UPPER FREEHOLD – Representatives of a church in Upper Freehold Township will seek permission from the Planning Board to construct new facilities on Yardville-Allentown Road.
Saint John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church has submitted an application to the Planning Board for a redevelopment project that will predominantly take place at 1282 Yardville-Allentown Road, which the church owns and where it is located.
The church is seeking preliminary site plan approval, final site plan approval for the first phase of work, a bulk variance and waiver relief.
A public hearing on the application is scheduled to take place before the Planning Board on Feb. 8 at the Upper Freehold municipal building.
According to a public notice submitted by the Spadaccini Law Firm, which represents the applicant, 1282 Yardville-Allentown Road consists of 19 acres and contains a church, a rectory, a religious education center, a parish office, two garages and parking.
The proposed project will extend to 1276 Yardville-Allentown Road, according to the public notice. That 2.2-acre parcel is owned by 1276 Yardville-Allentown Road, LLC, and contains a two-story house and a storage barn.
St. John’s Church intends to use the combined 21 acres to build a 19,311-square-foot parish family center, a 6,835-square-foot assembly hall, a 17,233-square-foot church with a 625-square-foot bell tower, a 4,919-square-foot columbarium (space for the public storage of urns containing the remains of deceased individuals) and a courtyard, according to the public notice.
The project will be conducted in four phases, according to the public notice. The first phase will include the development of the parish family center, parking, lighting, landscaping and storm water management and drainage facilities.
The second phase will include the assembly hall and access from 1276 Yardville-Allentown Road. The third phase will include the new church, bell tower, parking and a storm water basin. The fourth phase will consist of the columbarium.
Variance relief is being sought in regard to setback issues and because the impervious surface percentage being proposed is higher than the maximum amount allowed.
