MANALAPAN – Discussion regarding an applicant’s plan to construct 18 homes off Lamb Lane is expected to resume at the July 11 meeting of the Manalapan Planning Board.
Providence Corporation, Princeton, is seeking preliminary major subdivision approval with bulk variance relief to develop 84 acres in the R-AG/4 zone on the north side Lamb Lane between Champions Way and Woodville-Smithburg Road.
The application was initially heard by the board during its meeting on June 13.
Attorney Peter Licata, representing the applicant, presented testimony from engineer John Ploskonka and planner James Higgins.
Ploskonka said the 84-acre parcel consists mostly of farmland. He said the applicant is seeking approval to subdivide the tract into 19 new lots: 18 lots ranging in size from 1.5 acres to 15 acres for single-family homes and one lot for a storm water management basin. Among the 18 residential lots, there will be a 12-acre lot, an 11-acre lot and an 8-acre lot.
The zone requires a minimum of 4 acres, but lot size averaging and clustering is permitted in the zone and that is how lots under 4 acres would be accounted for, according to Ploskonka.
Access to the homes would be provided by a road to be constructed from Lamb Lane. There is no access from Woodville-Smithburg Road.
Ploskonka described several environmental issues on the property, including wetlands, a flood hazard area and a stream corridor. In reviewing the proposed layout of the homes for the board members, he said, “The plan is designed to minimize the effect (of development) on the environmental constraints.”
Ploskonka said wetlands have been defined and buffers would be provided to comply with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regulations. He said the applicant would comply with local ordinances regarding stream corridor buffers.
As part of the application, Providence Corporation is requesting bulk variance relief for the minimum front setback on all 18 residential lots for a 60-foot setback where 100 feet is required; the applicant is also seeking design waivers from the steep slope disturbance limits in the ordinance.
Ploskonka and Higgins discussed the reasons why the applicant is seeking the relief. The board did not decide those issues on June 13.
Ploskonka said initial testing showed there is an arsenic level above state standards on the property. He said the area was retested “and we determined this was background arsenic that is common in Manalapan.”
The board’s engineer, Brian Boccanfuso, confirmed that arsenic is not an issue at the property and said he was satisfied with the testing that was conducted by the applicant.
Ploskonka said if the board approves the application at this time, another year of testing and planning would be required. Construction could start in 2021 and the plan is to construct the homes in one phase.
The road leading in to the development from Lamb Lane would be 2,600 feet long and 30 feet wide.
The applicant has proposed constructing a sidewalk on one side of the road that would pass by all the homes. There was a discussion among the applicant’s representatives and board members about constructing a sidewalk on both sides of the road.
“I think we are looking at a residential neighborhood that requires a sidewalk on both sides,” Boccanfuso said.
Board member David Kane addressed the issue and said, “I am subtly suggesting that you put a sidewalk on both sides.”
A calculation by Ploskonka indicated the second sidewalk would add about 10,000 square feet of impervious surface in the development, but the applicant’s representatives said if the board wants a sidewalk on both sides of the road it can be done.
Deputy Mayor Jack McNaboe, who sits on the board, asked about possible improvements the developer might make to Lamb Lane, which is a two-lane road. He was told that no specific plans for road improvements have been finalized.
“You will be putting more cars onto a road that is substandard by today’s standards,” McNaboe told the applicant’s representatives.
Ploskonka said the applicant is proposing to service the 18 homes with septic systems and well water, but said permission can be sought from the Township Committee to extend public water service to the property.
He said the applicant would prefer to provide public water to the homes and noted that doing so would also extend fire protection to this area of Manalapan. That issue remains to be resolved.
Higgins discussed the technical aspects of lot averaging, meaning that not every lot will have the required 4 acres. He said, “what is being proposed is consistent with your ordinance, it reduces impervious coverage, it protects the environmentally sensitive areas and it gets homes out from under high tension wires” that cross the site.
“The proposed configuration provides more open space on the site. I see no substantial negative impacts of granting the requested variances,” Higgins said.
On the subject of vehicles that would be generated by the 18 proposed homes, Boccanfuso said the impact would be minimal and he noted the applicant is proposing a residential use in an area of Manalapan that has been zoned residential. No testimony was requested from the applicant’s traffic engineer.
When the meeting was opened to the public, Ralph Adonizio of Lamb Lane asked several questions about the application. On the issue of residents of the area being permitted to hook up to public water if that service was brought down Lamb Lane, Ploskonka asked Adonizio to speak with him.
At 9:35 p.m., after about two hours of testimony, the board members said there were issues that needed to be resolved before a vote on the application could be taken.
Licata said the applicant will prepare responses to the outstanding issues and it was agreed the hearing would resume at the board’s July 11 meeting.
