good evening everyone welcome to the August 1 2024 meeting of the Little Falls planning board uh just a couple of announcements our chairman Walt Kilpatrick was unable to be here tonight so I will chair um we have an application that is a request for an extension for 3038 Valerie would you shall we do the flag soling thank you please United States of America to the stands naice Valerie would you read this statement of public notice Aug 202 order please no that notice of this meeting is provided in accordance with NJ of the meeting was posted on the board at the municipal building located at25 Street little New Jersey on January 4 2024 copy of notice also sent email to the north Jersey har news and additionally a copy of the please Mee micone thank you and we have the roll call Mr here here here [Music] here mran Mr here Mr Mr here Mr here Mr B here thank you uh I about to mention that we're going to be carrying over the application for 3038 New York Pompton Turnpike it's a request for an extension uh no further notice is required and also we're going to be carrying over to the next meeting the application for JSL Properties LLC at uh 117 main streetl there'll be no further notice and no further notice is is required for that it'll be carried right over thank you um we don't have a member of the council here so we will not take any comments may I have a motion for approval of minutes for the last meeting so moved second thank you and a roll call yes yes yes yesan yes Mr yes thank you and under app memorializing resolutions we have the uh application for 30 for veranda Avenue may I have a motion to action to memorialized Second thank you and a roll call Val yes yes yes yes yes thank you all right under applications we have an application for DL Development LLC 8284 New York pumpt and Turnpike Mr V good evening Vice chairman pleasure members of the board uh John veter entering my appearance on behalf of DL development um just to get some housekeeping out of the way this applicant has jurisdiction to be heard tonight as uh notice has been properly [Music] served requirs does have jurisdiction terrific thank you so just going to give a bit of an overview um we probably all watch this building uh deteriorate over the last uh 15 or 20 years you know I always like to give a little bit of history but cognizant of the time so uh according to the tax records actually think it's older the building was built in 1920 it was in the hands of the Walker family wherever they operated a market there and um interestingly I didn't know uh faresi Bakery was Lo that was very first location before they built a the building across the street and Jean Liss had a uh his very first law office in that building so the the office uh the building has a little bit of History to it um it's a mixed juuse building the Walkers had a home there um it was used I believe as a multif family home maybe a two-unit home uh it was built as a single family home and in the front they built out the a store which was very popular up and down Main Street up and down 23 we seeing in other towns they needed a store they were in the business they said we'll use our home and there actually is an encroachment of that store right in the RightWay of Route 23 it's one of the benefits of this application that we'll be talking about uh this evening so you know the the overview of this site it it has um it has some strange elements to it in that it's a split zone so the back of the site is in the r1b zone and the front of the site is in the B1 Zone typically we're dealing with one zone um the only thing that's proposed in the back in the quote r1b zone is where the parking is so I think we've largely treated it as this being in a B1 Zone it reads as a B1 Zone all the other neighbors are in the B1 Zone um however uh when we did the um plan for this we did respect the fact the back is in an r1b Zone and it may be something that as the township looks at the master plan they want to take a look at just putting all of it in the B1 zone so the B1 Zone um while it does have lots of retail and residential uses mixed jues en courage in the master plan but in the B1 Zone residential is still not permitted on the upper floors so B1 Zone retail office on the ground floor and it only permits office on the upper floors even though this site had a retail a residential use on the second floor we're creating a new building here that um we're very excited to show you I think you've seen them on the plans and we're keeping two residential units and then the front will be a retail store of approximately 1,800 Square fet you know further compounding some of the complications on this site is the governor signed a new order about building in flood zones and this board has seen this with the martarano application and then that was done before this became a new executive order new law in that the D is no longer allowing any multifam in a flood if you don't have what they call dry access the gain access to your site whether it's the front or the back they will not permit multif family they Define multif family as anything three or more but when this project was initially seed it was a there was more there were more residential units to it and the retail was slightly um slightly less um however the DV had other thoughts about that so that is what gave rise to saying let's take a look at this and rather than have say four one-bedroom units have two very luxurious style townhouse style um apartments or tow houses as that may be and we're going we have the architect that's going to testify tonight and speak about you know how he conceptualized the building by kind of echoing off of the design of the church with that modern look but looking at some of I always consider Little Falls of Bricktown and looking at the architecture of uh just across the street here at the