N.B. approves daycare center, residential lots
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK- Applications for a childcare center and office building on Old Georges Road and an 11-lot subdivision on Church Lane were approved by the township Planning Board on Feb. 12.

Shah InvestmentsAssociates proposed an office building for Block 226, Lots 11 and 12 at 345 Old Georges Road.

Problems that had to be overcome during the application process included a drainage issue and the matter of entering and exiting the property.

Attorney James Stahl said that the two buildings would be centrally located with a single lane entrance and a common driveway. The initial plans had an entrance and exit on the northerly side and a rear exit on the southerly side, but plans changed because the existing driveway is too close to a single family residence that lies between the two properties, according to Township Planner Thomas Vigna.

"The left turn exit, as it exists, will satisfy the demand of the site," said James Watson, a traffic engineer for the township's engineering firm, CME. "I think it would be in our best interest to leave it as it is."

However, Vigna said he remembers when his own children were in daycare, the amount of cars that would appear during graduations or certain activities, calling it a "nightmare."

Planning Board Chairman Daniel DiStefano said that the police department's Traffic Safety Bureau can evaluate the flow of vehicles, make a recommendation to the traffic engineer and if a problem does in fact exist, the applicant would be responsible for restriping the lanes.

In regards to the drainage, a revised detention system will discharge through the adjacent church property and go through the existing storm-water sewer system in the parking lot. According to Stahl, the applicant and the adjoining church will allow the usage of the church drainage facility "as a matter of brotherhood and community," with no exchange of money necessary, and both facilities can utilize each other's parking lots.

On one additional note, board members asked that a walkway be located between the office building and the church property, especially because of the singlefamily residence that sits in between.

"I think putting a connector out there … would be a good idea," DiStefano said.

The application was approved subject to the acceptance of the CME engineering report, parking agreements, evaluations by Traffic Safety, approval by the county Planning Board and the implementation of a pedestrian walkway.

The second application of the night, presented by Church Lane Associates, asked for a major subdivision of Block 224, Lots 51 and 52 on Church Lane for Mae Brook Estates. Ten lots would be dedicated to single-family houses, while one lot would be reserved for an infiltration basin.

Ronald Sadowski, a professional engineer, said a new road called Creek Lane would be created off Church Lane near Forest Lane. The existing sanitary and water services would be extended through Forest and Creek. An underground stormwater system would capture any flow and discharge into the infiltration system and recharge into Mae Brook. The detention basin would be screened from the rear properties.

Yet an issue arose about the Church Lane property abutting Lot 53, which is the former Skaritka property and is under development by Oaklyn Investments for additional homes. A question about the overflow of water from the property line was brought forth, but Sadowski said the impact would be minimal. DiStefano added that an individual homeowner could put up a fence if necessary, but he did not agree with mandating landscaping or a conservation easement between the two areas.

On a different topic, Lester Nebenzahl, a planner for the applicant, said the application took into account ideals of the township's master plan such as improving circulation and connectivity of roadways and building pedestrian greenways and a strong sidewalk system. Councilman Ralph Andrews, who is the township liaison to the Planning Board, asked that the streetlights use LED lights in order to reduce energy and payment costs, another goal of the Master Plan.

After the discussions, the board unanimously approved the application. Church Lane Associates hopes to begin construction in early to late summer, depending on when they can secure their remaining approvals.