Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - September 17, 2026

The Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment met on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in a regular meeting noticed under the Open Public Meetings Act. After handling routine agenda items, the board heard testimony on a Habitat for Humanity affordable housing application and returned to a request from 64 Casa Esencia LLC for clarification of a previously approved floor area ratio. A proposed house of worship at 60 Millstone Road was continued.

Consent Calendar / Resolutions

• The board completed roll call and acknowledged the Sunshine Law notice.
• Minutes of the July 16, 2026 regular meeting were on the agenda for approval.
• The resolution section included Judy Rosier (ZBA-26-00006), Josh Taubenslag (ZBA-26-00012), and Iglesia Christiana Refugio, Inc. (ZBA-26-00001). The transcript does not record individual vote tallies for these items.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident who said they had spoken at the township council meeting two weeks earlier opposed the Habitat application, saying it 'does not make sense.' They raised concerns about clearing the small lot and possible runoff or similar problems on the right side of their house, school drop-off parking near the site, and police enforcement or detail on Churchill Avenue.
• The same resident asserted that Franklin Township 'does not participate in affordable housing.' A board member responded that Franklin Township, like other New Jersey municipalities, has an obligation to provide its fair share of affordable housing.
• The resident also said the board's credibility would be diminished if prior approved site plans were not enforced; the board discussed whether prior clearing matched the approved plan. The resident suggested ward two might be a better fit and stated 'I just don't think this is a good fit.'

Discussion Items

Light of Christ International Fellowship Ministries (ZBA-26-00018)

• The D-variance applicant proposes using vacant space as a place of worship at 60 Millstone Road, Block 135.01, Lots 21-22 and 26-28, HBD zone.
• The application was not heard tonight; a new hearing date will be announced. The township attorney noted that if the new date falls beyond next month, a time-of-decision extension may be needed, and the applicant's attorney had not yet provided a specific date.

Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity (ZBA-26-00013)

• The agenda lists the property as 168 Churchill Avenue, Block 95, Lot 12, R-10 zone; during the hearing the attorney referenced Block 95, Lot 20, a discrepancy the record does not reconcile.
• The applicant proposes a 100% affordable single-family home on a lot currently owned by the township under a development agreement.
• The applicant's attorney said no new variance relief is requested and that the two variances sought are 'pre-existing non-conforming.'
• Materials included a TRC report dated July 15, 2026, an Environmental Commission memorandum by Tara Kenyon dated July 21, 2026, and plans dated September 14, 2026 (Exhibit A2). The driveway changed from stone to paved, consistent with two other applications.
• Applicant's professional testified the home meets all bulk standards except lot width and lot area; setbacks and coverages are satisfied, and the affordable unit would help meet the township's affordable housing obligation.
• Board discussion addressed stormwater: any home with more than 1,000 square feet of new impervious surface must comply with stormwater rules, and a board member said making it a condition may be redundant. One board member stated 'I have to vote yes' based on the items discussed, but the transcript does not capture a formal roll-call tally.

64 Casa Esencia, LLC (ZBA-21-00027)

• The property is 64 Norma Avenue, Block 234, Lots 3-7, about 1.7 acres at Franklin Boulevard and Norma Avenue. This matter had been carried from August 6, 2026.
• The property received site plan and variance approvals in 2023 under a resolution dated September 21, 2023.
• The applicant withdrew its request for relief from a condition and instead asked for clarification of the approved floor area ratio.
• The zone requires an FAR of 0.25. The 2023 resolution stated 0.27, while the applicant's newly calculated FAR, including basement, first, and second floor areas, is 0.34. The original application had noticed an FAR of 0.42.
• The applicant argued the approved building, layout, and neighborhood impact are not changing, so this is a clarification of the resolution, not a change in variance. Some board members questioned whether changing 0.27 to 0.34 would effectively grant a new or expanded variance.
• The agenda also referenced clarification of rental versus home ownership, but no discussion of that issue appears in the transcript.
• The outcome of this item is not determinable from the transcript; the recording ends as the board considers a motion.

Key Outcomes

• Light of Christ was continued; a new hearing date will be announced, and a time-of-decision extension may be required.
• Habitat for Humanity's application was heard; a board member indicated support, but the final vote tally was not captured in the transcript.
• 64 Casa Esencia's FAR clarification request was argued but no final decision is evident from the record.