OLD TAPPAN, N.J.—It appeared not one Planning Board member was on the fence about an entrance gate to the proposed 229-unit mixed-use retail and high-end apartment and townhome development planned at 200 Old Tappan Road.
That was one issue mentioned over and over again Dec. 11, 2019, at a more than three-hour second hearing on one of Old Tappan’s largest-ever proposed developments: a re-zoned 19.1-acre site to accommodate multiple land uses, including the borough’s first mixed-use retail and residential construction and 40 affordable units.
Nearly every board member publicly opposed a security gate proposed for the entrance to the 99 townhomes which will be built behind the mixed-use complex planned to front Old Tappan Road.
The next hearing for 200 OTR LLC’s proposed development will be held Jan. 8. Residents interested in reviewing the application’s preliminary and final site plan, plus required documents and reports, can do so during business hours at borough hall.
On Dec. 11, about 25 residents heard concluding testimony from applicant engineer Patricia Ruskan and detailed descriptions of the project’s three different developments from applicant architect David Minno, of Minno Wasko Architects and Planners.
Nearly 100 residents attended the first meeting on the proposal in November when testimony began.
Initially, the applicant presents its experts—usually engineers, architects, planners and traffic consultants—who are questioned by planners, borough professionals, and the public.
Minno provided extensive details on the three lots being developed, including: 1) mixed-use retail/affordable apartments featuring 21,000 square feet of retail space and 20 second-story units; 2) a 110-unit luxury apartment complex; and 3) 99 townhomes—consisting of 79 luxury townhomes and 20 affordable townhomes—with a gated entrance.
Amid detailed testimony about storm runoff, vehicle turning ratios, sewage pump stations, and architectural and engineering specifications for the three developments that comprise the 229-unit complex, at least two items created a stir when raised: why was a gate needed when no other local complex has a gated entrance? And was the developer (Hornrock Properties) considering selling off individual developments at some point in the process?
Gates ‘just don’t work’
“The [entrance] gates in this community just don’t work. It’s not who we are,” said Robert Scozzafava, about 90 minutes into the hearing, repeating similar comments by Thomas Gallagher, Charles Maggio and Anna Haverilla, who made a point to question or oppose a gated entrance.
Several members pointed out that no other community or development in Old Tappan has a gated entrance and that such an entrance separates the new community from current residents.
“And also, I don’t like the gate,” said Haverilla, member and borough administrator, joining in a consensus of members opposed to an entrance gate.
Member Daniel Eller said he “agrees with pretty much everyone here about the gates” and noted he “hopes that the new community blends with the rest of the town and is open and accessible both ways…with all our new people moving into town…and I don’t think having those gates does that,” he said.
Gate’s ‘negative message’
Eller pointed out that having half of low- and moderate-income residents on one side of a gated community sends a “negative message” even though that may not be the intent.
Scozzafava said gated subdivisions lead to problems such as traffic back-ups that may spill out onto nearby roads.
He said gated entrances need to be designed so drivers have the ability to turn around and back out without causing tie-ups.
He noted any townhome buyers who may wish to market units would likely encounter issues with prospective clients not being able to access the complex due to a gate.
“The gates don’t work. I’ve seen them in practice,” he said, noting potential traffic concerns.
‘A lot of reasons’ for gates
Applicant attorney Peter Wolfson, Pitney & Day, took issue with anti-gate comments, noting “there are a lot of reasons people prefer gates” and that many New Jersey developments operate successfully with gated entrances.
Others suggested a gated entrance with two lanes for entering, one for residents and one for visitors, to ease traffic flow and reduce back-ups.
“We hear the concern,” Wolfson said.
He said gated entrances were “lifestyle and marketing driven,” although Scozzafava said he could not understand why gates were needed in a safe community such as Old Tappan.
Scozzafava also wondered if pedestrians wanting to walk through the new neighborhood would be allowed to walk through or be stopped by the gate.
He said parents wanting to get into the complex to drop off kids for “play dates” would be affected by a gated entrance.
“We hear you,” repeated Wolfson.
Earlier, Gallagher noted he “would like to see the gated entrance eliminated.”
‘A very important question’
Chair William Weidman asked whether Hornrock Properties “plan on developing the entire project or does he plan on selling part of it off for somebody else to develop?” and called it “a very important question.”
Wolfson turned around from a table facing board members to look towards Hornrock officials and then turned back.
“I think it’s already been identified that the three projects might be developed independently, might at some point in the future be sold,” he said.
‘That’s a problem’
“That’s a problem, OK; that’s a problem, that’s all I’m going to say; that’s a problem,” said Weidman to Wolfson.
When Wolfson pressed Weidman for more detail about the problem, Weidman raised a concern.
“We don’t know, you know, we’re going to have a relationship with you. We’re not going to have a relationship with somebody else, OK, enough said right now, thank you,” he added.
“I hear you,” interjected Wolfson.
The issue of selling off individual developments was not raised again during the hearing.
109 three-bedroom units
Hoping to clarify public confusion about the development, Gallagher said that the entire development would include 109 three-bedroom units of all types while total development comprises 229 units, including apartments, affordable units, and townhomes.
He said he felt some residents misunderstood the total number of three-bedroom units after the first hearing.
He pointed out that traffic, stress on emergency services, and impacts on local schools were top resident concerns.
Borough Planner John Szabo said a 2018 Rutgers University population-generation and demographic analysis for certain New Jersey housing types, including conventional and affordable units, should help offer future estimates of children likely to enter local schools.
He said though the development is required under the borough’s affordable settlement “that doesn’t mean you cannot analyze the impacts” on the town.
He said the Rutgers model shows overall decreases in school population from most housing types.
‘Family sizes…shrinking’
“Based on very recent census data…family sizes are shrinking, the number of school-age children being generated by those housing types is declining. In fact, New Jersey has lost population the last two censuses; we’ve actually lost representation in Congress,” said Szabo.
Although he said “blips” of increases may occur, “consistently over time it’s been going down,” noted Szabo.
“That being said, we’ll look at those [population-generation] numbers,” he added.
In addition to population-generation data to be evaluated, Police Chief Thomas Shine, a member, said he wanted to get data on the number of emergency services calls from similar developments.
He said the police respond to all emergency calls in town and he wanted to get a better sense of what could be anticipated.
Resident Ronald Binaghi, owner of 17-acre Stokes Farm on DeWolf Road, which abuts the site’s northern border, wondered whether a fence would be installed between the new development and farm property.
‘Trespassing and vandalism’
Binaghi said “from the time Pearson [Prentice-Hall] was built we’ve had problems with trespassing and vandalism.”
He said he wanted a 6-foot fence “and all the trees you want” between the proposed development and his farm property.
Ruskan said she would discuss the suggestion with applicant Hornrock Properties.
Wolfson said another applicant architect and traffic expert may offer testimony at the Jan. 8 hearing.
The 200 OTR LLC’s third hearing will commence following board reorganization and one scheduled application.
To review 200 OTR LLC application documents at Borough Hall, phone Land Use Secretary Diane Frohlich at (201) 664-1849, ext. 22.
