Planning Board: Officials Investigating Undersized Lot Development Issues

Following a zoning board of adjustment decision to construct a home on an undersized lot in Pine Lake Park, Manchester's on Monday said that officials are investigating a way to change how the township deals with the issue.

Those who want to build on lots smaller than 100 by 100 feet are generally granted a variance because of the precedent set by the 1987 Dallmeyer case heard before New Jersey Superior Court. Planning board coordinator Marianne Borthwick said that she corresponded with township planner Tom Thomas and township attorney Steven Secare by email and they are looking into zoning court cases and alternative zoning solutions. 

"So they're working on it," Borthwick said. "There isn't a time frame, but they are working on it."

Jim Hankins, who serves on the zoning board of adjustment but spoke only on his own behalf at the planning board's March regular meeting, has championed for something to be done to stop the granting of construction variances on the smaller lots. The issue most recently came to light as realtor Lisa Duerkes of Freehold applied for two variances to build homes on 75 by 100 foot lots in Pine Lake Park. One was granted, and one was denied. 

"I really don't have a solution to this," Hankins told board members. "But I feel that there should be one."

Planning board alternate attorney Christina Faustina said much the same as zoning board attorney Christopher Reid before the latter body voted 4-3 to deny one of Duerkes' variances on Feb. 24 — the Dallmeyer decision sets the precedent which municipal bodies must follow. 

"We can't change Dallmeyer," Faustina said. "It's important that you have our planner looking into what can be done to make this a better situation. He's really, at this point, best suited in terms of what we can do as a township to make this better."

Hankins said that he hopes Thomas and Secre can look into the issue and "put in effect a set of circumstances that are more favorable to our present residents and taxpayers in Pine Lake Park."

Hankins . He most recently spoke out against granting variances for construction on the hundreds of undersized lots in Pine Lake Park at the zoning board's February regular meeting. 

"We have to decide if were going to stand up for the taxpayers here or the people who don't live in town," Hankins said at the time. "Clearly we're not standing up for our taxpayers here."