1 1 HUDSON COUNTY PLANNING BOARD MEETING NOVEMBER 14, 2005 2 3 4 PRESENT: 5 Chairman Holloway Commissioner Avagliano 6 Commissioner Bettinger Commissioner Choffo 7 Commissioner Dublin Commissioner Jasek 8 Commissioner Mehta 9 10 ALSO PRESENT: Elaine Berkenwald, Esq. 11 Wendy Birkhead, P.E. Frank Marciano, Esq. 12 Dean Marchetto, Architect Douglas Ehrenwirth, Esq. 13 David Busch, Architect Jon Campbell, Architect 14 Julio Figueroa, Architect 15 16 T R A N S C R I P T of the audio 17 recording in the above-referenced matter as 18 transcribed by BARBARA A. BRADEY, a Certified 19 Shorthand Reporter and Notary Public of the State 20 of New Jersey, on December 8, 2005. 21 22 REPORTING SERVICES ARRANGED THROUGH VERITEXT/NEW JERSEY REPORTING COMPANY, L.L.C. 23 Kabot Battaglia & Hammer - Suburban Shorthand Waga and Spinelli - Arthur J. Frannicola CSR 24 25B Vreeland Road, Suite 301 Florham Park, New Jersey 07932 25 Tel: (973) 410-4040 Fax: (973) 410-1313 2 1 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Let's call the 2 meeting to order, please. (Inaudible). 3 A VOICE: That's your cue. 4 A VOICE: Yes, Mr. Chairman. The notice 5 of this meeting had been forwarded to the Jersey 6 Journal, it also had been forwarded to the Clerk of 7 the County Board of Chosen Freeholders, posting on 8 the Board, and the notices are in compliance with 9 the open public meetings. 10 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Thank you. Can I 11 have a roll call, please? 12 MR. CLERK: Sure. Commissioner 13 Avagliano? 14 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: Here. 15 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 16 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: Here. 17 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 18 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Here. 19 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin? 20 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Here. 21 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Fitzgibbons is 22 not present. Commissioner Jasek? 23 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Present. 24 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Liggio is not 25 present. Commissioner Mehta? 3 1 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Here. 2 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 3 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Here. 4 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, we have a 5 quorum. 6 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Thank you. Let's 7 stand and salute the flag. 8 (Whereupon the Pledge of Allegiance was 9 recited.) 10 A VOICE: Adoption of minutes of 11 meetings from October 19, 2005. Can I have a 12 motion? Mr. Chairman? 13 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: I read the 14 meetings, and I have one correction to make. For 15 the record, it's on Page 45, 917, and I'm gonna 16 cross out word "not." 17 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Okay. 18 COMMISSIONER JASEK: I'll make a motion. 19 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: (Inaudible). 20 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on a motion to 21 adopt the minutes made by Commissioner Jasek and 22 seconded by Commissioner Bettinger. Commissioner 23 Avagliano? 24 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: I vote on it. 25 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 4 1 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: Aye. 2 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 3 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Aye. 4 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin? 5 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Aye. 6 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Jasek? 7 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Aye. 8 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Mehta? 9 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Aye. 10 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 11 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Aye. 12 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the motion to 13 adopt the minutes passed. 14 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: If anyone in the 15 public would like to speak -- would you like to 16 speak? No? 17 MR. CLERK: Okay. For Section 6A on the 18 agenda, Memorialization of resolutions approved at 19 last meeting: SP-32-05, Metrovest Equities, Inc., 20 Montgomery Street and Baldwin Avenue, Jersey City; 21 SP-37-05, 1514-1516 Manhattan Avenue, LLC, 22 1514-1516 Manhattan Avenue, Union City; 23 SD/SP-71-05, The Clam Broth House, located at 36-42 24 Newark Street, Hoboken, New Jersey, and SP-96-05, 25 Metro Stop Enterprises, LLC, located at 800 Jackson 5 1 Street in Hoboken. 2 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: I'll make a 3 motion. 4 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: I will second. 5 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on a motion 6 made by Commissioner Choffo and seconded by 7 Commissioner Mehta. Commissioner Avagliano? 8 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: I'll vote on 9 it. 10 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 11 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: Aye. 12 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 13 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Aye. 14 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin? 15 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Aye. 16 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Jasek? 17 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Aye. 18 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Mehta? 19 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Aye. 20 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 21 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Aye. 22 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the motion 23 passed. 24 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on Section 6B 25 of the agenda, applications declared to be exempt, 6 1 Applications SP-97-05, Women's First Choice 2 Resource, located at 10 Paterson Street, Jersey 3 City, New Jersey, and SD-100-05, JF Construction, 4 LLC, located at 304-306 Davis Avenue, Harrison, New 5 Jersey. 