Board members stick to their guns on zoning
Application to divide two nonconforming lots nixed
BY JAY BODAS
Staff Writer

Respect the new R-15 zone, said Woodbridge Planning Board members last week.

In a unanimous decision, the board voted to deny an application for the subdivision of a parcel of land into two substandard lots in the newly created R-15 zone in Sewaren.

"This area along Cliff Road has a unique history," said board member Patricia Osborne.

There were three hearings held in the summer of 2005 to rezone the area, she said.

"This application as it stands creates two nonconforming lots," she said. "In addition to that, the R-15 zone requires a 40-foot setback and 30 feet is provided, and both proposed lots are substandard in terms of the 15,000 square feet required. I make the recommendation that this application be denied."

The applicant, Francis Nedza, proposes to subdivide a 27,554-square-foot parcel of land at the intersection of Cliff Road and Ferry Street in Sewaren into two lots, with one comprised of 13,783 square feet and the second comprised of 13,771 square feet.

A new single-family dwelling was also planned for construction on each lot.

The R-15 single-family zone was the result of a rezoning study and requires 15,000 square-foot-lots. The zone change took effect in December.

"This application was originally submitted as a major subdivision, but once the rezoning went into effect, my client decided to substantially reduce development to two homes," said Chris Nelson, the applicant's attorney.

"There has been an application submitted for a four-lot subdivision that was filled prior to any notice being given about the rezoning of this section of the township," said Angelo Valetutto, the applicant's planner.

"When the rezoning came through, [the applicant] agreed he would reconsider a four-lot major subdivision and come to the board with the application he is seeking this evening, which is two lots, which though not meeting the [rezoning requirements] is certainly substantially closer than what we would have done with the four lots," Valetutto said.

Nelson said that the local area already had homes on lots smaller than the ones his client was seeking.

"Along Ferry Street if you go west, the houses are on much smaller lots," Nelson said. "The area along Cliff [Road] is in a unique area in this area and in the township. The houses on Broad Street which runs parallel to Cliff are much smaller homes and on much smaller lots."

After a short discussion, seven board members voted to deny the application.

"It is an R-15 zone," said board member Terry Sharkey. "We should not be granting subdivisions at this time."