A zoning board hearing about a proposed age-restricted community was postponed.
By: Joseph Harvie
A zoning board hearing on a proposed age-restricted community was delayed until the end of August when the developer, Centex, requested an extension of its hearing.
Centex Homes is seeking a use variance to build an age-restricted community on Perrine Road that includes 72 single-family dwellings, 216 condominiums in nine buildings and a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse.
The property is zoned office research. The office research zone usually contains scientific laboratories, corporate offices and high technology labs.
In addition to the use variance, Centex is seeking a variance to construct the buildings 55 feet high. According to the application, there is a 35-foot height restriction on residential buildings in the township. According to the application, Centex is requesting a use variance to extend that height to 55 feet.
In a memorandum in the application, Centex said the 35-foot restriction should not apply because buildings in office research zones are allowed to be higher than 50 feet.
In addition, the developer must contact the N.J. Turnpike Authority because part of the proposed parcel is in the right-of-way of Route 92, a proposed 6.7-mile limited access toll road that would run from the N.J. Turnpike at Exit 8A to Route 1 at Ridge Road.
According to the township tax Web site, the property is owned by the Providence Corp. of Monroe.
A letter in the application from the N.J. Turnpike Authority stated that it has not been contacted about building on the land.
In addition, the applicant has been instructed by the zoning board and the Planning Department to contact the Turnpike Authority.
The application states that Centex is offering the township a 64.26-acre parcel as dedicated open space, which is required when building a planned adult retirement community in South Brunswick. The property is near Broadway Road but is not accessible from that road.
According to the application, the Planning Department advised the Zoning Board of Adjustment that the township has paid money to the county to maintain the land and already has it dedicated as open space. The department also said the land is owned by the township.
According to the application, there also are concerns about pedestrian traffic in the proposed retirement community. According to a memorandum included in the application, bikeway and pedestrian walkways were not included in the application.