0:00The board’s primary focus was on two applications from Avalon Bay Community Inc., involving amendments to the previously approved two campus and three campus multifamily inclusionary housing developments. The two campus project initially approved for 172 units, requested modifications that included relocating four supportive housing units to three campus, exchanging affordable housing units, removing two patio doors, and altering parking spaces. Similarly, the three campus project, originally approved for 238 units, sought changes involving supportive and affordable housing unit exchanges, relocating a water utility room, and repositioning light poles, reducing the required parking spaces from 416 to 414.

Craig Herman, the project civil engineer, presented detailed testimonies about the site locations and the nature of the modifications. He outlined that the two campus site would increase its parking stalls from 283 to 289 due to unit reallocation, including an increase in electric vehicle (EV) parking spaces. The board unanimously approved the requested waivers related to traffic study and environmental assessments, with no objections from the planner’s office.

15:54A significant part of the discussions also revolved around the parking requirements and infrastructure adjustments of the site plan. The plan proposed 250 onsite parking stalls and an additional 39 shared parking stalls, totaling 289 required spaces and included 49 EV charging stations, exceeding the required 48. A notable issue was the relocation of a generator initially placed in a prohibited area, which had been moved to a landscaped island adjacent to a pump station. The board acknowledged a revised zoning permit for both the generator and a relocated transformer.

Further discussions highlighted the visual aspects of the pump station and adjustments in the stormwater management design. The original application had lights along a different campus area, now shifted to a new location, resulting in the addition of two landscaping islands and a reduction in parking stalls from 410 to 404, with the proposed total being 416. Clarification was sought about the shared parking spaces, confirmed to have increased from 33 to 39 due to the reallocation of units. The board emphasized the need for sidewalks, stressing pedestrian safety as the area evolves into a residential space. The applicant’s representative was uncertain about previous agreements regarding monetary contributions for future sidewalk installations, but the board strongly desired sidewalks to be included in the project.

31:52The architectural aspects of the proposed applications were then detailed by architect M. Rosado, who clarified the reallocation of units between the two campus and three campus projects. He described floor plan modifications, including the removal of two patio doors from ground-floor units and the deletion of screens and gates to the electrical meter areas as per utility company requests. The total number of units and bedroom distribution remained unchanged.

Landscape architect Tom Carman testified about the plantings and modifications around the pump station and generator area. For two campus, changes included the addition of 13 evergreen trees, approximately 30 shrubs, and 15 ornamental grasses and ground cover planting. For three campus, minor changes included relocating lights to new islands and removing three trees initially proposed for another campus, adding 40 shrubs for ground cover planting.

A board member inquired about the removal of patio doors, confirmed to be a design direction from the client. Following a brief recess to confer with the client regarding sidewalks, the board reconvened, confirming the applicant’s agreement to pay its fair share towards sidewalks on its property if a township sidewalk master plan is implemented.