Board of Adjustment — September 16, 2026

The Board of Adjustment’s adopted minutes of this regular meeting are on the Township’s Documents-On-Demand portal, linked from its Agendas/Minutes page, in the Board of Adjustment minutes folder. Chairman Andersen called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Present were Chairman Andersen, Vice Chair Walch, Larry Fox, Michael Cuttitta, Michael Pappas, Richard Albanese, Sean Sullivan and Art Quade; Vicki Cook and Kenneth Iselin were absent. Also present were Township Engineer Doug Ball, Board Planner Kendra Lelie and Board Attorney Christopher Sobieski.

953 Route 202 North: Branchburg Medicorum LLC (carried)

Case No. 2026-001 AUV PFSP, Block 55, Lot 7, represented by Lawrence A. Calli, Esq. Mr. Sobieski said the notice was sufficient and timely and the Board had jurisdiction.

Mr. Calli summarized the application: a 2.12-acre property in the R/S-2 zone with an existing two-story commercial building of 16,000 square feet, to be used as a residential detoxification and short-term residential substance-use treatment facility. He said the use is conditionally permitted in the zone, that the deviations sought concern buffers to abutting uses and mostly go with the existing building and its setbacks, and that the applicant seeks D3 relief with preliminary and final site-plan review.

Two prospective operators testified: Samuel Kesaris of USR Holdings, the main operator, who said his business started in 2014 and runs seven facilities (three in Maryland, four in Florida), and James Mikhail of Omnia Holdings NJ LLC, the co-operator, who operates under state licenses in New Jersey. In the minutes’ account, Mr. Kesaris said:

• Admissions. It is not a walk-in facility; patients call an admissions center, a background check is run, sex offenders and court-mandated patients are not accepted, and it is not a Medicaid facility. Staff drivers bring patients in, and patients do not keep vehicles on site.
• Care. A psychiatrist or addictionologist oversees care with nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nurses, with 24-hour nursing; a licensed clinical social worker serves as clinical director. Patients follow a set daily schedule including 6–8 hours of group or individual therapy.
• Size and staffing. Patient census is capped at 40, usually about 80% full, two to a room. About 12–18 staff are on site at a time and about 12 overnight, in two 12-hour shifts, with 10–12 cars in the lot at times. A typical stay is 7–10 days of detox and about 21 days residential.
• Security. Access is badge-controlled, with audible doors, window alarms, outdoor cameras, pre-approved visitors between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and a secure pharmacy governed by the DEA. Behavioral health technicians check on patients every 30 minutes.
• Traffic and activity. One to two admissions and discharges a day; food deliveries once or twice a week; no patients outside after 9 p.m.; one to two drivers available.

Board members and professionals asked about patient types, medications, length of stay (insurance determines it; the average is 28 days), patient age (about 30–32), contact with law enforcement (about one to two times a year at a comparable 40-bed facility), success rates, smoking areas, meals, a backup generator and chiller noise (to be addressed later by the architect). Mr. Calli said the property owner, Branchburg Medicorum, is the real-estate entity; a new entity would be formed between the two operators; and any use variance would run with the property, with conditions on the use rather than the operator. Mr. Kesaris agreed to a condition that no outpatient programs be brought to the site. Mr. Pappas asked for a written list of the licensing process and oversight agencies before the next hearing, for review by the Board Attorney and possible inclusion as a condition; Mr. Calli said it would be provided. Ms. Lelie asked whether an operator will always be on site; the answer was that one of the two operators, or Mr. Mikhail’s COO, Mia Stoiya, will be.

Members of the public who asked questions, as the minutes list them:

• Rebekka Zydel, 107 N. Branch River Road: outdoor smoking breaks (no more than about 20% of patients, 8–10, at once) and the 25-foot buffer to the adjoining residential neighborhood; the operators said their other facilities adjoin residential communities without issues.
• Glenford Warmington, attorney for River Trace Condos: the for-profit to non-profit question, noise, night-time emergency services (rare; one to two ambulance calls a year at the Port St. Lucie facility), overnight staffing and security. Mr. Calli said a use variance does not require environmental, traffic or community impact studies, and the generator must meet the noise code.
• Markette Harris, 241 N. Branch River Road: time to reach capacity (generally six months to a year, usually about 80%), success rates, average stay and a traffic study; the minutes note the Board has a traffic consultant reviewing the case.
• Yuriy Boltyah, 250 N. Branch River Road: whether a property-value study was done (Mr. Calli said it is not a relevant zoning study) and whether patients had left the operators’ facilities and committed crimes (the answer was no).
• Jennifer Testa, 13 Gordon Place: staffing shortages (licensing requires staffing; backup staff are kept) and outpatient services. Mr. Calli said any outpatient service would require an amended approval from the Board.
• Adam Perahia, 247 N. Branch River Road: visitors, vendors and contractors.
• Maria Kron, 248 N. Branch River Road: use of the basketball court (recreation only, under 20% of patients outside, 2–3 hours a day, no later than 9 p.m.), fencing, whether staff can stop a patient from leaving (the operators said they have no legal right to) and interior noise.

The Board closed public questioning. The case was carried to December 1, 2026, without further notice, with an extension of the Board’s time to act to December 31, 2026.

40 Harlan School Road: approved

Case No. 2026-009A HV, Gamarello & Spodnick, Block 30, Lot 3.02, represented by Ryan J. Windels, Esq. The applicant, Mr. Thomas Gamarello, said the addition would enlarge his son’s bedroom and add a rear office for him and his wife, with an expanded rear patio and new siding and roofing; earlier additions left building out the front as the only option. Mr. Windels said the front-yard setback would decrease from 73.19 feet to about 66.09 feet, where 75 feet is required. Mr. Gamarello said the addition will not extend past the existing front-porch slab and that other homes on Harlan School Road are also nonconforming. Board members asked about alternatives, siding, lighting and the other structures on the lot; Mr. Cuttitta asked Mr. Ball how the setback is measured from the covered porch. No members of the public commented.

The application was approved on motion of Mr. Pappas, seconded by Ms. Walch. Recorded vote: 7–0 (Ayes: Chairman Andersen, Vice Chair Walch, Larry Fox, Michael Cuttitta, Michael Pappas, Richard Albanese, Sean Sullivan; Absent: Vicki Cook, Kenneth Iselin; Not eligible: Art Quade).

Other business

The minutes of the September 1 regular meeting were approved on motion of Mr. Quade, seconded by Vice Chair Walch, 7–0 (Michael Pappas not eligible). Two claims totaling $3,089.00, both to Kyle, McManus Associates (Commerce Park, $2,452.00; Branchburg Medicorum, $637.00), were approved on motion of Mr. Cuttitta, seconded by Vice Chair Walch, 8–0. There were no resolutions, other business or communications. The Board adjourned at 10:25 p.m.

See land-use applications.

Records

• Minutes and agenda: Agendas/Minutes page of the Township’s website, which links its Documents-On-Demand portal (Board of Adjustment folder)
• Meeting video on the Township’s Granicus archive
• Hearing notice for case 2026-001 AUV PFSP (published September 4, 2026; reproduced by NoticeRegistry)