Mill so if you look at the windows there the bend in the windows very similar to The Mill and he'll be able to speak about that better than I can so in addition to the use variance for the residential on the upper floors we have C variances many of it is because we're constricted by this site narrow site very long two zones and uh but we are curing some issues we're curing an encroachment we're fixing an access point to get into the site and we're going to be raising the building but it's done in a very elegant way there'll be no no basement and it doesn't look like a raised building but there are in fact flood Z the flood vents there in the building and the engineer can speak to that as well so our lineup tonight and I think I'm going to mix it up a little bit is um Jeff aaren who's going to testify in the area of engineering uh Adam Loda who is the architect that designed the building and then finally will be our professional planner from John McD's office uh John teen so with that said I'd like to introduce our first witness to testify in the area of engineering Jeff there it's better we do have laptops here but without James here I don't know if we're going to be able to project them on the screen [Music] Jeff Jeff egarian eg a r i a an my business address is 27146 Fairfield New Jersey and I am a licensed professional engineer and I have testified for this board uh recently just a few months Avail license is standing it is very good I offer him as an expert in the area of engineering accepted thank you okay Jeff uh why don't we go over the start with the site plan and then we had an opportunity to have a call with the board professionals as well to try to make this a more efficient meeting and to V out some of the uh some of the questions that came up both by the engineer and board plan okay so I'll just quickly run through the uh existing conditions of the property and then touch on the proposed improvements that were we be doing with this project so the property known as block 56 Lot 4 the lot area is 10,883 square ft the lot is approximately 45 feet wide by 230 feet deep um like we mentioned it is split Zone with the front half being in a B1 Zone in the rear in r1b uh the existing structures on the property they're in poor condition and obviously they're in need of removal um the one and a half story brick structure uh doesn't close into the RightWay by uh just shy of 2 feet um and is also non conforming in several other areas respect to the bulk standards the rear of the property is unimproved it's un it's overgrown and not maintained the Topography of the lot slopes away from nework Pompton with an approximate change in elevation of two feet from um it's west to east access to the property is provided through a Shar driveway with the adjacent apart building and the property is served by uh public utilities water sewer gas and electric what we're proposing to do on the site is to remove the existing buildings to construct a new mixed use building approximately 2600 Square fet the proposed front yard setbacks will be 11 feet in the front the side yards 4.01 ft and 8.66 both requiring variances the rear yard setback uh will be 143.5 ft which does conform to the requirements of its own parking will be provided in the rear of the building nine spaces are required according to the calculations and we will be providing 13 spaces uh with a van accessible handicap space the trash refu and recycling will be located in the rear of the building on a 12 by6 pad inside of a fence enclosure we're going to be proposing a six foot vinyl privacy fence um on the north side of the property to screen the new develop from the view of the church uh and along the rear property line further we're going to be proposing arbores uh to supplement um additional screening to the rear the parking lot will require small retaining wall um approximately 2.1 feet maximum height so very small side correct on the side by the church and it will return along the rear property line storm water for the project is going to be routed through to an underground detention system via roof leader roof drains and several cach basins this is designed to include 29 ptech Chambers uh and lastly the site will will be um proposing new lighting via two pole mounted lights in the rear of the parking lot and three building mounted lights um one on the front rear and on the southernly building line side um and I'll just quickly touch on the flood haard area that we are working within Environmental consult in uh in conjunction with the D and we're in the process of following our plans application for flood Hazard area verification and individual permit um so I take any questions just coup most them so go back to the front yard because that was right now we're almost two correct 1.89 f one of the The Proposal here match it up there's a 10art building to the south of this building and we tried to match it up [Music] with making all just pointing out one things and was discuss this is not shopping CER while could one one space awayed you think that it would largely go On's opinion on that by just letting anyone who's coming most buses be this one St likely service businesses notar space and just not we speak later having resal standard when a lot of those mayit time they leave and there's extra SP add SP add by 20 spes see that shopping bar shopping C and malls routinely bred by for reason this was shown as while asking for VAR for a deficient parking space size of 9 by like 9 by it will give us more room to back up is a tight spot 18 right yeah just individual permit and what has a area of verification question I'm looking at page two and three there's a looks like a slat a dotted slash line it says Zone r1b and then Zone r1b which side is the r1b Zone which side is the B1 Zone B1 fronts on nework Pompton okay which is the typo