Zoning Board of Adjustment — September 17, 2026
Special meeting for the fourth hearing on 131 Morristown Rd LLC's townhouse plan (ZB25-040). The applicant's planner testified; after a straw poll in which most members preferred garages for the affordable units, the applicant said it would revise the plan from 131 to 125 units. Five people questioned the witnesses. The hearing was carried to October 28.
- Development
- Housing
Meeting recording
Recording plays on the township archive
This meeting does not play on this page. The township's recording is complete and plays in full on the township's own channel.
What happened
What the record shows
Attendance
Present: Baumann, D’Andrea, Kraus, Ladyzinski, Lindeman, Pochtar, Silver (arrived 8:07 PM) and Trapp. The minutes list no members absent. Board Attorney Steven K. Warner, Planner David Schley, Engineer Thomas J. Quinn and Board Traffic Engineers John Jahr and Alizon Serrano attended.
ZB25-040, 131 Morristown Rd LLC: fourth hearing
See 131 Morristown Road townhomes.
- Planner John E. Taikina (All Things Planning & Development) listed the “c” and “d” variances, waivers and exceptions requested and testified that the project would cause no substantial detriment to the public good or substantial impairment of the Master Plan, would sit entirely within the existing disturbed area, and would reduce impervious coverage significantly.
- Architect Robert Larsen, answering questions about the lack of garages in the affordable units and the spacing of buildings, said one-car garages could be added if the units are enlarged, and units per building could be increased to give fewer buildings with more space between them.
- Straw poll. At Attorney Donna M. Jennings’s request, the Board gave its sense: the majority preferred adding garages to the affordable units and not increasing the number of units per building. Jennings said the applicant would revise the plans to add those garages and reduce the total from 131 to 125 units.
- Outcome: no vote. Carried to October 28, 2026 with no further notice; time to act extended to October 31, 2026.
Other business
The July 16 minutes were adopted. No resolutions were memorialized. The meeting adjourned at 11:06 PM.
Public participation
Five people asked questions, as listed in the minutes. On Mr. Taikina’s testimony: Rose Salaki of Morristown Road, Todd Edelstein of Riverside Drive, Robert Wianecki, Esq., counsel for Goutam Muhuri of Morristown Road, and Charlie Digangi of Dexter Drive North. On Mr. Larsen’s: Keith Molinari of Franklin Drive and Ms. Salaki. According to the hearing transcript, the questions covered why the site is particularly suitable, highway noise from I-287 and the lack of a noise wall, visibility from Route 202, the need for senior and townhouse housing and the timing of the traffic survey; the 20% affordable set-aside versus a higher share, density, and lot coverage above the 25% the zone allows; office hours of use compared with 24-hour residential use; whether single-family homes on half-acre or one-acre lots were considered; whether 125 units with garages would stay within the existing developed footprint; and the number of homes for the acreage.
Records
- Minutes (township document page)
- Agenda (township document page)
- Hearing transcript (ZB25-040 application folder)
- Video on the township’s YouTube channel, part 1, and part 2. This page follows the Board’s minutes.