6 A VOICE: (Inaudible). 7 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: I'll make a 8 motion. 9 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: I'll second. 10 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on a motion 11 made by Commissioner Bettinger, seconded by 12 Commissioner Dublin. Commissioner Avagliano? 13 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: I vote on it. 14 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 15 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: Aye. 16 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 17 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Aye. 18 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin? 19 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Aye. 20 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Jasek? 21 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Aye. 22 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Mehta? 23 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Aye. 24 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 25 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Aye. 7 1 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the motion 2 passed. 3 Next, for Section 6C on the agenda this 4 evening, Site Plans and Subdivisions scheduled for 5 public hearing. The first application is 6 Application SP-73-05, PNC Bank, located at 2 East 7 77th Street and River Road in North Bergen. 8 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: Elaine Berkenwald, 9 from the law office of Dennis Rory (phonetic) for 10 PNC Bank. My engineer is Wendy Birkhead from 11 Robert Euro (phonetic). Do you wish -- (inaudible) 12 -- to be sworn? 13 A VOICE: Yes, please. Do you swear 14 that the testimony you're about to give before this 15 Board is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but 16 the truth, so help you God? 17 MS. BIRKHEAD: Yes, I do. 18 A VOICE: Please state your name and 19 your affiliation, the address of your firm. 20 MS. BIRKHEAD: Wendy A. Birkhead. I 21 work for -- (inaudible) -- Associates. The address 22 is 1955 Route 34 South, Wall, New Jersey. 23 A VOICE: Thank you. 24 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, before we 25 begin, we have to rely on the tape. Would you mind 8 1 if I just pulled the podium up a little bit closer 2 so we don't lose anything? 3 (Whereupon there is inaudible 4 conversation taking place.) 5 A VOICE: Speak up. 6 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: All right. We did 7 obtain a letter from Steven Marx (phonetic), dated 8 November 7, 2005, and we are willing to comply with 9 the four conditions listed in that letter. 10 A VOICE: (Inaudible). 11 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: This is an 12 existing building that -- an office building PNC 13 Bank proposes to renovate it. The only change is 14 they are adding a drive-thru. 77th Street is not a 15 public street. It's a private road owned by the 16 landlord of the building. But, apparently, there 17 were existing marked parking spaces in the county 18 right-of-way, and we have agreed that we wouldn't 19 use those anymore. 20 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Mr. Chairman -- 21 (inaudible) -- I don't have the letter before me of 22 Steven Marx. (Inaudible) -- the plan to connect 23 the -- (inaudible) -- to the catch basin? 24 MS. BIRKHEAD: Yes, that is correct. 25 However, one of the conditions of approval is that 9 1 we connect it into a manhole directly instead of 2 into the catch basin. So we are willing to comply 3 with that. We will add a manhole along that line 4 and connect into that instead of the existing catch 5 basin. 6 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Very good. 7 (Inaudible) -- the county right-of-way? 8 MS. BIRKHEAD: Yes. We were -- 9 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: (Inaudible) -- the 10 county has complained you were using this 11 right-of-way -- (inaudible)? 12 MS. BIRKHEAD: Right. We -- we could 13 leave the sign there but, if the county wishes us 14 to remove it, we will remove it. 15 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: That's correct. 16 And then the northeast corner of 77th Street -- 17 (inaudible). 18 MS. BIRKHEAD: Yes, that's correct. We 19 -- (inaudible) -- showing the curvature on there. 20 And one of the specifications is also that we have 21 to specify DOT curve specs. But we will update the 22 plans to show that that was the DOT specs for that 23 curve, and also at the handicapped ramp for that 24 plan. 25 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Very good. Thank 10 1 you. 2 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Anyone else have any 3 questions? 4 MR. COMMISSIONER: Is this the building 5 next to that restaurant near St. Mary's and River 6 Road? 7 MS. BIRKHEAD: Yes. 8 MR. COMMISSIONER: You plan on making 9 this, what, like an office site bank? An office 10 site, or just -- 11 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: It's an office 12 building that PNC plans to use the first floor as a 13 bank. 14 MR. COMMISSIONER: Right. 15 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: And they're gonna 16 renovate the building. 17 MR. COMMISSIONER: The whole building? 18 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: Well, yeah, the 19 space they're renting; make it look nicer, change 20 the siding, improve it. 21 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Next question? Can 22 I have a motion? 23 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: I'll vote. 24 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: I'll second the 25 motion. 11 1 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on a motion to 2 approve Application SP-73-05 made by Commissioner 3 Dublin, seconded by Commissioner Bettinger. 4 Commissioner Avagliano? 5 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: Aye. 6 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 7 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: Aye. 8 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 9 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Aye. 10 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin? 11 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Aye. 12 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Jasek? 