on this plan and the r1b is obviously towards the rear property line okay so these aren't this isn't correct then yes yes the front one should be Revis to B1 okay okaying theability test whatever you need do propos system yes have seen that 23 and I don't expect that this will be different but we'll do our best bint engineer Mike do you have any questions well uh as far as the storm water um control for the site based on store condition General condition in the area signic ability to run off soil syst dedicated posi fund to the I Clos system probably that in 23 state owned system there would need to get state to connect if the board were to approve this application would we put a condition that it would be subject to approval by the state or connection to the sewer system in the review read the comments in the Rev we've seen this with other applications I think 178 do we know if there's street parking already currently front of this building no a turn lane okay so we don't there's no design to put anything in front of this building because this is a very heavily trafficked area nothing the are going to stop in front of the place try to unload there when it's a no Park break yeah parking one of okay I have no objection to elimination of the loading zone I think it'd be more beneficial to uh have a usable parking spot and uh any deliveries I I would expect to be short in duration so they could use a open space or or the to do the delivery and hop back in the truck and leave the site in a time good are there any proposed tenants in place for the retail space just depending on the vehicles that are going to be delivering I'm just thinking like BS versus huge trucks okay are the uh spots going to be dedicated like for the tenants or is going to say you know this r or this tenant this tenant they're going to have spots in case there's I was just thinking yeah I was just thinking for tenant wise that for them moving in if you'd have a dedicated spot but I mean it's I guess up to you guys what you want to do so one of my biggest concern is coming out of this driveway 23 again is very backed up there trying to take a left so you have to cross one lane with two lanes and then try to get in that left lane it just it screams an accident waiting to happen is there anything we can do to like no left turns for the residents or something like that because I can't imagine that's going to be a easy left turn on the site so this is this site has had a shared driveway for 100 years there's a 10 building next current building is one or two resal units notal departure from that of course bigger new the Reas I closer you get to that light the more traffic there is and I'm just I was I was in that driveway today and there was absolutely no way at 11:30 in the morning that you could make a left turn um but I don't ever made that turn as well and we do have State Road have that yeah and my other concern on that issue would be that the residents who have lived there in the building next door if we suddenly imposed a no left turn there would' be really an imposition on them um and it's possible that you can make the left turn if you're patient and you're you know keep safety in mind but um it's a busy thorough there no doubt about it and it helped us figuring out driveway and for some reason they came this Bo in the 0s that building built 63 but they come board in 80s we only had we only had plan today I don't recall there's no connection to the church parking lot close s did you have any questions thank you any other questions all right if there's any members from the public who want to uh ask questions I'm going to ask that you hold your questions until we hear testimony from the other professionals and then we'll invite you up to ask any questions it's a little more streamlined that way thank you thank you okay our next witness is Adam Loda I believe this is Adam's uh first time here in Little Falls Adam and I worked done several projects together in Montclair happy to have him here in my hometown uh he does great work as you've seen from the architectural plans ad let's get your SW in hello everyone right swear from testimony that you're yes I do yes it's Adam lasoda l a s o ta about yourself profal so I went to uh school at NGIT I got a PR degree and graduated in 2012 and then was licensed in New Jersey in 2018 subsequently picked up two other licenses one evens RH Island and they're all in good stand I offer as anert in the area of architure you're accept welcome thank you right Des Mr chairman thank you to the board um I'm a loud speaker so I'm just gonna go by the drawings and project a little bit is that okay it's fine great so one the challenges of this site and something that EXP you know living in many different locan one of the things and typology urban trickier figure so also to show that that elev and also so the reason why we did that set one was to align with The Neighbor Next Door two to give us enough room to be able toel also left side so even though we had the build sure the it is considered a build I would like to spend a little time because it is confusing yeah because you know we think half we the mission was to keep this a two and a half story building just to eliminate a variance and um in the most simple terms who think just keep it one half of the floor below so if the floor below is, 15500 feet keep that quote unquote third floor at 750 and there you are it's half story that's not technically correct as the planner pointed out and we all understood on the call why don't you explain that theard see that that third story is set back we set it back but the definition of a half story it's two one it does have to be 50% or less which it does meet but it does not meet the other criter of along the along one of the edges where the RO line starts has to be a maximum so because the