Opposition continues to townhome project
BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer

LITTLE SILVER - Outspoken residents voiced last-minute concerns about a proposed Eastview Avenue town home development at the Sept. 6 Planning Board meeting.

Led by former judge Chet Apy, Rivers Edge Drive, residents overwhelmingly stated their disapproval over Carriage Park at Little Silver, a Kalian Corp. development project, as the Planning Board reached the public hearing portion of the application.

Apy, who wrote a sample resolution of denial for the board, handed out packets to each board member and the applicant's counsel highlighting his objections that were separated into eight issues for the board to hear.

"I'm trying to point out to you things you can do something about, should do something about," said Apy.

He became visibly agitated and emotional at the end of the public hearing portion.

"I think all of us were asleep at the switch," said Apy. "We took for granted that when this place was [done] it would have the same feel and look as all of the other similar developments here in Little Silver.

"This is very, very different," he continued. "It's overbuilding."

Another resident, Chris Foard, who was on the subcommittee that was made up of residents and Borough Council members including Mayor Suzanne Castleman formed to discuss contentious issues relating to the application, presented the board with a scale comparisons diagram.

"This is what it is going to feel like as you walk in the neighborhood, as I walk down the street I'm going to be dwarfed," said Foard of Edgewood Avenue.

He took one of the applicant's elevations from the Oceanport Avenue side and then began placing people, cars and trees in the diagram to give the board a visual perspective on how the property would appear.

He said the townhomes would be about 35 feet tall per the plans and from the Oceanport Avenue side, the span of the development would be 23 car lengths, at 12 feet per car.

The project, which fronts Eastview and Oceanport avenues, calls for 39 age-restricted townhouse units, including seven affordable housing units to meet the requirements of the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).

Each three-story townhouse unit will include an attached two-car garage, according to the Aug. 7 engineering review letter submitted to the board by Borough Engineer Gregory S. Blash.

Since testimony began last April, off-site parking, drainage system and the number of townhouses to be built on the 4-acre tract have all been issues of contention concerning the project, which some residents continue to oppose.

The board did not make a decision at the Sept. 6 meeting but began discussing possible conditions and concerns that would have to be addressed if they decide to draft a resolution of approval. These would include whether or not to accept the donated open space from the developer, grant variances for 11 parking spaces and another variance for signage, as well as whether or not to allow the removal of existing trees that may affect the layout of the development.

Board members agreed they would feel more comfortable if the extra parking spaces along Eastview Avenue to be used by visitors to Challenger Field.

"If those spaces are causing a federal case, I'm sure we can go back," said Castleman.

She explained Borough Council members were worried there would be no place to park for the Challenger Field recreation area, which would be located behind the development, so the extra 25 spaces were designated in a land-use development ordinance the council had previously drafted pertaining to the Kalian project.

The testimony concerning the Kalian development, which has been considered by the Borough Council as well as the Planning Board in various forms for more than seven years, will continue Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. At that time, the Planning Board will decide whether or not to draft a resolution for denial or approval of the application.