13 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Aye. 14 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Mehta? 15 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Aye. 16 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 17 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Aye. 18 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the motion 19 passed. 20 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: Thank you very 21 much. 22 MS. BIRKHEAD: Thank you. 23 MR. COMMISSIONER: Mr. Chairman, if I 24 might, before they leave: Since we're operating 25 under different circumstances here without the 12 1 court reporter, what I'd like to ask the attorney 2 to do is to prepare the resolution for their -- for 3 the approval so that they can submit it to us for 4 review and we can add whatever we need. Otherwise, 5 it may take some time to get the tape transcribed, 6 and I don't want to delay -- 7 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: That's fine. I'd 8 be more than happy to. I'll submit it to your 9 office for your approval. 10 MR. COMMISSIONER: Good. Okay thank 11 you. 12 A VOICE: (Inaudible). 13 A VOICE: Yeah. Have you -- 14 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: Yes, I think that 15 is a popular -- (inaudible). 16 MR. COMMISSIONER: Just identify it for 17 the record. The drawing is, uh -- 18 MS. BIRKHEAD: It's the site plan for 19 PNC Bank, last revised October 11th of '05. 20 MR. COMMISSIONER: Do you have a card? 21 MS. BIRKHEAD: Yeah. 22 MR. COMMISSIONER: Elaine -- no, you can 23 keep it. 24 MS. BIRKHEAD: Okay. Thank you. 25 MR. COMMISSIONER: Elaine, do you have a 13 1 card, please? It's okay if you don't. Great. 2 Thank you very much. Thank you very much. 3 ATTORNEY BERKENWALD: Thank you. 4 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the next 5 application scheduled for public hearing is 6 SP-94-05, Alan Fischer, applicant, located at 89-91 7 Willow Avenue/260-264 Newark Street in Hoboken. 8 MR. COMMISSIONER: Good morning. 9 ATTORNEY MARCIANO: Good afternoon. Or 10 good evening -- (inaudible). Frank Marciano, 11 Attorney, on behalf of the applicant. Dean 12 Marchetto is presenting. This is on the corner of 13 two county roads in Hoboken, and it's probably the 14 prettiest building in the -- (inaudible). Dean 15 Marchetto -- (inaudible). 16 I received a letter from Steven Marx. 17 We're very -- comply with everything, and I want 18 two things requested of -- (inaudible). Thank you 19 very much. Mr. Marchetto? 20 MR. COMMISSIONER: Tom, you want to 21 swear him in? 22 MR. COMMISSIONER: Yes. Mr. Marchetto, 23 do you swear that the testimony you're about to 24 give before this Board is the truth, the whole 25 truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? 14 1 MR. MARCHETTO: Yes, I do. 2 MR. COMMISSIONER: Thank you. Please 3 state your name and your firm -- 4 MR. MARCHETTO: My name is Dean 5 Marchetto. I'm an architect, and I've presented in 6 front of this Board on numerous occasions in the 7 past. 8 (Whereupon there is inaudible 9 conversation taking place.) 10 MR. MARCHETTO: Cause if I stand here, I 11 project this way. 12 MR. COMMISSIONER: Okay. 13 MR. MARCHETTO: Tonight I'm gonna be 14 showing you a project that we have proposed for the 15 corner of Willow -- Willow Avenue and Newark Street 16 in Hoboken. And the first exhibit I'd like to show 17 is an aerial photograph of the City of Hoboken, 18 because this particular project is in a very 19 specific location which deserves a very specific -- 20 (inaudible). 21 The location of the project is right 22 here on the left side of the map. This is an 23 aerial view of Hoboken. The Hudson River is down 24 here on the bottom, and this is the Palisades on 25 the western edge. The project is located right 15 1 here. And what's interesting about this photograph 2 and what's important about our site is, if you look 3 at Hoboken, it's a grid city. All the streets go 4 north and south or east and west, but there's one 5 location in Hoboken right here on Newark Avenue, 6 which is a county road, which actually comes down 7 here and just dead-ends into this piece of property 8 here. It has no -- no focus at the end of that 9 street. So our site, which is right here at the 10 end of that street, is a site that the developer 11 that who owns the property is proposing to build 12 the property. 13 So, as an architect, I found that it's 14 very important to address the fact that this 15 building is gonna be located at the end of a long 16 access, at the end of a U-corridor, so when you're 17 driving down this street, all of a sudden when you 18 come to the end, you're gonna want to see stuff 19 here because it's a combination of a very important 20 U-corridor. All the other U-corridors in Hoboken 21 either end on the Palisades or end at the Hudson 22 River, eventually looking to Manhattan. But this 23 is a very unusual site. So that's the opening and 24 that's the site location. 25 This here is a set of drawings which is 16 1 identical to the set of drawings that was sumbitted 2 to the Board and, basically, it basically shows the 3 site plan and the building plans. The first image 4 is the overall site plan here; and, again, here's 5 Newark Avenue, this is Willow Avenue, and this is 6 the U-corridor coming down and dead -- creating 7 like a dead end or a U-terminus right here at this 8 location. So what we decided to do at this 9 location was to create like a landmark circular 10 form right here so, when you're driving down or 11 walking down Newark Avenue, you have an object at 12 the end that creates a turning. Because, at this 13 location, the only way you can go is make a right 14 turn and come down this way. (Inaudible) -- here 15 and you make a right turn. So the building is 16 designed to actually facilitate that turn by using 17 a circular form. 18 This here is a rendering -- this is an 19 exhibit which is a rendering of looking at the 20 corner of the building as you're driving down 21 Newark Avenue. And what we've done here is we have 22 a five-story building. The building has some 23 commercial retail on the ground floor and a 24 community room. There is no parking in this 25 building. The building has eight residential 17 1 units. There's no parking in this building because 2 this is in a building in the historic district of 3 Hoboken and we're not permitted to create a curve 4 cut and we're not permitted to put parking in this 5 building. There are garages across the street and 6 parking areas on the other side, but this 7 particular zone prohibits parking. It's that old 8 brownstone section of Hoboken where there are no 9 garages, and they want to keep it that way for 10 traditional reasons; not to have a curve cut and 11 break the sidewalk. So there are no curve cuts and 12 there is no parking. 