BASKING RIDGE, NJ — A previously approved 280-unit housing development off Mountainview Boulevard has come back before the Bernards Township Planning Board with proposed changes.
The application seeks amendments to a 2020 approval for the apartment portion of the project, which was approved with 60 townhomes, 220 apartments and 62 affordable units.
Attorney Tom Malman, appearing for Amzak Basking Ridge LLC, told the board, "The unit numbers aren't changing. The market rate units aren't changing. The affordable housing units aren't changing."
Malman said the property had been rezoned from office research to a multifamily zone as part of the township's affordable housing plan.
Engineer Rob Michello testified that substantial site work has already been completed on the apartment portion, including foundations, stormwater improvements, drainage work and grading.
"No framing has started out here yet," Michello said.
He said the townhome portion has not been started, though grading has occurred there, and said four of five stormwater basins have been installed or rough graded.
Testimony focused on revisions to the apartment buildings, including changes to bedroom mixes, added dens, balconies, facade revisions and rooftop amenities.
Michello said the building footprints are generally unchanged, though two apartment buildings that were previously separate would now be connected.
"Now you have full connectivity between all the buildings with the clubhouse that'll be in the middle there," he said. "Basically, even though they're labeled building one, two, and three for the purposes of discussion, they're really all building now."
The applicant's witnesses said parking required for the apartment portion would rise from 426 spaces to 427 because of unit mix changes, while the revised plan would provide 432 spaces.
Testimony also said 65 EV spaces are required under state law, including 23 with chargers installed and 42 make-ready spaces.
The engineer also said bollard lights would increase to 43 from 30, and the previously approved total of 1,547 replacement trees would remain unchanged.
The board spent part of the hearing on balconies, including a request involving 40 that testimony said "are not compliant."
Architect Michael Lawson of Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners said the affordable housing mix meets current requirements.
"We are providing for 20 percent of the one-bedroom efficiencies. We are providing 60 percent two bedrooms and then 20 percent three bedrooms. We are compliant with that distribution," said Lawson.
On balconies, Lawson said, the project previously proposed Juliet balconies.
"Now we have full. A Juliet balcony is one that you can't go out on the balcony," said Lawson.
The newly proposed balconies are about 8 feet in depth by about 12 feet in width.
"It does allow for a nice area that you can have a lounge chair, you can have a small table. We really wanted to make sure that these were usable spaces," said Lawson.
A nearby resident, Pat O'Brien of Pacer Court, asked for fencing along part of the access road near his property because of a steep drop toward a creek.
After discussion, the applicant agreed to install a 6-foot-high solid wood fence in the area discussed.
The hearing was carried to the next board meeting on Sept. 8.
To see the amended application and site plans, click here.
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