Zoning Board Approves Apartment Complex

A section of Wycoff Mills Road could look very different in the future after the zoning board approved an application to build an apartment complex in the Adelphia part of town. 

The application has 42 apartments being put in three buildings and was approved after questions were asked about things like parking, lighting and waste disposal.

One of the big questions that was raised at Monday's meeting was drainage and privacy of the property. The applicant said a berm that would be built on the borders would help with both as well as a buffer area that should help to prevent flooding as much as possible. Board Engineer said his office would work with the applicant as well as tree management expert Zig Panek to help the layout accomplish those goals. 

There was one member of the public who had a question for the applicant. Joe Civitano, who lives on nearby Clayton Ave. said he was concerned about the parking available in the development and also lighting that might be able to be put up to help better illuminate the rural street. 

Civitano said he also was concerned about the berm. "Absent a substantial fence and berm it's inevitable that the residents will cut through the woods and cut through Clayton Ave. across the post office to get to the convenience store on a regular basis."

While there was no solid height given for the berm it was eventually agreed that a fence would be built into the berm to add extra height and added deterrents for people walking through the area. "The berm will be as high as we can make it physically and the slopes that are permitted." the attorney for the applicant said. 

Also in light of Civitano's questions it was agreed that the fence would be changed from a black vinyl coated chain link fence to a board on board fence as an added deterrent for pedestrians in the area. 

Civitano said he has been living in the neighborhood for close to two decades and was in favor of the application overall. "This isn't a question of wanting to stop something, I simply want to minimize the impact negatively on our neighborhood," he said. 

One area that the board was unable to help Civitano with was a question about Wycoff Mills Road itself. While the zoning board does not have any control over lighting on township roads, there was agreement that a letter would be sent to the Town Council to look into the question. "Lighting is the best deterrent to any problem," Civitano said. "If you have a well lit area you're not going to have a problem."

In addition to asking about the lighting Civitano asked the board to go to the township to consider looking into parking on Clayton. Civitano said he was concerned that with the limited amount of spots in the new complex people would park on his street and walk across the street to the development. 

Mallon said any suggestions the board had when it came to parking on Clayton or the area surrounding the development were in the council's hands and any suggestions the board had should go through them.

By a unanimous vote the application was passed with the conditions agreed to by both sides.