roof pitch starts a lot higher than we do not need again we agree with and so and all the area 6'6 any are anying 6' and above footage toet that %if so we need it halfway but we don't need it on I would like to add to that for the board's understanding that it it doesn't meet the um the letter of the law but it meets the intent because the way they have done and it set it you set it behind substantially behind that when you're on the street you're not going to see a three story the idea of having a half story is to not impose a tall building onto the street and this meets that because it's substantially set back so that's something I would really like to uh bring to the board's attention we also want to show that we trying to as best as we can thatt Le that's why that third is as as possible [Music] to re resp one's in apartment build the other one ising lotes on the FL you see it's just all walking down that Shar driveway have again I think it's best that we give not only but also and Shar that but then these are well in terms of going with that each [Music] ofous to give us out are as well especially more and Moree you stucking for well over a year it's nice last ESP was that side Elations were a little too so this I think we're going to have to mark because you have made some changes to the the plan so why don't we mark this one of the comments that the planner has was that the the side elevations um she would like to see something that had a little bit more embellishment A Little More Design even though some of it is somewhat hidden it is going to be seen and this is just a proposal with Market as an exhibit I think like we've done in the past with the palon application we've coordinated with the planner to come up with a um a plan so we're not tied to this it's a suggestion one okay so why don't we Mark that as um A1 we'll do A1 explain yes thank you joint system still but is painted Ser dark colors to give it a PN a little bit more text [Music] com so that's and next window horizontal element sides and thens 15% M so we could proposed set ofont Windows here simar the other elev put as many windows as we could keeping the arure of the building we're giving the rooms that need a window put a window there and we still carry that language of soaring anding correct and there's some substantial Landscaping on the Holy Angel side there and the applicant has uh spoken with the church about maybe making some additional improvements to their Landscaping as well okay um I'd like you to speak about um so we are in fact asking for the variance it's it does not become a Dev variance for the height because the height is not the issue but it's the number of stor so it is a c variance and we do agree with your planner that in fact we do need to ask for that um our planner is going to speak to the variances and I'm just going to run through um some of them you and many of them most of them are pre-existing that we're improving but we're just not able to improve them that much more to be compliant like for instance the minimum side minimum sidey guard you know our existing is 1.55 and as Adam pointed out we're at four so that's an improvement we try to keep pedestrian access around the whole site so that we have on the other side on the driveway side there has been uh that is existing at 8.27 we're going to 8.66 if that's just marrying with the driveway on the other side where the common driveway will be uh we talked about the number of stories um nothing has changed we are requesting the variants with respect to the coverage we do not have a parking variants um we may actually have one extra of the applicant saw the comment about making one space ebsc ready and is willing to do that should the board see to approve this application and we do have a a variance that we're requesting for the parking stall size as I mentioned earlier it was designed for whatever reason at um 9 by 20 and um we would like to see 9 by 18 in addition to that there's a note that your planner has made about signage I'd like you to speak about the signage uh normally i' like to just say We'll comply with the code with respect to signage but we had an opportunity to have a call and the architect really didn't like that and I think the planner agreed with um you know because of the style of this building that the board may want to hear about our reasons why we are going to seek the variance for the canopy and the Sun so let's speak about this one right that attes to and while they're shown being back luminated we will um saw the comment on that seeking the we will not be seeking that variant they will not be if anything they would just be a goose neck light over it shining on it which is consistent with the township so yeah the here was yeah when we uh saw the comment about the canopy I thought Mr LMO would be happy about losing it because it is a very expensive design uh element but he really liked it as well we hope the board likes it but um if you don't then we're not tied to it yeah it it does happen to Echo uh Mecca's buildings that are being built right now there are two metal canopies uh to the entrance of both I I would just like to add for the board's benefit that my comments were more about the signage not meeting the technical aspect like what constitutes a blade sign how should um signage be on an awning or canopy but the aesthetic of this particular sign wasn't an issue and especially um after they've agreed to uh not have a self-illuminated signage my opinion as a professional planner uh and architect is is that it's this Vance is more technical um that they need to um get from you and also number of signs I believe uh at which my review letter doesn't uhre note but I as an afterthought I realized that too so we would request that variant as well to allow for the um the main sign as well as signage on