By: Lea Kahn
An application to permit construction of a canopy over existing gasoline pumps at John’s Amoco service station on Route 1 tops the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s agenda for its meeting next week.
The zoning board will meet Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. to listen to the application. The meeting will be held in the Lower Level Conference Room at the municipal building.
John’s Amoco is seeking permission to install a 50-foot by 50-and-one-third-foot canopy over the existing gasoline pumps at the service station, which is located on Route 1 South between the Quaker Bridge Mall overpass and the Toys ‘R Us store.
The canopy will have a clearance of 14-and-a-half feet. Its overall height will be 20 feet. Two or three lighted signs are proposed for the canopy. The canopy will be set back about two-and-a-half feet from the Route 1 right-of-way.
Several variances and waivers are being sought for existing conditions at the site. Variances are being sought for the principal building setback – 25 feet is required, and two-and-a-half feet is provided. The canopy is considered to be the principal building.
Also, variances are being sought for the impervious surface coverage and the freestanding sign setback. The maximum impervious surface coverage is 70 percent for lots of less than five acres. The gasoline station covers 94 percent of the land.
Freestanding signs must be set back 10 feet from the property line, but the existing signs are six-and-a-half feet from the front property line and one-and-a-half feet from the side property line.
Several waivers are being sought, including parking lot setbacks, access drive setbacks and access drive lengths. The minimum parking lot setback is 25 feet, the access drive setback must be at least 20 feet and the access drive length is required to be 25 feet. The site has no parking lot or access drive setbacks and no access drive length setback.
In other business, the zoning board will approve a resolution of memorialization for an application it approved last month for Ida Marie Chiaradia for construction of a garage at her home.

