METUCHEN PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES
APRIL 7, 2005
The meeting was called to
order at 8:10 p.m. by the Chairman Eric Erickson who read the statement in
accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act.
Present: Jack Belowich Ellen
Clarkson, Alt. I
Eric Erickson, Chrmn. John
Leazer, Alt. II
Martin Jessen William Doyle, Attorney
David Labrecque David
Hoder, Engineer
Deanna Manzo, Vice Chr. Carlos Rodrigues, Planner
Kenneth O’Brien
Catherine Totin, Councilmember
Absent: Edmund O’Brien, Mayor Steven Strom
RESOLUTIONS:
Amila Mody – TRC – Applicant is
seeking change of use from a beauty salon and apartment to a law office.
Mr. Belowich read the
recommendation. After a brief
discussion, a motion was made by Mrs. Manzo, seconded by Mr. Labrecque. Roll call vote taken. Motion carried unanimously.
Resolution excusing Steven
Strom from attending Planning Board meetings.
A motion was made by
Councilmember Totin, seconded by Mrs. Manzo.
Roll call vote taken. Motion
carried unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
Review and discussion on the
proposed Stormwater Management Plan, an amendment to the Master Plan.
PB Minutes 4-7-05 Page 2
David Hoder, Borough
Engineer, explained the plan. Mr. Hoder
stated the State has approved regulations that have required all towns to take
a look at their stormwater and adopt ordinances to change their Master Plan to
incorporate changes for long term and maintenance of existing and proposed
stormwater facilities. The facilities
can be as simple as a catch basin, water quality basin, detention basin or oil
recovery systems. The facilities are
used to make sure water is cleaner when it goes into the stream.
Mr. Hoder read the goals of
the Municipal Stormwater Management Plan (MSWMP) and stated what the Board
needs to do tonight is to adopt a resolution for the Stormwater Management Plan
as part of the Utility Service Plan Element of the Master Plan. The Borough Council will then approve ten to
twelve ordinances that will help strengthen the stormwater regulations in
town. This is the same as the RSIS,
Residential Site Improvement Standards, which already has a lot of what is in
there. The new standards expand the
regulations into commercial. The whole
idea behind the new regulations is to make sure that the streams of the state
are made safe in terms of harm from pollutants, grit, sand, dirt and anything
else that is man-made or man caused.
Most of the streams in town have been piped. There is really only one stream in town. But that doesn’t mean that the water doesn’t
have to be protected. It just means that
it is going through man-made structures before it gets to a real stream. The man-made structures have to be maintained
properly. If the structures are rebuilt
they would have to be rebuilt to keep pollution from entering the stream. The way the schedule works is that in April
2005 the Plan has to be adopted by the Board, then by April 1, 2006 the Council
has to pass Ordinances to require anybody who does work in town do it properly
to make sure that water quality is better.
All levels of government will be part of the new regulations.
The public portion was
opened.
Daniel Lebar,
The public portion was
closed.
After a brief discussion, a
motion was made by Councilmember Totin, seconded by Mr. Labrecque. Roll call vote taken. Motion carried unanimously.
Review and discussion on Ordinance
#2005-6, amending the Land Development Ordinance of the Borough of
Metuchen, Chapter 110, Section 110-136.2, Design Standards, Section 1, B.
Facade Width.
Mr. Doyle read the Ordinance
and stated what the Board needs to do tonight is to make sure that the proposed
Ordinance change on facade widths does not conflict with the Master Plan.
PB Minutes 4-7-05 Page 3
After a brief discussion, the
Board requested clarification on required setback lines and did not vote on the
Ordinance.
The minutes from the January
6, 2005 meeting were approved.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00
p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Sharon
Hollis
Planning
Board Secretary