either side the blade the circle side one yeah and the size would conform we're not seeking any variance with respect toze correct right Adam I think we've covered all of the comments here I have no further questions uh I'm not sure if this is for the architect or the engineer but U are all of the hbac systems within the utility closets nothing outside on the roofs or so it would be on the deck area not on the upper roof Sy any other questions board members yes yes from the Sy the uh the the North and South exterior walls um although that the center field of that wall is primar stucco um I do notice at least in the rendering that there are pillars of brick not in that rendering in the other yeah in the North and South South View um are those pillars brick from ground floor to to to roof roof line all right I wasn't sure if the rendering was true to what was these andar they and they it does on the sides as well on the North side and I'm just curious how are you soundproofing this thing those bells go off twice a day I would know Mr CRA the applicant the applicant said the same thing which was one of the reasons you wanted to limit the amount of Windows I I believe that Holy Angels does I think they do go off I think they go off at midnight and start at nine I don't think they go through the night no they don't go through the night I'm early during the day there's a funeral or a wedding I'm just curious it was more just it's a very European feature it sounds so pretty though yes yeah um Mr Cobar asked a good question about the downspout H how was that resolved internal piping inside the building or is it exterior recessed a little also running running water from a roof back inside back outside disaster Le so but we would like to a series of that thank you there any other questions Criminal Trespass comment uh we are no further questions any other questions from the board yes [Music] oh that driveway is that an accurate descript or depiction because it seems that there's a curb jump there no right in front of the Tesla okay no that's how it's going to be I've asked W in the driveway to I thought so yeah the driveway isve 26 feet I think the existing is 26 we can bring Mr aaran back up here um no there is a maybe 26 but yeah there's there then driveway build there is a three area shown on that plan that that way one of my comments that drive widen it on if we just if we just curve it so we don't have to go apply for a road holding permit I'm I'm concerned a car exiting the driveway especially at night they don't seem like height curve if we extend the six in curve to of delate where the curve cut is um and then you know return it back into the building ra I just I think going where Road open then you're effectively decreasing effective WID of the dve driveway still it's still indicated 262t so as long clearly delineated 24 wide access area you know make sure the car over that curve I feel confident we can make that 26 is shied from the actual driveway location not you're saying a portion of that 26.2 ft is measured from the walkway against the 10 res we have we have gone before NJ do as Mr Darion points out um many times they just ignore you so it's not a uh it is not a fun process so that the and we are you know we don't own that site we can know we can we can make changes as pre-existing condition for the ten UN in a building you know the orientation of that walkway and don't want to interfere with their site plan well no you their why right if you look at the diagram right in front of the Tesla there is a full curb right there yeah right suggesting essentially that area goes from 26 22 are you going to put a curb cut back to the rear of the structure gu I think maybe the answer is that we will use our best efforts to get the I can't force the state it is you know this is It's a pre-existing earth cut essentially I can't we can't force the state although we have seen it I mean we took advantage of when when the state was here Bill Simone and I went down for 178 198 30-38 and and I give lots of credit to Mr Simone uh for doing that and he got there with them and had everything measured out we don't have Phil any longer and I'm not sure you know we'll be able to get that attention I we can just say that it's a pre-existing condition we'll use our best efforts to you know to try to do I recognize I wasn't really focused in on that I do recognize the com the state doesn't not [Music] appr put the then put the curb just in that area so it transitions correct the existing which is still a huge improvement from the no man's land that it is currently yeah understood understood and we we'll make our best efforts to um to do that so and the only exterior lighting in the front of the building is is the wallmounted fixtures on on the facade yeah well you mean for the front yeah yeah there are Pooles in the back and what about on the driveway side I believe there's wall mounted lights is there they are okay that might illuminate that area I I just don't like the idea of a car jumping the curb there because almost all the cars make a right turn ex me the real benefit of this application is now we're pushing it back almost 14 feet from where it's you know we're negative2 and then we have 11 something feet back so currently you pull up and you have no choice but to basically go into Route 23 because you can't see right you're your you're negative2 into right away is on the existing condition I did that today yeah yep okay any other questions I have one question I question um so um I just uh you know you're sharing the drive VI but uh will you be sharing the parking with no there will be no shared parking at all with the there'll be shared parking within the building retail and the two residential units but with the 10 unit building as part of our agreement with them that we'll submit to the