BY MICHELLE ROSENBERG
Staff Writer
HOLMDEL — The Township Committee has introduced an ordinance making amendments to the commercial section of the conservation zoning ordinance.
The amendment ordinance is the second of its kind. A similar ordinance was introduced just minutes after the conservation zoning ordinance was adopted by the committee last month. A public hearing on the first set of amendments was scheduled for Nov. 14, but as part of the introduction of the second set of amendments, that public hearing will be tabled. Instead, the two sets of amendments will be combined into one ordinance. The public hearing on the combined ordinance will be on Nov. 14.
The committee voted 3-1 on Sept. 26, in the absence of Committeewoman Serena DiMaso. Committeeman Terence Wall was the opposing party, stating that he did not feel comfortable giving an affirmative vote without the merged ordinance in front of him.
The latest ordinance deals with the hamlet buildings, which are the commercial areas permitted in the conservation zone enacted near Holmdel’s border with Marlboro. The original ordinance permitted two hamlets, one on Route 520 near Candlelight Drive, and one on South Holmdel Road.
The ordinance removes restrictions on the roof in order to ensure that the roof installed on the building is truly consistent with Holmdel Village, according to Charles Starks, the developer who helped write the original conservation zoning ordinance.
The ordinance also places limitations on what type of businesses can go in the commercial building. Drug stores, liquor stores, banks, food stores and restaurants are among those that are restricted.
Since the building will be so close to a residential area, only less-intense retail stores will be permitted in the building, Starks said.
The changes in the hamlet building are the result of overwhelming public concern over the effect the commercial property will have on the community, Starks said.
A major concern of the public, as well as various committee members, was the size of the proposed hamlets. The majority of the township did not want 20,000-square-foot commercial buildings.
Deputy Mayor Janet Berk suggested making the hamlet on Route 520 smaller, since it is in a residential area, and putting the rest of the proposed commercial space into the hamlet building on South Holmdel Road.
The amendments restrict the hamlet on Route 520 to 8,000 square feet if the second floor is used for residential purposes, and 6,000 square feet otherwise. The original ordinance had this building restricted to 10,000 square feet if the second floor is used for residential purposes, and 8,000 square feet otherwise.
The hamlet on South Holmdel Road is now restricted to 12,000 square feet if the upper floor is used for residential, and 10,000 square feet otherwise. The original ordinance had this building restricted to 10,000 square feet with apartments on top, and 8,000 square feet otherwise.
Another proposed amendment is an increase in the setback between hamlet building parking lots and residential property. The setback is now a minimum of 100 feet from the parking lot to a residence in a zone other than the R-4H. The amendment keeps new parking lots at a distance from existing residential areas.
Also, the landscape buffer between the hamlet buildings and residences not in the R-4H zone has been increased from 20 feet to 50 feet.
There is also a reduction in the required amount of parking spaces at the hamlet buildings. The requirement is now four spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area. The original ordinance called for five spaces per 1,000 square feet.
The public hearing on the combined amendments will be held at the Township Committee meeting on Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.