A proposed plan for a 150-bed assisted-facility at the site of the William Gulick House sparks objections from surrounding residents, claiming the project would increase traffic in an already-congested area.
By:Jennifer Potash Managing Editor
The battle between residents opposed to a plan for a 150-bed assisted-living complex at the corner of Province Line Road and Route 206 and the project’s developers waged on Monday before the township Zoning Board of Adjustment.
More than 50 residents some represented by attorneys filled the lower-level meeting room at the Municipal Building, as the zoning board continued its hearing of a plan by property owner 3641 Lawrenceville Road LLC and CareOne LLC to build a 150-bed assisted-living facility on the site of the William Gulick House.
The hearing will continue on May 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Many residents implored the zoning board to reject the plans, which would not fit in with the single-family residences.
"The zoning board and the Planning Board should honor the Master Plan and what the site was intended to be," said David Prescott of Carson Road. "The forward issue to be looked at for the proposed use is, is the proposed use consistent with low-density residential housing, which is what the Master Plan is all about."
The farmhouse, which sits in front of the Bristol-Myers Squibb campus, was built in the 1850s by wealthy farmer William Gulick for his growing family. The house was built in the Italianate style, which was considered very fashionable in the mid-19th century. It was remodeled in the Colonial Revival style in the early 20th century.
While the plan calls for demolishing the house and replacing it with a 100,924-square-foot facility, Steven Rother, attorney for the applicant, said Monday his client would agree to try and move the house to a different portion of the property.
Members of the township’s Historic Preservation Advisory Committee urged the zoning board to find a way to keep the Gulick house from facing the wrecking ball.
"It is a beautiful old house and everything should be done to save it," said Bonne Rawley, chairwoman of the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
Mr. Rother said the offer to move the house to a different part of the site, had not been brought up before, because the zoning board rejected the idea in a previous application.
Zoning board Chairwoman Lisa Hosfield questioned whether moving the house would completely change the application now before the board.
Mr. Rother said moving the house would not affect the application.
The William Gulick House is listed on the township’s list of historic properties, but it is not included on the State Register of Historic Places or the National Register of Historic Places. Inclusion on the township list or the state or national lists does not preclude an owner from tearing down a building.
Project architect Rowland Borgland said the facility would comprise two separate wings one for assisted living and one for skilled nursing care. The building features include dinning areas, common areas, treatment rooms, crafts rooms, terraces and patios. The assisted living residents would also have access to small garden plots to grow flowers and vegetables, he said.
Walter Bliss, an attorney representing the Landfall Homeowners Association, questioned Mr. Borgland in detail over how the building was designed and what types of residents or patients would be served there.
Mr. Bliss wanted to know if the facility would house long-term care patients or individuals with memory impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Mr. Borgland said the building plans do include space for those patients, and overall the space was designed to accommodate multiple uses.
Clifford Gibbons, an attorney representing 4475 Province Line Road Trust, asked the zoning board to delve deeper into the design issues, as it related directly to the question of whether the proposed facility is too intense a use for the site.
The residents mostly from the surrounding neighborhood argued the plan would lead to increased traffic, noise from ambulances, the appearance of the proposed building, and how the proposal would diminish the residential feel of the neighborhood.
Province Line Road and Route 206 are ready overburdened with traffic and cannot bear any more, said Barbara Geren of Province Line Road.
"When I sit on my front porch I can see red (car) lights (on Province Line Road) like it’s the Long Island Expressway, all the way to Princeton Pike," Ms. Geren said.
The developers are seeking several variances without which the project cannot proceed to site plan approval.
A use variance is needed because assisted-living facilities and nursing homes are not permitted uses in the Environmental Protection-1 zone. The EP-1 zone allows single-family detached houses, farms and public parks and recreation.
Mr. Rother said the Gulick site is necessary for the project because all other sites that allow for construction of an assisted-living facility and nursing homes in the township are unavailable. Those uses are permitted in the Senior Citizen Residential zone.
Another variance the developer is seeking include a height variance. The proposed height is 40 feet, but the township’s land use ordinance permits a maximum height of 35 feet.
Brian Slough, the township’s planning consultant, questioned if the plans depicted the true roof height of the building.
Mr. Borgland said the designs were still in the concept phase but the final height would not exceed the 40-foot height requested in the application.
Also, the proposed parking lot would be set back 9.5 feet from the property line, but the land use ordinance calls for a 25-foot parking setback. The plan shows 94 parking spaces, but the landing use ordinance requires 50 parking spaces.
This is the third attempt by the developer to build an assisted-living facility and nursing home on the 6.4-acre property. The zoning board rejected a use variance application for an 84-bed facility in 1997.