board once it's um finalized and signed um no we there will be no shared parking between the two do you think you'll put in signage or you don't think it's necessary to put in signage or barriers or anything we will have yeah we will have yeah yeah there's a the law gives a prescriptive easement there anyway it's been an existing condition for over a 100 years so there's a prescriptive easement there's never been a writ Legend sa this there's a writ and easement that parties not Mr LMBO parties before him put on the back of a napkin and almost marker crown and signed it um so that's actually legally binding as well but now we've uh drafted a new easement and um you know we'll submit that once it's finalized do you have another witness uh yes we have our professional P here this evening thank you thank you Mr OA okay um our next and Final witness is John teina who's going to testify in the area professional planning from the office of John mcdna right swear from the testimony that I do hi my name is John taen T is in Thomas a i k is and Kelly i n is in Nicholas a a license planning the state of New Jersey have been since I completed my studies at Rucker University in 1992 had the pleasure of keeping my license a good standing for the last 32 years uh most of the time I do this testify before boards throughout the state and throughout the country on behalf applicants um this is my 163rd different board that I've appeared for in New Jersey never been here before how many five 563 not even halfway there but I'm working on um and it's nice to be here accepted accepted and welcome thank you um kind is lovely so I'm here uh to talk about the application from planning standpoint uh we do require D1 use variance uh there's certain uh standards and findings at the board is required to make um first and foremost the site is particularly suited for the use then we need to talk about the special reasons what purposes of zoning will will the application Advance uh next we need to talk about uh the medich criteria I.E Wiens Gover body Zone it this way even though it's been in your master plan as a recommendation for 11 years um and then uh finally uh the negative criteria are we going to have a negative impact on the Zone plan or the master plan are we going to have substantial de public good uh we also need some C variances um the existing condition ones will be C1 variances uh for Extraordinary conditions affecting a uh affecting a specific property uh particularly the narrowness of the site and how that drives our need for our sidey guard setac variances and then we also have uh the rest of the variances if you will for uh number of stories for lock coverage parking setback Park install size and for signage all those will be C2 variances where again they'll Advance the same purpose of zoning as as the D variance and um we will meet our negative criteria uh for those as well so in terms of site suitability the site is particularly suited for the use based on its context Condition it's been a mixed use building uh for well over 100 years with the Shar driveway existing on R23 newer Pon uh Turnpike there um it is in a mixed use mixed in multiple use area in you be1 Zone uh is completely appropriate given the surrounding context that is there um and is a will be a nice offset against the religious shoes immediately to our uh to our north um the site is as I said a mixed mixed area with some residential and non-residential uses and finally condition-wise the site is already developed uh with the mixed use and in this instance we're making a substantial uh visual Improvement and visual and functional Improvement so um again the visual alone actually on the garbage V Hill just the fact that it's pretty is enough of a special reason that to Grant the relief that we're seeking but in this instance it's not just that it's pretty it's also providing an actual functional enhancement uh to the site we're having an improvement to the driveway an improvement to the parking we have a beautiful contextual building uh that's going to fit between our our brick neighbors to the South and our church so um again it's a true uh functional Improvement uh not just purely aesthetic one uh in terms of our special reasons I'd submit to you that there are three uh G to provides sufficient space and appropriate locations for a variety of uses in accordance with their environmental requirements uh I to um to promote a desirable visual environment through good Civic design and Arrangement and I would submit to you this is great uh great Civic um I was I so when you when you you start doing his work and and again I I kind of fill in for John and and fill in for other planers so the first thing I'll do is I'll pull up the site on Google Maps and then you go to Google Street View and I looked at Google Street View and you've all been driving past in for 15 years so you know what the building looks like now and then I saw this and I was stunned I was absolutely stunned by uh by heaven so um again I I absolutely believe a desirable visual environment and then finally a m to encourage coordination of the public and private uh procedures affecting Land Development with a view towards Lessing the cost of that development and to the more efficient use of the land and in this instance we have a h a small and narrow deep site where we are providing for the mix use solely on the B1 Side Of The Ledger if you will so our building will be within our B1 Zone the parking will be what intrudes into the residential Zone that is entirely consistent with all the Supreme Court cases that deal with split Lots uh commercial and residential Etc where the Supreme Court is literally said um that in in the AMG case um that providing parking in the uh in the adjacent residential um is the most appropriate use uh for those quote unquote Backlot areas