Plan would turn two Lawrence lots into five.
By: Lea Kahn
Two neighbors’ plan to subdivide their combined 6-acre lots into five smaller lots drew some questions but not opposition from township planners and adjacent homeowners last week.
Christopher and Shu Shu Costa and Leonard and Elaina Scozzari, who live at 75 Lawrenceville-Pennington Road and 83 Lawrenceville-Pennington Road, respectively, outlined their plans for the subdivision before the Planning Board Screening Committee on April 24.
The plan would create three new building lots at the rear of the Costa and Scozzari properties, bordering several properties on Lawrencia Drive in the Lawrenceville Greene subdivision. The Costa property is heavily wooded, but the Scozzari property has some open land at the rear.
"This is a backyard application but it’s a big backyard," said attorney Gary Backinoff, who represents the Costas and the Scozzaris. The proposed subdivision is "substantially less dense" than what the township Land Use Ordinance would permit which is 10 lots, on a new cul-de-sac street off Lawrenceville-Pennington Road, he said.
But his clients have chosen not to take that route, Mr. Backinoff said. Instead, they would create three new building lots. The Costas would continue to live in their home at 75 Lawrenceville-Pennington Road, but the Scozzaris would build a new house on one of the lots and sell their present home at 83 Lawrenceville-Pennington Road, he said.
Engineer Robert Korkuch, who represents the applicants, told the Screening Committee that it would be a nontraditional development. The five lots would have access off a long lane off the Lawrenceville-Pennington Road. The driveways for the two existing houses would be eliminated in favor of the lane.
Rainwater from the new lots and houses would be directed underground to an existing drainage easement on Lawrencia Drive, Mr. Korkuch said. Fewer lots mean less impact, including rainwater drainage, he said.
"We have tried to minimize the impact (of the development) to the woods," Mr. Korkuch said. "We have tried to keep some of the specimen trees. In direct contrast, as a 6-acre parcel, there could be 10 lots on a public street (off the Lawrenceville-Pennington Road)."
Municipal Engineer Christopher Budzinski agreed that this plan is preferable to one that would create a new subdivision. From the township’s perspective, it would be better to have a private lane than a public street that the township would have to maintain, he said.
Township planning consultant Brian Slaugh suggested installing a street light or some other means to identify the new lane, so that visitors would be able to find it. A street light would be an inexpensive way to achieve that goal, he said.
"One definite plus (to the plan) it eliminates two driveways," said Councilwoman Pam Mount, who also sits on the Planning Board and its screening committee.
Lawrencia Drive resident Susan Ceci, whose home abuts the proposed subdivision, said she appreciated the effort being made by the Costas and Scozzaris to preserve the woods. It appears that the applicants have given much thought to that issue and others, she said.
"I enjoy listening to the owl at night," Ms. Ceci said. "I realize there could be more density. I appreciate that you are building in an underground drain. The grading is not very good (on my lot). It is very, very wet."
Naomi Drew, who also lives on Lawrencia Drive, said she, too, was pleased that steps are being taken to preserve as many trees as possible. The residents love the privacy that the trees afford them at the rear of their lots, she said.
Larry Wilder of Lawrencia Drive suggested creating a hedgerow to demarcate the boundary between his property and the new lots and to provide privacy. There are about seven or eight large trees on his lot, he said, adding that there were many more, but that developer Toll Brothers cut them down when the house was being built.
Municipal Manager William Guhl, who also sits on the Planning Board, and Mr. Slaugh, the planning consultant, said a conservation easement could be created on the Costa and Scozzari properties. This would prevent healthy vegetation from being cut down, they said.
"We anticipate these will be nice homes that will cost about $600,000 or $700,000, and the people would like to have the use of their backyard," Mr. Backinoff said of the proposed conservation easement.
The details would have to be worked out, but it is likely that the Costas would agree to a conservation easement, Mr. Backinoff said. The Scozzari property is not as heavily wooded, he added.
The next step for the Costa and Scozzari application is a public hearing before the entire Planning Board. No date has been set.

