MARLBORO – A public hearing regarding an application that proposes the construction of a five-story hotel is expected to resume at the Marlboro Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting on Dec. 11.
GHM Properties is seeking municipal approval to construct a hotel on a 2.1-acre parcel on Willow Lane, off Route 9 north. There is a home on the property at the present time.
GHM Properties is seeking a use variance from the zoning board. According to a report from the board, motels are a permitted conditional use in a C-3 Zone, however, the proposed hotel does not comply with the following conditional use standards:
• A minimum lot frontage of 350 feet is required, 248 feet is provided;
• All buildings must have a minimum setback of 10 feet from all interior development roads, driveways and parking areas; a setback of approximately 4 feet to 9 feet is proposed between the building and on-site parking;
• All paved areas other than driveways must be no closer than 40 feet to the street line; 5.4 feet is proposed to be a paved parking area from the Willow Lane right of way line;
• A 10-foot wide buffer strip, suitably landscaped, must be provided between curb cuts and along all other property lines; 5 feet is provided to paved parking areas along the west side property lines.
The application proposes the construction of a five-story hotel with 101 guest rooms, landscape improvements and a refuse enclosure. Attorney Salvatore Alfieri represents GHM Properties.
During a hearing on Oct. 9, engineer Josh Sewald of Dynamic Engineering Consultants, Lake Como, presented testimony on behalf of the applicant. He said the application is bifurcated, which means the full engineering details have not been completed. Sewald said if the use variance is granted, the applicant would return with a full site plan.
Sewald said the proposed hotel would total 13,880 square feet and include five stories (49.5 feet tall). He said regardless of the hotel operator that runs the business, the building would not exceed that height. Sewald said 113 parking spaces are required by ordinance and 121 parking spaces are proposed.
Representatives of GHM Properties said a hotel operator has not been identified at this time.
Rich Gandhi, a principal of GHM Properties, said there would be about 23 employees at the hotel during peak hours, with shifts of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3-11 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. He said a majority of the hotel’s employees would be on the property between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Gandhi said no one under 21 would be permitted to rent a hotel room and neither large vehicles nor recreational vehicles would be permitted to park at the site.
He testified that because the hotel is proposed to have more than 100 rooms, the business would automatically receive a liquor license. He said the hotel would have a small breakfast area, but would not have a restaurant or a ballroom.
Gandhi said the liquor license would be non-transferable. He was asked by a zoning board member if he would be willing to forego the liquor license. Gandhi said some hotel operators require a liquor license. He said that depending on the hotel operator’s requirements, he might be willing to forego the liquor license.
Testimony on the GHM Properties application is expected to resume on Dec. 11.