in terms of our our positive public impact the project will flow function and operate safely comfortably and efficiently as our uh experts uh provideed testimony we recognize um as we are coordinating these public and private procedures we have dot we have de uh we're going to have the county we have soil erosion and we have all all of our Municipal requirements and applicants spend a lot of time doing that juggle um and the D just made it harder with the flood rules Etc so uh you're seeing what's happening uh in your town as you are heavily impacted by these rules uh in a practical way not in the um theoretical way that D talks about it where you need to literally talk about how does this affect every one of our sites in the down town and I think um the architect did a really nice job of addressing the flood plane issue and having an elegant transition between the sidewalk level and uh a building level that's going to be above the flood plane uh in an appropriate way um in terms of our uh in terms of our medich criteria um I think that uh the town has shown a frankly you know and and actually says it in their master plan um that the youth Varian is is going to be um the application of choice for applicants going forward because of the tremendous variety of uses um that exists within Little Falls um and exists within your commercial within your commercial districts so I think that the variety of uses has led to a little bit of zoning stagnation um that hasn't allowed uh for an appropriate um mixed use zoning ordinance to come forward uh and that is kind of styed um quote unquote performing development in that way so I think that um the use fance has been the uh path toour if you will for applicants and uh and I think at this point it you know it's 11 years in County so I think it's it's going to uh it's going to continue in terms of uh the Zone impact we're not negatively impacting the B1 Zone in any way we're providing for uh for Comm commercial uses there with an attractive building and mixed jues that are in comportment with our surrounding uses in terms of our residential to the rear again we're providing the lowest impact uh just to parking and we're mitigating all of our impacts by using the site efficiently continuing the existing share driveway uh in an efficient way that's consistent with downtown area such as newer Compton turnpik uh the project will uh continue to promote your walkability and your lessons Reliance on your automobile uh goals that are there in terms of our uh C our C variance relief uh again the side yard setbacks are specifically related to the narrowness of the site uh to be able to uh provide for standard size uh improvements as provided for in Lang V nor calwell um where we have a building of a normal size we have a parking SPAC of a normal size um all these things have to exist even though it's on a site that's only 47 45t wide so um we're fortunate to have a shared driveway situation where we get a little bit width but again that's why we need to side your setback relief for the building the uh setback relief uh for the parking and again and again underlying V Pall those improvements are entitled to be uh of normal size and shape for the utility so you don't have to make something funny shape just because you're lot is of fun shap uh that is the specific intent of the C1 vars uh then for the C2 variances again all the benefits that we talked about for the use carry forth um I think that uh all the C see two benefits of the step back to providing the third floor again a creative solution uh to providing for the residential uses uh to trying to comply with um your half story regulations um that uh you know have two different envelopes to two different uh Straight Jackets to put you in if you will so we've complied in terms of size and I think the step back that we've done with the architecture it's done a nice job as as the planner said of meeting the intent of the words where it's not being overdeveloped and it will read as a one a two-story building from the street uh they'll function as a a full two and a half story building upstairs um and then finally uh the signage um I think it is a uh it it's a unique design consideration that we have here where we have a canopy that's not an awning so it's a canopy it's a different dimension providing a functional aspect as well as an aesthetic aspect and our signage uh is a little bit unique given the unique architecture of this building and I think that the benefits of that architecture far out any detriments uh that relate to the relief that were requesting um and finally we'll have no detriment to the public good uh this will be a substantial Improvement uh to that part of nework uh pton Turnpike and I'd expect that this is going to get additional uh investment up and down that quter as um they see the quality of this investment it's it tends to it tends to spill out across the neighborhood nobody wants to be the ugliest building on the Block uh so the ugliest building on the Block's going away it's being replaced by the prettiest building on the Block maybe the second prettiest on parti of the church I love the bells um and uh you know I think we have an opportunity here to really uh do things do something special and have no no detriment I think that we also be improving uh the condition coming out of the driveway with the additional setback going back to the 11 ft providing for better sight distance in both directions and I'm sure that the engineers will be able to work it out whether it's with do or with the curb whatever the case may be I think the presence of the ramp there is uh is going to mitigate uh with that as well to tile that together in a perpect way so uh for the uh reasons that I cited I believe the board has the ability to Grant the relief requested and available for your questions