HOWELL – The Howell Zoning Board of Adjustment began a new year of activity on Jan. 8 by swearing in new members and taking action on an application.
Jim Moretti, a former member of the Howell K-8 School District Board of Education, joined the zoning board for a two-year term as an alternate member. Jose Orozco joined the board for a one-year term as an alternate member. John Turk, who had been an alternate member, began serving a four-year term as a regular member of the board.
During the reorganization portion of the meeting, Wendell Nanson was re-elected as the board’s chairman, Michael Sanclimenti was re-elected as vice chairman and Thomas Posch was re-elected as secretary.
Nanson took a moment to thank the board’s administrative officer, Eileen Rubano. He said that when the previous administrative officer left several years ago, “we felt that her shoes were going to be very hard to fill, and I will tell you, you have done a very extraordinary job, so thank you.”
Board members heard one application, from AAM Mill, LLC, which was seeking technical subdivision approval for financing purposes to create separate parcels in the Green Leaf at Howell shopping center (LA Fitness, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Xscape movie theater) at Route 9 north and Lanes Mill Road.
Attorney Gerald Sonnenblick, representing the applicant, said the request for the technical subdivision will not require any structural changes at the shopping center.
“It is one shopping center, all of the buildings … have access through cross access easements … so it is still operating as one center, owned by one group,” Sonnenblick said. “This is not an application where one inch of structure is changing. It is simply a request for a technical subdivision so different lots can have a separate ownership, if you will, for financing purposes and the like.”
Board members agreed with Sonnenblick’s assertion that there will not be any physical changes and that there will be no differences regarding drainage, parking, access, snow removal or lighting as a result of the technical subdivision and they unanimously approved the applicant’s request for the modification.
