thank you Linda thank you all for being here tonight this is a regular meeting of the Allendale land use board at which formal action will be taken on the items listed on the agenda and upon any other matters which may properly come before the land use board the requirements of the open public meetings act have been satisfied through posting on the public bulletin board in a municipal building and in the burough website and by publication in the record on January 28th 2023 with copies being sent to the Ridgewood news certain agenda items will be open to the public for comment Andor testimony and the board will advise the public when such matters are open for their comment Andor testimony uh before we move on I'd like everybody to please join me in Sola flag I pledge aliance to the flag the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all thank you okay Linda please roll call Vice chair Bergen yes or here that too board member patrino is absent and board member kissner is absent councilman Delo here board member D here chairman Sho here mayor wasinski is absent well here and open but here thank you okay thank you okay next on the agenda are approval of the minutes from our October 18th 2023 land use board regular meeting um I am working very hard Linda to answer you back a lot faster than I've been doing so um but I did review them and I was okay I don't know if anybody else had any other changes okay if not can I have a motion to accept please I'll make a motion thank you and second second thank you who this John okay Vice chairman Bergen yes board member D yes chairman C yes yes okay next on our agenda are the resolutions that we need to uh to go through I'm just going to read read out what the resolutions are and then you can your quick summary I'm very good okay thank you the first resolution that we have is application file lub 20231 resolution number 23-22 for Allendale steakhous read Properties LLC 90 West Allendale Avenue Allendale block 1809 lot three and this is converting the former bank into a restaurant pursuant to 147 their 7A change of view uh thank you Mr chairman this was a this is a resolution author approving the application for a change of use there's no variance relief required or requested uh but it was brought before us because it could have an impact on zoning and uh site planning so that's why the use came be change of use came before us it was approved with certain limited conditions and this is the resolution memorializing okay thank you um any questions on the resolution okay can I have somebody please offer the resolution I'll make a motion thank you second please second thank you sir okay nothing Linda Vice chair woman Bergen yes board member J yes chairman suo yes alterate will yes yes okay noted that there were some that um couldn't vote on it because they had to abstain okay all right actually okay the second one is y okay is application file number 2 I'm sorry 20 21-16 resolution 23-23 rash cetri and Newar bahal on 78 Edgewood Road Allandale New Jersey 07401 block 205 I'm sorry block 2005 lot six uh the application is to add a level to an existing home and renovate an existing family home they are requesting a an extension of time for one year okay um so first please sure they had submitted a letter and uh so I took it upon myself to prepare a resolution uh seeking given an extension of time for them to do it it does not appear that it was uh due to anything other than you know the inability to get contractors and bad timing that kind of thing so these application for extension are routinely granted so I prepared the application the resolution and so the board has the discretion to Grant it uh I don't see any reason why not January 19th 2022 was the application approval uh they're looking for an additional time uh to move ahead with their shovel in the ground okay all right thank you so again it's only a Time extension there's no other changes just a record correct there's nothing else on here that they're looking for correct okay uh anybody have any questions okay seeing done uh can I have a motion to accept please I'll make a motion to to accept thank you second thank you if um Chris if they didn't vote on the application originally can they vote on the extension yes okay uh Vice chairwoman Bergen yes councilman deliso yes Bo member D yes chairman too yes timala yes Al yes okay thank you everybody well okay um okay next on our agenda are the public hearings for tonight um first on the or the only one on the agenda tonight is application file number lub 20231 the applicant is Robert and Jennifer Gerard 14 bir Street Allandale New Jersey 0741 block 20007 lot five and the application is for addition of a single of a second story to a single family home and it's pursuing 27057 D and 27037 okay Mr B if you would uh just give us a quick you uh I have reviewed the Affidavit of mailing back at my office as well as the notice requirements and the applicant has met the notice requirements therefore this board has jurisdiction to hear the application and uh we're ready to proceed if the board is ready to proceed as well perfect anybody have any questions we're going to move forward okay please if you could raise your right hand and repeat after me and then afterwards you'll put your name on the record so both of you um you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth through the course of this application all right and just name an address for both of you for the [Music] record address is 91 wor 07675 thank you all right um first off I'm gonna Linda are you able to hear are are you hearing okay yeah okay do we want to put that down on on the what do we want to do because we can have them just sit there's nobody else here or he can stand in front of the podium okay whichever whichever is more is more comfortable for you I'm sorry okay okay you can see there's an additional microph I think yeah and there is another microphone that we could put over into that side there if you'd like okay yeah that one one yeah that's fine that's fine okay unless you're you're gonna sing