13 So on the ground floor it's commercial. 14 The commercial's three steps behind so there's an 15 arcade that protects our people going in and out 16 from the weather. And then what we've done here is 17 we've taken the facade along Newark Street and, 18 kind of nearing the traditional Hoboken historical 19 facades here, in order to cross with the corner 20 line -- if you can't see it, I can show it to you 21 in the drawings, but you can't see it behind this 22 tree, but there's that historical facade on this 23 side and then there's a historical facade on Willow 24 which we've borrowed elements from and continued 25 down here. And then when we reached the corner, we 18 1 turned it at the base, set it back and built like a 2 more contemporary zinc-clad coal on the top of the 3 building, which would be the object that you see as 4 you drive down. And what we're proposally doing 5 here is actually put little lights on the base so, 6 in the evening, when you're driving down, this will 7 be lit up and it will be a nice -- (inaudible) -- 8 at the end of that long view. And it's a 9 combination of traditional architecture on the 10 sides and a more contemporary form in the center 11 that would take center stage. 12 This drawing here at the last page shows 13 the elevations in more detail. The pages in 14 between depict the ground floor plan. You can see 15 a community space, you can see the retail space 16 here. The entrance to the residential portion of 17 the building is here right on Newark Street. And 18 then, as we go through the drawings, I have little 19 floor plans showing the residential -- the 20 residential floor plans and the curved linear shape 21 taking form on the third floor. 22 But what I really want to do is get to 23 the last page here, which are the elevations. This 24 is the elevation on Newark and the elevation on 25 Willow, and you can see here a more traditional 19 1 brick facade, then turning the corner with this 2 modern, contemporary -- (inaudible) -- in the 3 corner. And then on this side, this is Willow, 4 coming down, more traditional architecture, coming 5 around and setting this piece back. 6 The building is five stories. The 7 topmost floor is set back so it creates a penthouse 8 up on the roof. The building is made primarily out 9 of brick material with stone -- (inaudible) -- 10 stone details, and then this is a zinc-clad 11 chronicle shape or cylindrical shape on the corner 12 which, again, is designed to become a focus at the 13 end of that long access. Because if we didn't do 14 that, and you just came to a rectangular building, 15 a square building on the corner, there would just 16 be no response to the long access coming down. 17 So that's the design idea of the 18 building; eight units, five stories, no parking and 19 retail on the bottom, creating a more pedestrian 20 neighborhood feel at the ground floor. That's a 21 general description, and I'll be happy to answer 22 any questions. 23 ATTORNEY MARCIANO: I just want to add 24 that we have it approved at the city level for 25 everything and we're all in line with that. 20 1 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Mr. Marchetto, I 2 hope that there will be no air conditioning units 3 visible. 4 MR. MARCHETTO: No. Uh-uh. No, the air 5 conditioners will all be -- (inaudible) -- to the 6 building and be connected way up on the roof. 7 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Okay. Any project 8 -- (inaudible) -- county right-of-way -- 9 (inaudible). 10 MR. MARCHETTO: Yes, typically, in 11 Hoboken, we do that. We have a little garden out 12 in front of the building with a little wrought iron 13 fence in front. It keeps the passersby at a safe 14 distance from swinging doors opening, things like 15 that. It's just a traditional detail in Hoboken. 16 And you're right; it is on a county 17 right-of-way. So there's probably a form we would 18 have to apply for an ordinance -- (inaudible). 19 MR. MARCIANO: At the County 20 Adminstration - I'll take care of that. 21 MR. MARCHETTO: Okay. 22 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: You did get 23 approval -- 24 MR. MARCIANO: Yes, fully approved. 25 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: When did you have 21 1 approval? 2 MR. MARCIANO: Oh, when? I would think 3 about five months ago. (Inaudible). Four months 4 ago? 5 MR. MARCHETTO: I have the resolution in 6 my file, if you'd like me to read it to you on the 7 resolution. 8 MR. MARCIANO: Yeah. I'm sorry. I 9 don't have that. 10 MR. MARCHETTO: I'm reading the 11 resolution from the City of Hoboken. 12 MR. COMMISSIONER: What page? On what 13 page? 14 MR. COMMISSIONER: The second day of 15 December 2004. 16 MR. COMMISSIONER: I'm sorry? What was 17 that again? 18 MR. COMMISSIONER: It was December 2, 19 2004. I didn't realize it was that long ago. 20 (Inaudible). 21 MR. COMMISSIONER: This is the 22 application approval? 23 MR. COMMISSIONER: There's no date on 24 the application. (Inaudible). 25 MR. COMMISSIONER: You know, I think it 22 1 might have went from minor -- 2 MR. COMMISSIONER: No. 3 MR. COMMISSIONER: Yeah, the date is 4 December 2, 2004. 5 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: (Inaudible) -- the 6 site plan indicates -- (inaudible) -- in March 26th 7 of '05. 8 MR. MARCHETTO: This is the signed 9 resolution here. Would you like to see it, Steve, 10 or -- 11 MR. COMMISSIONER: Yeah. 12 MR. COMMISSIONER: That's the right 13 date. That's the right date. 14 MR. COMMISSIONER: I don't know why it's 15 not on the application. 16 MR. MARCHETTO: The drawings that we 17 originally drew for this are dated September 28, 18 2004. So it's highly conceivable that by the time 19 we got on the agenda, it was in December. 