thank you I have questions questions from the board s any questions I have no questions Michael I Council sure I have no question thank you thank thank you to the public questions of questions sure is there anyone from the public who would like to come up and ask a question or provide a comment you're welcome to come up to the podium seeing none we will close the public portion of the meeting just a just a brief summation and you've heard me say this before about um Pompton and Route 23 it's just made fast improvement from the time that I was a kid having grown up in this town when you know false Plumbing was there and ents was there and the hardware company was there I'm dating myself for sure but um even in more recent times like we've seen vast Improvement here and um we really haven't seen anything yet uh we're still waiting for the papis application for the Subway sandwich application for 198 North Compton it's really becoming a very U very elegant Corridor and something that I didn't expect it's reading much more like a main street or will as opposed to um you know to Route 23 or pumpin Avenue unlike our neighbors in Cedar Grove they've got four lanes whizzing by them and they really they struggle with and I have applications in that town they struggle with the ability to keep it more of a downtown pedestrian feel and I think we've knocked it out of the park um I do want to compliment we've been complimenting the architect a lot but I want to compliment this guy the who is the applicant he has a pattern of uh of building beautiful buildings he's also the proprietor of fredco landscape he understands streetscapes and design and he's put a lot of his own personal touch um on this plan as he does with his other projects um I'm not going to go through all the variances again we've taken the time and we thank your great board Professionals for uh taking the time to speak with us and go through to help make this a um a better application um we're making some vast improvements to that not only like the planner said by taking down the ugliest building on the Block but putting something that that functions well and creates the ability to have something really nice in that almost 2,000 square foot store but you know we've seen some very temporary um stores I'm not going to go through the Litany of what businesses have tried to go in to that um property but um we've seen their unprofessional signage we've seen the type of tenants that that type of building um can attract and it's vastly different from what will come to a building like this so based upon uh the reasons set forth by the planner and the fact that we have satisfied uh the criteria that this is in keeping with the town's master plan we've satisfied the um the criteria uh both satisfying the criteria for the D for the V use variants for the residential on the Upper Floor but also for the C2 variances that um that are requested and um we're here for any additional questions and I hope the board sees fit to approve this application and thank you thank you Mr bodoro do you have any summary that you might be able to provide us seing preliminary and final site as as variants in regard to in two residential apartments and then which s has identified in report page2 number minimum set0 on the other side number of stories stories are proposed maximum coverage maximum is allowed 91 91.5% proposed par setb requirement set back L parking size proposing 9 by by for the commercial space although they do have more than enough parking s Improvement standards resal departments well the number of parking spes required for the commercial aspect the building and then signage talk about they eliminated the one sign the one signage internal they requ to sign so that Cs and do they need a variance for the canopy the four foot wide of signs uh number of signs uh for the type of canopy sign and they eliminated the internal luminous so so that's that's it I think for the can what about the canopy being four feet wide um that's for the sinate so it gets covered under that really yeah it's it's I think it's 24 Ines so but there's no separate it's only for the signage there's no separate requirement for the canopy okay chairman I want to make one stipulation possible usually with constructions like this the sidewalks in front are shut down for a long period of time and this one is really close to a very accessible Church yes is there a way that we can mandate that that sidewalk stays open the entire time through construction unless you're working on the sidewalk that's a good point the only thing is there will be a construction meeting with the professional staff the app with Police Department things be Maria and they'll and they'll work on that okay but so they'll keep it open that's a good recommendation yeah we've seen a lot of these projects they shut the sidewalk down for months and I can't imagine a church sidewalking shut down good recommendation a follow question on that more aesthetic is the intent to keep the existing sidewalk andp along the enre so that yeah so that yeah yeah got yes so yeah the the papers are um probably 20 years old at this point and yeah so we would keep it you know we'll work with you to keep it consistent but it's the intent it's that's his business uh to put brand new sidewalks and U and papers yes not yes yes no good point very good are there any other questions from board members if not can I have a motion I'll make a motion to uh approve the uh the requested variances as stated by richb gor profess is there a second second Valerie please call the roll yes yes yes yesan yes Vice chairman yes great thank thanks everybody have a good even congratulations very nice application yes do we have any old business before the board do we have any new business before the board hearing none meeting is adjourned thank you