HOPEWELL BOROUGH PLANNING UPDATE

Board handled zoning adjustment matters.

By Lauren Graham Delehey
   Hopewell Borough’s Planning Board met April 6.
   With no comment offered or unscheduled applications raised when the meeting was opened to the public, the board moved quickly to its posted agenda.
   Acting in its capacity as the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the board passed a resolution approving a minor subdivision lot line adjustment with bulk variances, submitted by Michael and Nancy Vanatta of 4 Louellen St.
   The resolution reconfigures the meandering boundary lines of three existing lots: Block 13, Lots 22, 23 and 15, with frontage on West Broad, Mercer and Louellen streets. The Vanattas have proposed to donate the entirely non-buildable Lot 15 to the borough as open space, but that offer was not addressed in this resolution. Hopewell Borough Council plans to contact D&R Greenway and several area garden clubs about possible interest in receiving and maintaining the property as a garden.
   Also as the zoning board, members heard an application by Lance Roberts, LLC for an amended site plan and variance for improvements to the garage located at East Broad Street and Princeton Avenue.
   An Oct. 6, 2004, a Zoning Board resolution signed off on plans for the site, now used for repairs and sales of high-end automobiles. The April 6 application was necessitated by minor changes to those approved plans.
   For example, the original resolution granted a variance for an internally lit, pole-mounted sign at the site. Mr. Roberts decided instead to mount the "Lotus" sign directly to the garage building.
   Additionally, the applicant plans to correct the mistaken installation of a landscaped island in Mercer County’s right-of-way on the property. Mr. Roberts agreed to revise the site plans to reflect all as-built conditions and resubmit those plans for Zoning Board approval.
   Alfred L. Kettell Jr. of Pennington represented Joseph B. Hill III, of Hamilton Avenue, at a public hearing on his minor subdivision and bulk variance application.
   Mr. Hill, whose property fronts on both Hamilton Avenue and Lafayette Street, was seeking approval to create two new lots on Lafayette Street. After discussion with the board, Mr. Hill agreed to submit a revised resolution at next month’s meeting, which will include provisions requiring that sidewalks be installed on the property within two years of the sale of the existing house or the first subdivided lot; and that two street trees be placed on each lot on Lafayette Street.
   The Planning Board’s next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. on May 4, in Hopewell Borough Hall.