Residents won’t to give up fight against revised plans

Exit point on Evergreen removed from plans for VFW, medical building

By vincent todaro
Staff Writer

By vincent todaro
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK — As a concession to area residents concerned about the construction of a medical facility and a new VFW post on Cranbury Road, the developer has agreed to remove an exit onto Evergreen Boulevard from the site.

An entrance from Evergreen Boulevard remains, however, in the application from Diversified Equities and Management Co., Linden, which is being heard by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. An entrance and exit would also be located on Cranbury Road.

Residents in the adjacent Colonial Oaks development have argued that the medical facility, to be used by University Radiology Group and the new VFW post as well as a new access point on Evergreen Boulevard, would increase traffic and noise and affect the safety of pedestrians and children in the neighborhood. Evergreen Boulevard runs through their neighborhood and leads to Dunhams Corner Road.

The announcement that the application had changed was made by Julius Szalay, an engineer who testified for the applicant, at the Zoning Board’s Sept. 5 meeting. Szalay testified that vehicles leaving the site would have to exit onto Cranbury Road.

Another revision in the plans involves the size of the proposed medical building, which has been reduced by 295 square feet to about 20,000 square feet. Victor Angeline Jr., the applicant’s attorney, said the change was made to address a request from Middlesex County that two parking spots near Cranbury Road be eliminated. Rather than have fewer spots, the applicant opted to reduce the size of the building.

Szalay testified that the applicant will correct a drainage problem that has been attributed to the early 1980s construction of the Colonial Oaks development. Members of the VFW have said they have had to cancel numerous events over the years because of flooding on the property.

"With our proposal, that situation would be alleviated," he said.

The drainage would be diverted to the existing sewer system on Cranbury Road, he said.

"I think it benefits both properties," he said.

At the meeting, Frank Kovacs, a resident of Colonial Oaks, asked how the township and the applicant would be able to stop cars from using the point of entry onto Evergreen Boulevard as an exit.

Szalay responded that there would be signage and police enforcement. Angeline said the applicant could change the design of the entrance if board members felt that would help to dissuade vehicles from exiting illegally.

The application is before the Zoning Board because a use variance is needed, as the 3-acre property is zoned for residential use. Other building variances are needed as well.

The new one-story VFW building, which would replace the present, two-story 50-year-old facility, would include a 1,500-square-foot hall, an 1,150-square-foot bar area, as well as two offices, two kitchens, two rest rooms, an entry area, and a storage area. The building would also be accessible to people with disabilities, unlike the present post site.

Testimony is scheduled to continue on the application at the board’s Oct. 3 meeting.

Michael Scharf, president of the Colonial Oaks Village Property Owners Association, said that taking away the exit helps, but the residents still feel their quality of life will be affected.

"It still leaves a 20,000-square-foot commercial building at our property," he said. "My neighbors will have to look at headlights. Right now, they’re looking at open space."

Scharf said the residents have no problems specifically with the members of the VFW, but that its complaints are with the developer.

"We don’t want commercial use of this property. It’s zoned residential; that’s the way it should stay," he said.

The association will be presenting its own experts to testify before the board, he said.

"We’re not going to roll over for these guys," he added.