60,000 SQ FOOT OFFICE BUILDING APPROVED ON CROSS STREET

After enumerating at length the reasons why they disliked an application to build a 3-story, 38.5 feet high, 60,000 sq foot office building on Cross Street and Franklin Boulevard, Lakewood Township's Zoning Board then voted to approve the application.

The application, Appeal 4087A, was submitted by Divonne Equity Group, LLC. It was represented by Attorney Miriam Weinstein, Engineers Brian Flannery and Joseph Kociuba, and Traffic Engineer Scott Kennel.

The Zoning Board previously granted Use Variance approval for this bifurcated application as offices are not a permitted use in this R-40 Single Family Homes residential zoning district. The Board also previously granted a Height variance as this zoning district does not permit structures above 35 feet high.

The Board now also granted Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan approval for the project.

The application includes the building as well as typical site amenities such as parking, lighting, landscaping, stormwater management and refuse enclosure.

Site ingress and egress is proposed via a right turn in ingress only driveway from Cross Street and a full movement driveway on Franklin Boulevard.

The parking lot will contain a total of 227 parking spaces. A portion of the building will be elevated for the second and third stories, thereby allowing for a site access aisle and 28 off-street parking spaces under the building (at ground level).

The application sought an impervious coverage variances of 22.83% where a maximum of 20% impervious is allowed, as well a design waiver from providing the required 50 feet perimeter buffer.

The Board discussed adequate access for emergency vehicles, deliveries, and trash pickup trucks. The circulation plan with the application only demonstrates circulation of a Smeal Aerial MM1 100 ft design vehicle through the property. The applicant's engineers testified that delivery and trash pickup trucks will be about to circulate the parking lot. They agreed to review the plans with the Township's Fire Official to ascertain that large fire trucks would be able to access the site in an emergency as well.

Board Member Avraham Naftali stated, "I like it but I think that 3 floors and so many cars is a little too aggressive, perhaps they should scale down the project."

Board Member Mordy Gross stated, "I don't like this application, but there is a need for additional office buildings and this application is 'the lesser of all evils there'."

Echoing these words, Board Member Judah Ribiat offered a motion to deny the application. No board member offered a second to that motion.

Board Member Meir Gelley then offered a motion to approve the application. Board Member Gross offered a second to that motion. All Board members, besides for Judah Ribiat, voted to approve the application.

The application will also require approval from the Ocean County Planning Board. They will decide the width and design of the Cross Street ingress driveway.

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