engineer.
• Board Questions: Members noted that the site triangle analysis was not engineer-certified, but from visual inspection the sign appears clear. The board conditioned approval on review by the township engineer and execution of the sewerage authority agreement.
• Public Comment: None.

Key Outcomes

• PSE&G (ZBA-26-00003): Hearing carried to June 18, 2026; no further notification needed.
• Somerset Bible Baptist Church (ZBA-25-00004): Approved unanimously (5 yes) for the D3 conditional use variance and C parking variance. Conditions included: (1) approval is contingent on future site plan approval; (2) testimony presented at this hearing; (3) TRC report comments to be addressed at site plan; (4) applicant to provide colorized plans and timely submissions for site plan review.
• Wash King Somerset Opco, LLC (ZBA-25-00025): Approved unanimously (5 yes) for the C sign setback variance, subject to: (1) execution of a sewer easement encroachment agreement with Franklin Township Sewerage Authority; (2) satisfactory review of the site triangle and power line calculations by the township engineer prior to permit issuance.
• Meeting Adjourned: Motion carried to adjourn.