BAIS YAAKOV HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVES DEP APPROVAL FOR FUTURE EXPANSION PLAN

Bais Yaakov High School is seeking to expand their existing campus at 277 James Street Street in Lakewood.

This expansion is planned to be a 2-story expansion to the existing school as well as a new driveway access.

This expansion project requires a NJDEP conservation restriction to be lifted.

The school purchased the 6.75 acres parcel from the Township back in 2000, for $25,400. The reason for this low sale price is because the Township imposed a deed restriction that the property is to be used "for school or educational purposes only," and that "the property shall not be put to woodlands usage and the use of the property for woodlands management purposes is prohibited."

Along with the sale, the Township Committee also granted a freebie road vacation.

The parcel is now assessed at $9,637,600.

The site is now partially developed with a school building, a pool, a parking lot, stormwater management features, and undeveloped forested areas.

The school site is adjacent to valuable freshwater wetlands. Therefore, the development of the existing school required special permitting from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

As part of this permitting process, which is known as a Transition Area Waiver Averaging Plan, DEP required the school to place a conservation restriction on a portion of the property to ensure that there is no future construction on that portion of the property.

The area of the school's now proposed expansion is located within the deed restricted conservation area.

As such, as first reported here on FAA News, Bais Yaakov submitted an application to the DEP for a partial release of the conservation restriction.

To offset the proposed disturbances to deed restricted areas, Bais Yaakov has proposed alternate deed restricted compensation transition areas on their property, as well as the preservation - through deed restriction - of an off-site land, Block 284 Lot 72 within Lakewood. Block 299 Lot 2 appears to contain 8,000 sq feet in area. Block 284 Lot 72 appears to contain 12,000 sq feet in area.

To advance this expansion plan, as previously reported here on FAA News, Bais Yaakov closed on the purchase of these two lots for a total of $30,000.

The seller is Dov Gross of Brooklyn-based Gross Foundation Inc. Public records obtained by FAA News indicate that Mr. Gross purchased both lots from Eli Weinstein in 2003 for $50,000.

Bais Yaakov has just now secured DEP approval for their expansion plan. They will also require Site Plan approval from Lakewood Township's Planning Board.

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