HOWELL – The Howell Zoning Board of Adjustment has granted a use variance to an applicant who sought municipal approval to operate a business in an agricultural zone on Yellowbrook Road.
Applicants and owners Justin Tal and his father, Israel Tal, appeared before the board on Oct. 2 seeking approval to use their property for a landscape design and maintenance company on Yellowbrook Road.
Attorney Gerald Sonnenblick, engineer Marc Leber and planner Allison Coffin represented the applicant.
During the public hearing, Justin Tal testified that he established his company, Creative Design and Maintenance LLC in 2008. Tal, of Howell, is a graduate of Freehold Township High School who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape architecture from Rutgers University.
Tal employs a licensed landscape architect, but he is not licensed landscape architect.
The board’s vice chairman, Michael Sanclimenti, asked Tal what he does since he is not the firm’s licensed landscape architect.
“I run the business, I meet with clients … to see what sort of (landscaping) a client is looking for, such as front landscaping, a driveway, a patio, a backyard, a pool, a privacy fence, or so on. We provide a quote for the project, we provide (renderings) which are put together by my landscape architect. I then present it to the client … and from there we move on with the permit process,” Tal said.
He said his firm does a significant amount of work in Howell and he said he expects that to continue as development moves forward in the community.
Tal testified he is registered with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and said his company holds a pesticide license which permits certified personnel to apply pesticides.
The property on Yellowbrook Road will include spaces for the business’s vehicles, according to the testimony.
Board member Thomas O’Donnell visited the property and said, “What I saw was that the property is very well maintained. I thought the house was brand new, but it was not, it was remodeled and it looks new. Everything here is just the way (Tal) said it is. He does have trailers he puts equipment in, he takes care of the trash himself and he has cameras on the house.”
O’Donnell suggested that Tal consider putting lights where he has equipment and parks the business’s vehicles.
“All the land was cleared very nicely, everything was neat and clean, there was a stockade fence all the way around. (Tal) said there would be no one from the public coming (to the property), no retail uses, just the landscaping business that goes in and out,” O’Donnell said.
He said it is not out of the ordinary for a business like Tal’s to operate in the area.
“Honestly, I could not find any problems with this particular case and I felt very good about it when I left the property. It was nice, neat and clean, and it would not be a problem for the area because there is a lot of business in that particular area,” O’Donnell said.
He said Tal was “very forthcoming” with the information he provided to the board.
O’Donnell made a motion to grant the use variance and board member Richard Mertens seconded the motion.
“Based on the testimony, I concur with Mr. O’Donnell. I think everything (that was required) has been met. I am very impressed with the owner’s presentation,” Mertens said.
O’Donnell, Sanclimenti, Mertens, Thomas Posch, Daniel Cardellichio and John Turk voted yes on the motion. Mertens thanked Tal for the presentation and said he believes the business will be an asset to Howell.