20 MR. COMMISSIONER: Yeah. (Inaudible) -- 21 an application, it was December 2nd -- (inaudible). 22 MS. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible) -- the 23 project being completed? 24 MR. MARCHETTO: Well, we're just about 25 to get the demolition permits. There's an old gas 23 1 station structure on the property that we should be 2 taking down within the next month. And then 3 probably the very beginning of 2006 we'll begin 4 reconstruction. The final construction plans are 5 just about finished, and then we can -- 6 (inaudible). 7 MR. COMMISSIONER: It is December 2nd. 8 MR. COMMISSIONER: Just so it's clear, 9 the resolution indicates the hearing was held 10 November 8, 2004 and the resolution was 11 memorialized December 2nd of '04. 12 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Any more questions 13 from the Board? Can I have an offer? 14 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: I'll make a 15 motion. 16 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: I'll second the 17 motion. 18 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on a motion to 19 approve Application SP-94-05 made by Commissioner 20 Choffo, seconded by Commissioner Bettinger. 21 Commissioner Avagliano? 22 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: Aye. 23 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 24 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: Aye. 25 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 24 1 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Aye. 2 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin is not 3 present. 4 Commissioner Jasek? 5 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Aye. 6 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Mehta? 7 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Aye. 8 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 9 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Aye. 10 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the motion 11 passed. 12 (Too many voices speaking at once to 13 ascertain what's being said.) 14 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the next 15 application scheduled for public hearing is 16 SP-99-05, Global Weehawken Acquisition, located at 17 300 JFK Boulevard East in Weehawken, New Jersey. 18 ATTORNEY EHRENWIRTH: Good evening. My 19 name is Douglas Ehrenwirth, from the law firm of 20 Spector & Ehrenwirth. I'm the attorney for the 21 applicant. I have one witness with me, David 22 Busch, of Busch Associates, who prepared the plans. 23 MR. COMMISSIONER: Mr. -- (inaudible) -- 24 would you swear him in? 25 MR. COMMISSIONER: Mr. Busch, do you 25 1 swear the testimony you're about to give before 2 this Board is the truth, the whole truth and 3 nothing but the truth, so help you God? 4 MR. BUSCH: Yes. 5 MR. COMMISSIONER: Okay. Please state 6 your name, your firm and your firm address, please? 7 MR. COMMISSIONER: Please speak up. 8 MR. BUSCH: Sure. My name is David 9 Busch, B-u-s-c-h. The firm is Busch Associates, 10 located at 88 West Main Street, Bayshore, New York. 11 I'm a registered architect in the State of New 12 Jersey. 13 MR. COMMISSIONER: Thank you, sir. 14 ATTORNEY EHRENWIRTH: This is an 15 application for a property located at 300 Boulevard 16 East in Weehawken, and I'm going to allow Mr. Busch 17 to describe the application to you, although I 18 would like to preface his testimony by informing 19 the Board that there is no impact whatsoever on any 20 county facilities anticipated by this application. 21 None at all. This is entirely taking place within 22 the building. We're here only because the law 23 compels us to file an application if we seek 24 amendments to the site plan for any property 25 situated on a county road, and Boulevard East is a 26 1 county road. 2 David, perhaps before you describe this 3 particular set of drawings, you could familiarize 4 the Board with how this building is used, who the 5 tenants are and what they do. Because it is a very 6 unique structure. 7 MR. BUSCH: Thank you for -- 8 (inaudible). 300 Boulevard East is a building 9 that's primarily -- it's a 260 -- approximately 10 260,000-square-foot building comprised of a first 11 floor original -- a single-story original structure 12 with a three-story addition. So, if you will, it 13 has a one-story piece and then a three-story piece. 14 Of the 260,000-square-foot building, the 15 building is primarily occupied by data center or 16 telecommunication users, for instance, Level Three, 17 Sarah (phonetic) Communication and -- (inaudible) 18 -- itself, Global Acquisition -- Global Weehawken 19 Acquisition Company, LLC houses space within within 20 the building, as well as Colocate Facilities 21 (phonetic) -- (inaudible) -- data center type 22 space. 23 The point of describing these data 24 center occupancies is really due to the actual 25 tenant or occupancy count. If we look at the 27 1 typical -- (inaudible) -- the typical occupancy for 2 an office building in the area zoned -- (inaudible) 3 -- would require the parking spaces, 3,300 square 4 feet of office space. Because of the building's 5 use, because of the fire rules and resolutions 6 granted by the Township of Weehawken and the Hudson 7 County Planning Board, the current required parking 8 spaces for the building in its entirety is 321 9 parking spaces. 10 I bring this up because what we are 11 effecting -- (inaudible) -- or what we are 12 proposing under this application is the placement 13 of some garage level fuel tanks. Those fuel tanks 14 will provide for generator support and electrical 15 switch gear. So, basically, fuel tank equipment at 16 the garage level plan. In effect, what we've 17 placed here on this application is to build units 18 of 4,000-gallon convault (phonetic) diesel fuel 19 storage tanks. The parking as proposed on this 20 application is unchanged. 21 So I think, again, it's a matter of 22 formality. What we're presenting here tonight is 23 under the prior resolution from the township and 24 the Hudson County Planning Board. We are making no 25 changes to any landscaping, any parking space 28 1 count, any curve cut placement, et cetera. So its 2 kind of a formality that says if we place equipment 3 here, being on a county road, we have to bring this 4 before the planning board. 