BOA Report, Planning Board Tonight
Zoning Board of Adjustment Attorney Richard Olive found fault Wednesday with a legal notice published by Upper Room Full Gospel Church and said it must be posted correctly before a hearing on the church's application to locate in a downtown building.
Several members of the congregation looked on as Olive said the lengthy notice was not "clear and concise." The church was seeking only a variance to move into the central business district, where houses of worship are not a permitted use. But the notice mentioned several other variances that did not apply to the case. Attorney Tiffany Williams, a church member serving as counsel pro bono, countered by saying the notice was merely "overly inclusive," but the board declined to hear the case until proper notice is published.
A similar situation came up with Young Family Dentistry's application to put a sign in front of the dental office on Park Avenue. Olive promised to help the applicant sort out the language for a new legal notice.
Two applications for MetroPCS were approved. Company representatives said antennas were needed on two existing monopoles in order to provide cell phone service. The poles at 908-24 North Avenue and 800-1000 South Second Street already hold other cell phone providers' equipment. Once the antennas are installed, the company will offer cell phone service with no longterm contract required, as well as other benefits.
Only a couple of citizens stuck it out in the long meeting until the board took up a proposal for the former Courier News building. Next Step to Collins Avenue LLC needs variances for height, density and floor area ratio, among others. Developer Frank Cretella wants to add a story to the three-story building to create 12 apartments over ground floor commercial space. Architect Jose Carballo and attorney Jay Bohn appeared before the board, but Cretella was absent.
The board had numerous questions about how the upper floors would be expanded, safety issues, solid waste disposal, signage and utility systems in the apartments. Carballo could not answer every question and so the board adjourned the hearing to April 1, asking for Cretella to be present.
Two more Cretella projects are on tonight's Planning Board agenda, one for retail space and four apartments at 214-224 Park Avenue and one for 20 dwelling units and ground-floor retail space at 152-158 East Second Street.
No parking is proposed for any of the three projects.
The Planning Board meeting is 8 p.m. in City Hall Library.
--Bernice Paglia
Several members of the congregation looked on as Olive said the lengthy notice was not "clear and concise." The church was seeking only a variance to move into the central business district, where houses of worship are not a permitted use. But the notice mentioned several other variances that did not apply to the case. Attorney Tiffany Williams, a church member serving as counsel pro bono, countered by saying the notice was merely "overly inclusive," but the board declined to hear the case until proper notice is published.
A similar situation came up with Young Family Dentistry's application to put a sign in front of the dental office on Park Avenue. Olive promised to help the applicant sort out the language for a new legal notice.
Two applications for MetroPCS were approved. Company representatives said antennas were needed on two existing monopoles in order to provide cell phone service. The poles at 908-24 North Avenue and 800-1000 South Second Street already hold other cell phone providers' equipment. Once the antennas are installed, the company will offer cell phone service with no longterm contract required, as well as other benefits.
Only a couple of citizens stuck it out in the long meeting until the board took up a proposal for the former Courier News building. Next Step to Collins Avenue LLC needs variances for height, density and floor area ratio, among others. Developer Frank Cretella wants to add a story to the three-story building to create 12 apartments over ground floor commercial space. Architect Jose Carballo and attorney Jay Bohn appeared before the board, but Cretella was absent.
The board had numerous questions about how the upper floors would be expanded, safety issues, solid waste disposal, signage and utility systems in the apartments. Carballo could not answer every question and so the board adjourned the hearing to April 1, asking for Cretella to be present.
Two more Cretella projects are on tonight's Planning Board agenda, one for retail space and four apartments at 214-224 Park Avenue and one for 20 dwelling units and ground-floor retail space at 152-158 East Second Street.
No parking is proposed for any of the three projects.
The Planning Board meeting is 8 p.m. in City Hall Library.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 12:13 AM
5 Comments:
You mean the board did not inquire about parking? This project is a joke. What he would add is a frame story on top of a masonry structure. This project is another example of expedient in-fill construction. Construction in the core business district should be part of a redevelopment plan not some seat-of-the- pants proposal from a pay-to-play builder that doesn't have 2 nickles to rub together.
Tiffany Williams, Esq., a pro bono attorney and alleged member of church wanting to locate on East Front Street, is the same esquire that represented the Plainfield YWCA that desired to put a shelter for battered women in the Catherine Webster Home located at
311-315 Frankiln Place. Looks like she needs a paying job for she has failed to make a case to convince as a pro bona attorney. I guess when you are one of the pay-to-play crowd, legitimate work is hard to come by. The good news: these two properties will have to pay taxes-at least they are suppose to.
Bernice,
How could you permit such an ignorant and baseless comment to go forth on your blog? I thought you said you would not tolerate it.
According to the Assembly Dems Office, Tiffany Williams Esq was General Counsel to that office and has just been requested by the Governor to be Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor.
Also, feel free to google her to find many of her dashing accolades as an attorney.
Please post this so as to accurately represent Ms. Williams Esq. If not, I will see straight into the content of your character.
Hey, TSB, why don't you say who you are so we can applaud the excellent content of your character? Come out, come out, whoever you are. I have a pretty good guess.
Bernice,
Applaud my character as TSB or whomever i choose my pen name to be.
You say you have a good guess as to who I am. Rest on that guess and be at peace with it.
I wish you wrote your blogs with connectivity to the community.
TSB
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