then yeah don't have a small voice Serv this is good that's more than fair more than fair thank you um can you sir um we need have certifications just your certifications and uh as a architect and license standing and things like that um I'm uh I'm I'm licensed in both New York and New Jersey New York from 1975 and New Jersey 1985 um I'm a I'm a registered architect and what else can I tell you uh your license is current as of today it is all right they both testified in front of boards in the all right I have represented um other clients with uh in zoning variance hearings yes I think the board can accept him as an expert in the field of architecture that's what she'll be testifying on right um I wouldn't I I wouldn't uh I'm a little more modest I wouldn't put it that way but uh I do my best we'll call you an expert for the purpose of testifying tonight thank you thank you thank thank you very much accept except um Mr rman I just have to I I just a quick has nothing to do with sport but just have to tell you something I probably walked past your house hundreds of times really on my way to Brookside school really yes sir like you've been in West the whole time I hope you God bless good for you I'm sorry Bor sorry sorry okay um all right so please uh tell us what you would like to do and and why you're before in front of us please um we're proposing a second story is uh as the application says um I think everybody has this package um on page uh three on the bottom right there's a view a photograph of the house taken from the corner of Midwood and Birch um and uh it does the house as it is plus one story um so the the first page is a sketch of a perspective showing the same house pretty much from the same place with with the Second Story added um the second story doesn't cover the entire footprint of the first house it's about uh half half the says um and um the uh the uh variance required is because the rear yard is not 50 feet um it never was so it's pre-existing yes got and uh the the zoning resolution is written for a lot that's uh 20,000 Square ft while Al is 12,000 Square ft so on p on page five you do you need do you need a copy we have another copy here page five um this is a corner lot so either Birch Street or Midwood Avenue could be the front the the frontage um but because the uh the entrance is actually on Birch Street we we'll just discuss that uh that that that variation okay um so the front plot uh is 28.4 feet the rear the rear yacht lot the rear lot is 19.8 ft um but apparently it was uh well the the there I I drew some dotted lines representing the required setbacks um so so the vertical line the vertical dotted line on the right represents the 50 Foot required setback which goes kind of through the middle of the house and the house has built since 1952 never met that requirements or the zoning may have been altered since 19 52 we we don't know if this was once permitted but this is the way it's been for uh 70 years um and so we feel that um the addition um also also encroaches into the required reot line however it doesn't even go as far back as the as the existing first FL do um we we we did about uh six variations on plans for the second floor and in fact this one is the most economical um in terms of space and cost um and so in our opinion it it doesn't seem that we could fit the program into a space smaller than this the program calls for master bedroom and a small office um and uh along with the master bedroom bathroom a closet and a Stairway and hallway to get up there from the first floor um so that's essentially what we're asking for and again the footprints of the home as it currently is is and then as the footprint of the home as curently is with the new plant is not changing right there's no work at all being done on the ground um and if if you look at the second floor is hatched and the first floor is outlined so you can see you know where they coincide my stomach rolling maybe push it back a little yeah H the drawings H in the uh we trade out the microphone zoning allows uh the addition to be 35 from time but as it's plann it's 27 ft and it'll probably go up another foot because the requirements of the r60 installation demand insallation but certainly okay and and this this house is on the north side of the street so another okay okay so in in your opinion the uh the existing hardship is the pre-existing undersized lot and um rear yard variations and again as I said with no changes to the grounds or to the books or anything and in regards to impervious coverage we're way under the required impious coverage building coverage is also land the requir there's a again as you pointed out there's no you're not doing anything to the ground so landscape changes anything like that nothing there's nothing in program I mean if they tomato the architectural okay that's fair that's fair um lighting just what's your plans for any kind of lighting um we have no plans for the exterior lighting okay um is already at the entrance know at the entrance fighting what we're planing okay okay and we're not again with no you know deception they going up no impact to drainage any any excessive water or anything like that that may occur because of the this not never problem you know G gone to that extent ofun this really okay I guess the the question is so with the new addition with the new roof height you're not going to have any additional leaders that are going to be pitching additional runoff water towards your neighbors other than what's already [Music] exist over existing so you're tying into the existing leaders and drains well we have to have and drains from but yes be the same so that's that's the question we want you to State on the record that you're not going to have additional drains pitching rainwater towards your neighbors and what about um the new sighting is it going to match the existing the sighting for the exterior of the on the firstage okay did you do the watercolor [Music] yes some some people probably oving and elevations and so this helps to to illustrate that it does yes and board