5 What we are proposing in terms of fuel 6 tank and electrical gear is well within the lines 7 of the code. The convault storage systems are 8 two-hour, dual-walled digital storage system that 9 is recognized by the 2000 IBC and 2000 BOCA Code, 10 as well as the FCA -- (inaudible) -- which is the 11 equivocal codes for -- (inaudible). 12 I can go into greater detail relative to 13 the components of equipment, or if there's any 14 questions -- 15 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: (Inaudible) -- 16 entirely on their property and -- (inaudible). 17 MR. BUSCH: Just so I can clarify for 18 the record so there's no confusion, it's a series 19 of 4,000-gallon tanks that we'll be installing. 20 They're all well within the confines of code. The 21 codes limitations indicate about 48,000 gallons 22 worth of fuel storage well on the property, and 23 we're actually proposing a maximum of 28,000 24 gallons in 4,000-gallon tanks. 25 MR. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible). 29 1 MR. COMMISSIONER: Yeah, I think so. It 2 is fronting on the county road, so that's why it's 3 here as opposed to being -- (inaudible). 4 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Any other questions? 5 Can I have a motion, please? 6 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: I'll move. 7 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: I'll second the 8 motion. 9 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on a motion to 10 approve SP-99-05 made by Commissioner Dublin and 11 seconded by Commissioner Bettinger. Commissioner 12 Avagliano? 13 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: I vote aye -- 14 (inaudible). I vote aye. 15 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 16 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: Aye. 17 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 18 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Aye. 19 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin? 20 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Aye. 21 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Jasek? 22 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Aye. 23 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Mehta? 24 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Aye. 25 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 30 1 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Aye. 2 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the motion 3 passed. 4 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: (Inaudible). 5 A VOICE: Yeah, next would be to build 6 -- (inaudible) -- the property as to -- (inaudible) 7 -- the property line or adjacent to the -- 8 (inaudible). 9 MR. COMMISSIONER: Mr. -- (inaudible) -- 10 can you mark -- (inaudible)? 11 MR. CLERK: Do we have that? 12 ATTORNEY EHRENWIRTH: Yes. That's a 13 blow-up of the plans, three sets of which in course 14 of your requirements were submitted to Mr. Jasek. 15 MR. COMMISSIONER: Okay. Just identify 16 those drawings for us, for the record. 17 MR. MARCHETTO: Sure. The plans that 18 were submitted are drawing 81.1, parking garage 19 plan, which is dated your planning board meeting 20 August 29th '05, actually. And the second drawing 21 is 81.2, parking garage plan in detail. Again, the 22 planning board meeting is August 29th '05. 23 MR. COMMISSIONER: Thank you. 24 ATTORNEY EHRENWIRTH: Just before we 25 adjourn, can I just ask Counsel, sir, will I be 31 1 receiving a written resolution from your office? 2 MR. COMMISSIONER: I'll ask if you can 3 submit one to me, because it will help since we 4 have -- 5 ATTORNEY EHRENWIRTH: Fine. I'll 6 prepare a resolution for you. Thank you very much. 7 Thank you all. 8 MR. COMMISSIONER: Great. Thanks. 9 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the next 10 application scheduled for public hearing is 11 SP-101-05, Trinity Faith Community Development 12 Corp., located at 1944-1946 Kennedy Boulevard in 13 Jersey City. 14 MR. CAMPBELL: Good evening. My name is 15 Jon Campbell. (Inaudible). I'm going to introduce 16 the architect who did the application, Mr. 17 Figueroa. 18 MR. FIGUEROA: Julio Figueroa from -- 19 (inaudible) -- 20 MR. COMMISSIONER: Speak up. We have a 21 tape recorder here. 22 MR. FIGUEROA: Okay. Julio Figueroa 23 from JGF Architects, LLC, located at 689 -- 24 (inaudible) -- New Jersey. 25 MR. COMMISSIONER: Mr. Figueroa, is the 32 1 testimony you're about to give before this Board 2 the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the 3 truth, so help you God? 4 MR. FIGUEROA: Yes. 5 MR. COMMISSIONER: Okay. 6 MR. FIGUEROA: The drawings that I 7 brought with me are a copy of a copy -- (inaudible) 8 -- are in color. (Inaudible) -- it shows that 9 anything is green is -- (inaudible), anything in 10 brown is the footprint of the building itself, and 11 anything in -- (inaudible) -- color, what that has 12 to do is it has to do with either providing parking 13 or improving our car services, services for the 14 entrace of the building on the sidewalks. 15 The building is located in a -- 16 (inaudible) -- building, a sanctuary, a church, 17 that has an accessory use of day care in the lower 18 section. And this is the ground floor. What we're 19 proposing is -- (inaudible) -- population from 35 20 students to 50 students in the accessory -- 21 (inaudible) -- outreach community program. 22 (Inaudible). 23 What we are proposing is there is an 24 existing curve cut right now of Fulton Avenue, and 25 it will be to relocate a parking -- (inaudible) -- 33 1 at the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Fulton -- 2 (inaudible) -- what will become a stair shaft and 3 an elevator shaft that will function at the main 4 entry point of -- (inaudible). So it is a -- 5 (inaudible) -- of buildings, if you will, that will 6 enhance the appearance of the building for Kennedy 7 Boulevard -- and I'll show you. I have a rendition 8 of that -- and relinquish the parking requirements 9 to the back of the -- (inaudible) -- not so much 10 with parking -- (inaudible) -- for the tenant 11 parking, but the parking spaces for the area. All 12 of the drop off areas to the day care facility will 13 be taken care of from Fulton Avenue, through the 14 surplus, into the parking lot and through these 15 doors -- (inaudible). (Inaudible). 