Chomko farm may make way for 24-home project
Toll Brothers eyeing
tract at Conmack Lane
and Taylors Mills Road
The Manalapan Planning Board is considering an application from Toll Brothers to construct a 24-home development on the Chomko farm, a 50-acre tract at Conmack Lane and Taylors Mills Road.
Conmack Lane connects Taylors Mills Road to Gordons Corner Road.
Project engineer Michael J. Sosinski described the plan during a recent meeting of the board. He said the Chomko property is zoned R40/20 (half-acre and 1-acre lots). The property is bordered by Taylors Mills Road, by two softball fields on the Manalapan High School property, and by two residential developments.
Attorney Gerald Sonnenblick, representing Toll Brothers, said the Chomko house at the intersection of Conmack Lane and Taylors Mills Road is not part of the subdivision. However, with the road improvements that have to be made at the intersection there will have to be some changes made on the 1-acre Chomko house parcel itself. Therefore, it is part of the application, but not part of the new subdivision.
Sosinski gave a rundown of the number of homes to be built.
"We have 13 lots between 20,000 and 30,000 square feet," he said. "Between 30,000 and 40,000 square feet we have, 10 lots. Between 40,000 and 50,000 square feet, we have two lots, and we have one lot in excess of 50,000 square feet."
The average lot size is about 32,000 square feet, he said. The 26 proposed lots include 24 homes and two detention basins.
Sosinski noted that there is a natural gas pipeline easement which runs parallel to the parcel.
Sonnenblick explained that by clustering the homes, it was easy to avoid the pipeline.
"We’ve avoided crossing the pipeline easement," said Sosinski. "None of the homes are close to the pipeline easement, nor will they require crossing the pipeline easement. That’s a significant part of the application."
Several old sheds and barns along Taylors Mills Road will be removed as the development is constructed, according to the plans.
It was pointed out that a tract known as the David Cohen property abuts the southern boundary of the Chomko property. Sosinski said the Cohen property, although he wasn’t totally sure, may have access via an easement to another road location.
"We’ve left a 50-foot right of way at the end of (our) cul-de-sac," Sosinski said.
Board member Michelle Roth questioned the use of the easement.
Sonnenblick said the easement would allow access to a public road.
"We would give them the ability to get to the end of the cul-de-sac," the attorney said.
Sonnenblick told board Chairman Steve Pine the easement connection to the new cul-de-sac would be indicated on the development’s sales map. He said land use law requires that the developer provide some sort of means for the landlocked property to have access to a public road.
Sosinski then described the wooded areas and the open space areas on the parcel.
"There are existing woods on the southern and western boundaries which will remain untouched," the engineer said. "We have some significant open space preservation aspects to this application."
According to the engineer, 35.4 acres of open space have been preserved.
"Of that area 20.5 acres, or 35 percent, are unencumbered," said the engineer. "Only 25 percent is required by ordinance and so we’ve gone substantially beyond the requirements of the ordinance."
The design plan for the proposed development calls for one cul-de-sac coming off Taylors Mills Road and a second cul-de-sac coming off the first cul-de-sac.
During the public portion of the meeting, John Ingato, of Taylors Mills Road, asked if the application would have an effect on the nearby brook and he was told that it would not.
Property owner David Cohen, of Monroe Township, said there has been an 18-foot wide easement on his 11-acre property since 1932.
"I just want to have access," Cohen said. "If I get permission to cross the pipeline then I won’t even have to use the easement, but I’d like to have access to my property."
Township Committeeman Drew Shapiro, who sits on the board, said there are two properties that are close to the gas line.
Shapiro was told there is a 10-inch and a 30-inch gas line approximately 50 feet from the closest point and about 20 feet from the edge of the easement. It was suggested that a representative from the gas company attend the next meeting to address the issue.
The public hearing for the Toll Brothers application is scheduled to be continued on Feb. 28.