members any uh comments questions for this witness no one question please so have you looked at drafting like jimy building Club is that the chimy has to be 10 per many combustible [Music] material in exterior of the 10t away from the CH if if if it should grow any bigger the shimy will increase in height 3et above theing to the the and the required um Step backs that you note which is the 14.48% the blank statement is that the side set that 15 but there's a formula that exactly yeah so I'm just just making sure that the second floor was accounted into that and that's what it is required right but is in the calculation don't you have to include the additional square footage of the second floor in the calculation okay no that's why I'm just confirming yeah no I'm just I'm just confirming that that was included so yeah okay so the 14 so the is what I'm trying to point out is that the 14.48% 15 14 side no understood but but when you add that second floor it increases the square footage in the calculation so it could make right yeah does does the height of the U proposed addition do you have to cut into your neighbor's trees or any trees in order to to clear the height it look like there's some trees in the background not at all the trees the trees separated from the some distance and by the way there's there's a very thig line of trees between so one of your photographs where you you dictate from Southwest believe there there's a tree right at the corner of the property line looks very close to the house where you're going to go up on your addition are you trimming that tree that tree is going to stay is there anything Southwest yeah yes top left corner back of not building up that corner so that's not the corner that you're building on this is where the is right because I mean that looks like that that's not where you're going up see look see here's your that's right here I gu [Music] the the tree somewh like the idea is to leave the tree that's the ultimate is to leave the tree but trim it if necessary to make Al okay all but if there's a need unfortunately you take the tree down you have to take it down if you cut the roots of the tree if you cut 75% of the roots of the tree been supposed to certainly C just trying to make sure your testimony is accurate because he said there's going to be no Landscaping at all so yeah just got to make sure you state that because if you do have to take the tree down just have to get a permit and go through the proper TRS that's all okay but I Haven really considered doing that okay okay that's that's why we're asking it yep thank you any other questions from the board for this W um um I open up this part of it to the public if there's any questions about the testimony just came to this Witness to this W to this witness though not the overall application come up to the microphone but you got to come up here sir okay okay it's only based on his testimony right now you could save comments for a couple minutes um in six Bird Street right next door and my concern was about the actual use of the land and about the tree lines as well so I'm trying to understand what you're saying about it need be okay sir I'm on this side I'm over here no I understand I'm asking when you're talking about differentiating or altering a tree whether it's a branch or whether it's a root where are we talking about here right so that's ordering on the profit so it's to concern that have concern because this will change the sight line right to the right side which is my property and set set back on the right side um it's it's exactly the same distance number considerably more forward from the part of the house this part of [Music] you doing it from here Google Map okay we'll mark that y that [Music] A1 [Music] A2 identified number from this qu over here and from our both for 47 n in to the c um we didn't measure to the property line because the property line this kind of undin grassing Border you know so EXA the prop [Music] and we actually measured distance and your testimony is that you're not intending to take down any trees uh would you agree to work with the burrow engineer in the field uh if there are going to be any uh any trimming or anything like that do you have any other more questions to this witness or concerns I think we can since we're horrible you can ask me any concerns yeah well no my concern was primarily about the sight lines and from what I can understand what I do know is that that's considerably more forward as the back is considerably further more extended in the back so the square footage because it's going up I understand isn't going to do anything for the drain water line but it is putting on 40 over 40% more house right so I'm just wondering what the concerns are there in terms what we're actually [Music] doing well I don't think it's not really that I don't think that's really relevant at this point yeah you answer the question or concern well it appears to meable that most houses that will [Music] no no you guys yeah yeah know it's just FL not my house there a split on the other side but my split on the other side goes down by four feet so it's a split where it's feet down so it would definitely be probably a good I'd say wealthy hire so I just wanted to make sure that the sideline was okay and my concern was yes there are other houses that are built there that are two stories some are actually ilal three stories at this point which is the one right behind me that was approved many years ago so it's just the concern is that when things get over it changes the character of the neighborhood just to make sure that the character of the [Music] neighborhood Have you shared the drawings with your neighbor at all so he understands that you're only going over a small portion of that the house or not doing the whole house does he see [Music] them now this is my first side of the rendition I got a letter in the mail last week and I was out to for most of the week I didn't know the drawings were even here until I looked at saw that thing so I just left a little while at D Valley so I