Planning Board member Tom Wilfrid offered the only vote against the application
An exclusive subdivision planned for a 20-acre tract on Province Line Road, opposite The Players Club at Jasna Polana golf course, gained township planners’ approval last week minus the gate that was originally proposed at its entrance.
By: Lea Kahn
The Planning Board voted 7-1 to grant preliminary approval for the six-lot major subdivision, proposed by landowner Barbara Piasecki Johnson, at a special public hearing Feb. 28. Planning Board member Tom Wilfrid cast the lone "no" vote.
The revised plan approved by the Planning Board eliminated the gated access to the subdivision and called for the street to be dedicated to the township. The original plan called for the street to be privately owned. The gated access was dropped in favor of building a pair of pillars, topped by decorative lighting fixtures.
Attorney Kenneth Meiser said his client had revised the original plans, based on feedback from the Planning Board Screening Committee. The subcommittee reviewed the proposed development in December, and expressed displeasure with the concept of an exclusive, gated community.
While there was no disagreement over the six proposed lots, the Planning Board debated the size and placement of the pillars that were proposed instead of the gated access to the development.
Engineer Cyril Kucera, who represents the applicant, proposed 11-foot-tall pillars that would be topped by 3-foot-tall lighting fixtures. The pillars would be identical to the ones at the entrance to the golf course, he said.
After batting around the height of the proposed pillars, the Planning Board and the applicant decided to reduce the height from 11 feet to 8 feet. Still, some residents were not happy with the pillars.
Although the applicant wants the pillars to be identical to the ones that flank the entrance to the golf course, Province Line Road resident Ashton Harvey said pillars do not fit the rural nature of Province Line Road.
And Carson Road resident Robert Hunsicker said he thought the 8-foot-tall pillars were still too tall. He suggested 6-foot-tall pillars, topped by 2-foot-tall lights.
But Planning Board member Sarah Crowley pointed out that the applicant had made several concessions to the neighbors. Also, there are several homes on Province Line Road that have pillars and gates flanking the driveway entrance, she said.
Although the final plan may not be perfect, the applicant had made some concessions, said Planning Board member and Township Councilman Mark Holmes, who voted to approve the application.
Tom Wilfrid said he voted against granting approval for the application because he did not think the applicant was "sufficiently responsive" to the concerns of the neighbors. Mr. Wilfrid cited the height of the proposed pillars as an example.
"This was a close call for me on the application as it stands," said Mr. Wilfrid. "It is essentially much better than in its original form, but I withheld my approval because I did not think the applicant was sufficiently responsive to the concerns of the neighboring residents."