16 What we've done, also, is -- (inaudible) 17 -- there is a specific point along Kennedy 18 Boulevard that we wanted to -- (inaudible) -- all 19 the buildings and houses, and they're almost 20 diagonal in nature -- (inaudible). So there's a 21 rather jagged -- (inaudible) -- that most of the 22 houses -- (inaudible). (Inaudible). One here with 23 a -- (inaudible) -- shaft and a rescue -- 24 (inaudible) -- and then another step further back 25 is supposed to -- (inaudible) -- and the people can 34 1 -- (inaudible) -- this stair shaft. And that will 2 be the part that's conditional more than anything, 3 try to prepare that constant -- (inaudible) -- most 4 of the buildings have -- (inaudible). 5 So, having said that, let me show you 6 the elevations. So we start right here -- 7 (inaudible) -- to the right and -- (inaudible) -- 8 to the left. And the very first set will, which is 9 propably a -- (inaudible) -- of the church, it will 10 be a setback -- (inaudible) -- this edge will be 11 close to 25 feet. (Inaudible). The edge will be 12 ten feet of that elevator shaft and the -- 13 (inaudible). And then another step ahead that will 14 be 25 feet of stair shaft that will provide -- 15 (inaudible) -- along Kennedy Boulevard, providing a 16 longer -- (inaudible). And the siding elevation 17 will -- (inaudible). 18 So that's the elevation on Kennedy 19 Boulevard. The building eventually turns the 20 corner and -- this is general knowledge, turns the 21 corner onto Fulton Avenue, and these elevations -- 22 (inaudible). 23 (Whereupon a beeping sound is drowning 24 out Mr. Figueroa's voice.) 25 MR. COMMISSIONER: You want to hold on 35 1 one minute? I think we have to flip the tape over. 2 MR. FIGUEROA: Go right ahead. 3 (TAPE 1, SIDE 2) 4 MR. CLERK: Okay. 5 MR. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible) -- does 6 that face Fulton? 7 MR. FIGUEROA: That's correct. It is 8 Kennedy Boulevard on the right, Fulton Street. The 9 building along Fulton has a frontage, the ground 10 floor, of a 20-foot setback and then continues -- 11 (inaudible) -- front elevation setback that -- 12 (inaudible). 13 MR. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible). 14 MR. FIGUEROA: So you -- (inaudible) -- 15 continue the street frontage and keep the peace 16 with the scale of the buildings next to it. On 17 Kennedy Boulevard -- (inaudible) -- by most of the 18 houses and buildings along -- (inaudible). 19 The -- (inaudible) -- of the services to 20 the building as anticipated right now will take 21 place about Fulton Street -- (inaudible). There's 22 a couple of manholes that are on Fulton Street that 23 -- (inaudible) -- as far as the development goes 24 right now having any connection to south Kennedy 25 Boulevard. 36 1 The drop offs that I mentioned before 2 will take place through the curve cut, to the other 3 side of the building, entering the building through 4 the -- (inaudible) -- doors -- (inaudible). 5 Oh, yes. We have an approval for our 6 application from the Jeersey City Planning Board on 7 October 25th of this year, '05 -- (inaudible) -- 8 will be required and -- (inaudible). 9 Oh, yes. If you have any other 10 questions or inquiries of the owners of the 11 building -- 12 MS. COMMISSIONER: Is that a day care 13 center right now? 14 MR. FIGUEROA: Yes, it is. It is an 15 accessory use on the ground floor where they have 16 30 children -- (inaudible). 17 MS. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible)? 18 MR. FIGUEROA: Yes, it's -- (inaudible). 19 MS. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible) -- curve 20 cuts on the -- (inaudible)? 21 MR. FIGUEROA: No, there were not. 22 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Mr. Chairman -- 23 (inaudible) -- Kennedy Boulevard -- (inaudible) -- 24 to drop off the children. That's something we are 25 going to -- (inaudible). 37 1 MR. FIGUEROA: Can I make a comment to 2 that? 3 MR. COMMISSIONER: All right. 4 MR. FIGUEROA: I just want you to first 5 know that out of the 30 children that come to the 6 day care center now, I will say that the average of 7 five percent are brought in here from -- 8 (inaudible) -- drive in by car. Most of the 9 children that come to this day care, they would be 10 -- (inaudible) -- of the community, so most of the 11 attendants -- (inaudible) -- children are brought 12 by their relatives to the building, as opposed to 13 driven to the building. 14 MR. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible) -- time. 15 MR. FIGUEROA: There is an hour for -- 16 there's a window of time for the drop off -- 17 MR. COMMISSIONER: It's not like a 18 regular school, they have to be in at 9 o'clock? 19 MR. FIGUEROA: No, no. 20 MR. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible). 21 MR. COMMISSIONER: All right. Come up 22 and be sworn in, please. 23 MR. CLERK: State your name and your 24 address for the record, please? 25 MS. SPEAKER: I'm -- (inaudible). My 38 1 address is 14 Stegman Place in Jersey City. I am 2 the director of -- (inaudible). 3 MR. COMMISSIONER: Do you swear that the 4 testimony you're about to give -- 5 MS. SPEAKER: I swear the testimony I'm 6 about to give is the whole truth and nothing but 7 the truth, so help me God. 8 MR. COMMISSIONER: Thank you very much. 9 MS. SPEAKER: We currently have 30 10 children. We have a -- (inaudible) -- based 11 program which has to do with Jersey City residents 12 only. So most of the children that we have are 13 within a walking radius. And not even only that, 14 we have access to both Bergen Avenue bus and 15 Kennedy Boulevard bus a lot of the towns cannot 16 afford to have -- they'll have the transportation. 17 But we begin at 7:30 in the morning until 5:30 p.m. 18 There is no certain time that they have to be 19 there. There's some parents that even have a need 20 to drop them off earlier, and we allow them that 21 time. 22 MR. COMMISSIONER: For what purpose? 23 MR. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible). I can 24 see your concern. It's a time thing. (Inaudible). 