TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Following a meeting that included no public comment, the Planning Board voted, 7-1, on Dec. 1 to approve Franklin Court Management LLC’s 44-unit multifamily inclusionary rental complex and two single-family homes off of Van Emburgh Avenue, while denying any variances for the two single-family homes.
Member Said Toro opposed the motion to approve a fully conforming application for 44 units and two single-family homes on Fillmore Drive. Approving were members Bill Carroll, Leonard Sabino, George Toole, Vincent Vinagre, V. Wojno-Oranski, Councilman Thomas Sears, and Chair Brian Murphy.
Throughout the complex’s four hearings, multiple nearby residents had voiced opposition to the 44-unit complex, citing concerns over traffic, privacy, fire safety, pedestrian safety, parking, stormwater impacts, and emergency vehicle access. On Dec. 1, members opened the meeting to public comment shortly after starting and closed it when no one on the Zoom platform raised a hand to offer comment. That was the only public comment period offered.
Following the vote, Lamatina said he would provide an approval resolution to Jennings within weeks to review, prior to a formal board vote to memorialize the decision.
The Planning Board’s approval [click here for project background documents] was the second major multifamily development approved in 2021: On Sept. 22, it approved the Viviano “American Dream” project, a 66-unit townhome and single-family development at 463 Van Emburgh Avenue, after nearly two decades of disputes and delays.
“The applicant is pleased that the Planning Board approved the fully conforming site plan to construct the 44-unit inclusionary project but is disappointed that it denied the lot frontage variances requested with the subdivision application for the two single family homes,” applicant attorney Donna Jennings, Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, Woodbridge, told Pascack Press on Dec. 2.
Jennings noted the applicant had not yet decided whether it would appeal the board’s variance denials on both single-family homes. She said construction work was likely to begin on the 44 rental apartments in spring 2022.
More on the meeting and Planning Board decision in upcoming Pascack Press print and online coverage.