said let me come and actually see the rendition of the house and understand what it is and just you know my main thing is that I don't have a problem with because they do keep up with their property in Nutri it's just the sight lines my concern is that it just start building up to the point that the Privacy Tri my God seem and that's a concern I have and then also use it's definitely more fly than what he's saying I would I would SP a lot of money not that that matters but the back of the house already extends almost to the back of the property and the front of the house not as much [Music] my concerns like I said was more that it is being built to the Jo property line and I really had more concerns about that like I said it's already extended in the back thank you for your comments thank you um all right I'll bring it back to the board any uh further comments questions of this witness no pretty simple okay all right I think yeah it's the board was inclined to Grant it the the usual um conditions of working with the burrow engineer in the field to make sure that there would be no negative impact upon surrounding neighbors and to pay all fees and would you agree you agree and zo um in hybrid work condition so leave that extra room all right um does that include any other testimony that you either of you have un have questions then I once again bring it back to the bo um any further discussions on its application among any of us okay yeah okay um I'd like to put this uh this request to a vote of the board please so um somebody make a motion relative to just just to be clear um hearing all the testimony with with this application um and that you know with all with all of the uh uh additions that that that chis will put in as far as working with the you know no changes in landscaping uh working with the with the engineer out in the field making sure that everything is mitigated working with um um you know with the neighbors that there's nothing that you're doing is going to hurt Fringe on anything with the neighbors etc etc the variance relief requested is rear yard setback and L sign okay want agree with okay would somebody care to make the motion please I'll make a motion to approve thank you do I have a second second Dam I got enough all right all right Linda could we have a uh a vote on this please Vice chairwoman Bergen yes councilman delusso yes board member D yes chairman Sho yes WWA Yes W Butler yes you all right sure of and myself just like to thank you for your consider thank thank you now just just to be clear um this will go to a resolution uh next month okay you heard us do some resolutions already before this stuff um at that point the per nothing should get done until the final resolution is passed right the resolution will be passed uh or brought for a vote on December 20th [Music] I very good all right and that's thank you very okay so moving forward um I now open the meeting to the public for any comments seeing none I bring it back to the board um Joe I don't know if there's any uh anything you want I anything I want to say I want to put something out there I I know that this is going on it has nothing to do with anybody up here because they didn't we're alling do the best we can but the town weol it constru stuff going on it's never I live here almost 20 years it's there to get around actually well I mean at the last council meeting the mayor did apologize to the public yeah it's kind of out of our control that's violia and psng so we're kind of at their discretion they're doing necessary upgrades and repairs through our gas lines and our water lines um they' they've been as upfront and forthcoming at believe is possible but you know changes happen and you know we just appreciate the residents you know putting up with it I mean we're all I sat in traffic 45 minutes the other day trying to get to my house uh hopefully they'll wrap things up and things will get a lot better soon and our systems will be where they should be looks like they're starting to get ready to do some caving they are they are do you know if they actually are going to be bringing like the water lines all the way up to the house or is it just the street no I believe right now they're just they're working on the streets domains they're out Mar this weekend yeah that's that's I'm I'm land use committee so that's really out of my jurisdiction I haven't been party to those meetings uh councilman Holman probably will be able to answer those questions she's been part of that thank you sure as far as the land use committee we did have a meeting last week um last month we did we did pass a resolution to Institute conditions for the planting of bamboo within the uh the burrow and also some additions to our code in reference to warnings and upkeep and maintenance on that simple simple ordinance change uh we're also in the process of finalizing some information to a new addition to our code to allow for and speak to the addition of handicap ramps in the event that somewh our residents need a handicap ramp uh right now it's kind of at the discretion of the building this building department we're going to finalize that to make it easier for residents you know in a in a terrible case that you need a handicap ramp you know there's a way to get it and get it moving forward and also I did ask our burrow engineer to reach out to our burrow planner to look into our multiplier for a lot of these variances that we hear for just similar situations like this where really nothing's changing everything's within compliance but they're here because of existing conditions and because the multiplier has changed their setbacks so they're looking into into that so keep you posted thank you we have any information or updates thank you sure okay um and also congratulations in thank you Mr oonn officially three more years so um okay anybody else all right um first off everybody have a Happy Thanksgiving and uhk you very much as always L we have a uh a motion to I'll make the motion thank you thank you all in favor all right all right thank you enjoy the holiday