25 MR. COMMISSIONER: I mean, working on 39 1 that road for several years and being here -- 2 (inaudible) -- I haven't seen no major traffic hold 3 up when they drop the kids off on that area. I've 4 been to the day care, I've been to the church 5 several times, and I believe they run a sufficient 6 program here. (Inaudible). 7 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: (Inaudible). 8 A VOICE: You mean like a carport kind 9 of -- 10 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: No -- (inaudible) 11 -- shouldn't there be a sign for this school, this 12 is a no-parking zone? 13 MS. SPEAKER: In the lot? We have a 14 parking lot. 15 MR. FIGUEROA: We have a parking lot -- 16 (inaudible). 17 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Yeah, I know, but 18 the parking lot -- (inaudible) -- drop off and then 19 they have -- (inaudible). 20 MS. SPEAKER: Oh, yeah, they do. That's 21 what they do now. 22 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: They do? 23 MS. SPEAKER: Yeah. 24 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: I would recommend 25 that you and -- (inaudible). 40 1 MR. COMMISSIONER: And then that would 2 mark a space off exactly for you in the morning so 3 you alleviate, you know, traffic hold up. And you 4 can apply for one from the City, and then -- put an 5 application in with the City saying this is a drop 6 off zone, no parking from this time to that time. 7 MS. COMMISSIONER: The parents that drop 8 off the children, they go into this parking lot 9 themselves and drop off the children and then come 10 out? They have one spot on Bergen Avenue where 11 they all enter, or there is another spot on the 12 Boulevard when they come in? 13 MS. SPEAKER: No, they come into the 14 lot. 15 MS. COMMISSIONER: Right into the lot? 16 MS. SPEAKER: Yeah, they come into the 17 lot from Fulton Avenue, not -- 18 MS. COMMISSIONER: So the entrace is on 19 -- in the lot? 20 MS. SPEAKER: Yeah, the entrace is 21 actually -- for the lot is on Fulton Avenue. It's 22 not on the Boulevard. 23 MS. COMMISSIONER: That's right. 24 MS. SPEAKER: Actually, that's why we 25 put the lot there; because the parents were running 41 1 across the Boulevard with their three-year-old, and 2 it's kind of hard to -- 3 MR. COMMISSIONER: So it's an entrance 4 and exit on Fulton? 5 MS. SPEAKER: Um-hum. Yes, sir. 6 MS. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible). 7 MS. SPEAKER: Um-hum. Yes, sir. Yes, 8 ma'am. 9 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Any more questions? 10 Is there a motion? 11 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Move. 12 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: I'll second it. 13 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, on a motion to 14 approve Application SP-101-05, made by Commissioner 15 Dublin, seconded by Commissioner Choffo. 16 Commissioner Avagliano? 17 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: I vote aye. 18 The day care center is very important to Jersey 19 City. I've seen the kids that are going back and 20 forth to Bayonne, and -- (inaudible) -- where 21 children cross and their parents are with them, and 22 that means a lot. If the parents are with them, 23 there's no problem. Good luck. 24 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Bettinger? 25 COMMISSIONER BETTINGER: I vote aye. 42 1 Good luck. 2 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Choffo? 3 COMMISSIONER CHOFFO: Aye. 4 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Dublin? 5 COMMISSIONER DUBLIN: Aye. 6 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Jasek? 7 COMMISSIONER JASEK: Aye. 8 MR. CLERK: Commissioner Mehta? 9 COMMISSIONER MEHTA: Aye. 10 MR. CLERK: Chairman Holloway? 11 CHAIRMAN HOLLOWAY: Aye. 12 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, the motion 13 passed. 14 (Too many voices speaking at once to 15 ascertain what's being said.) 16 MR. CLERK: Mr. Chairman, that concludes 17 the applications scheduled for public hearing this 18 evening. 19 Just one follow-up from last meeting. I 20 was in contact with the New Jersey Planning 21 Officials Association. There is a new requirement, 22 a new State law, which requires all municipal 23 planning and zoning board members to go for 24 mandatory education. I guess it would be in the 25 interest of this Board to see if the County 43 1 Planning Board could be included in that. We did 2 schedule Tom Kenyan (phonetic) from the New Jersey 3 Planning Officials Association, and I've discussed 4 the issue. They are running an educational 5 outreach program, which we scheduled for April 1, 6 2006 at Casino in the Park. That's a Saturday 7 morning. And it's basically about a four-hour 8 program running from about 9:30 to 12:30, 1 9 o'clock. Three-and-a-half-hour program. So that 10 will basically -- it's tailor-made for municipal 11 planning board and zoning board members, but there 12 are also issues which are equally applicable to 13 County Planning Boards. 14 MS. COMMISSIONER: (Inaudible)? 15 MR. CLERK: April 1, 2006. I believe 16 registration is between 9 and 9:30 and it's 17 supposed to kick off around 9:30. 18 (Too many voices speaking at once to 19 ascertain what's being said.) 20 MR. CLERK: Well, the New Jersey 21 Planning Officials Association did organize a 22 Hudson County Planning event a couple years ago at 23 NJCU. And, I believe, Commissioner Avagliano, you 24 were in attendance at that a couple years ago? 25 COMMISSIONER AVAGLIANO: (Inaudible). 44 1 MR. CLERK: That's it, Mr. Chairman. 2 Let's go off. Off the record. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 45 1 CERTIFICATE OF OFFICER 2 3 I, BARBARA A. BRADEY, a Notary Public 4 and Certified Shorthand Reporter of the State of 5 New Jersey, do hereby certify that the foregoing is 6 a true and accurate transcript of the audiotape as 7 transcribed by me at the time, place and on the 8 date hereinbefore set forth. 9 I DO FURTHER CERTIFY that I am neither a 10 relative nor employee, nor attorney or counsel to 11 any of the parties involved, that I am neither 12 related to nor employed by such attorney or 13 counsel, and that I am not financially interested 14 in the outcome of the action. 15 16 17 ------------------------------------------ 18 A NOTARY PUBLIC OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY 19 My Commission Expires: 06/05/07 20 C.S.R. License No. XI02029 21 22 23 24 25