Lea Kahn
Citing the need for more information about the water table and its impact on a redesign of a detention basin, the township Planning Board held off taking action on a proposed seven-lot subdivision at 125 Roxboro Road on Monday night.
The Planning Board will take action on applicant Edward Bucci Builders Inc.’s request for preliminary major subdivision approval in the spring. This would give the applicant more time to address the issue of the size and location of the detention basin.
The Planning Board listened to several hours of testimony from the applicant, as well as reaction and comment from neighbors of the proposed single-family-home development. About two dozen people attended the meeting.
Engineer Francis Goeke, who represented the applicant, told the Planning Board his client plans to create three building lots on Fieldboro Drive and four building lots on Roxboro Road. An eighth lot would hold the detention basin. The existing house and three-car garage on the 1.8-acre parcel would be demolished.
Because the parcel slopes steeply downhill from Roxboro Road to Fieldboro Drive, Mr. Goeke said, five of the new building lots would have retaining walls incorporated. The driveways would be made of porous pavement that would help store rainwater runoff underground and release it.
Jan E. Bisco-Werner, a state certified tree expert, also addressed the issue of trees on the property, portions of which are heavily wooded. Many of the 54 trees that she was asked to examine were “weed” trees trees that grew there because a bird or the wind carried a seed and dropped it at that spot.
Ms. Bisco-Werner recommended keeping some trees, but there were seven large specimen trees on the parcel that she recommended cutting down because of their poor condition. She said the trees could become a hazard to the houses that would be built on the new lots.
Overall, the trees on the parcel were not maintained by the previous owner, she said. In her role as a certified tree expert, she said, her job is not to give the client what he wants. Her job is to look at a tree and determine whether it has the potential to become a hazard.
”If these trees were in better shape, I would be saying to you, ‘This is a good tree, let’s keep it,’” Ms. Bisco-Werner said. “I am feeling bad because I like trees, but trees don’t live forever. These trees didn’t have one problem, they had multiple problems.”
Responding to township planning consultant Philip Caton’s report, Edward M. Bucci, who is a principal in Edward Bucci Builders Inc., said he would present different architectural plans when the company returns for final approval for the project.
The plans as shown have the garages in the front of the houses, which Mr. Caton said would be suitable for the Fieldboro Drive lots because the existing houses on that street are similar in design. On Roxboro Road, however, the garages are not as “prominent” in the design of the existing houses.
”We will have at least three different plans with three different looks,” Mr. Bucci said. “We will take a look at other house plans. We want them to blend in with the ones on the street.”
After the applicant had completed presenting its testimony and the public hearing was opened up for public comment, many residents expressed their concern about the water table and the detention basin. They said they have sump pumps in their basements that operate virtually all of the time, regardless of the season.
”My sump pump runs constantly,” said Fieldboro Drive resident Scott Shropshire. “This has been a problem since I have owned the property (for 15 years). My sump pump ran even in the drought.”
”I can’t stress how important it is to re-examine this project,” Mr. Shropshire said. “The fact is they are trying to squeeze seven houses and a detention basin on a 1.7-acre lot. That’s a very small property for that number of houses. I wish there was more consideration for the residents. I understand that a builder has to make a profit.”
Arthur Bell, who lives on Roxboro Road, said he bought his house three years ago. He said he was attracted to it because of the “stateliness” and “integrity” of the neighborhood. He said he loved the openness of the neighborhood, but the proposed development “is like putting 10 pounds into an eight-pound bag.”
”This will bring down the market value of all of the houses (in the neighborhood),” Mr. Bell said. “That’s hurting our pocketbooks when we decide to sell. I just think there are too many houses in that little area.”
James Lalli, who lives on Fieldboro Drive across the street from the proposed development, said he objected to the design of the detention basin. When he comes home every night, that’s what he will see, he added.
The detention basin as shown on the plans rises a couple of feet above grade. Mr. Lalli suggested designing it to resemble the detention basin on Mink Court, off Princeton Pike near Lawrence High School. It is more naturalistic looking with trees and grass, he said.
Mr. Bucci acknowledged that “no one wants a detention basin,” but he must meet the requirements of the township’s Land Use Ordinance. He said he is doing the best that he can, adding that depending on the soil conditions, it may be possible to shift the detention basin.
Planning Board attorney David Roskos said he was “somewhat uncomfortable” in having the board take action on the proposed development without knowing whether the detention basin could be redesigned.
Attorney Richard Schatzman, who represented the applicant, agreed to defer a vote on the application until June 30. This would allow the applicant to conduct tests that may have an impact on the design or placement of the detention basin, he said.
”There are other methods of storm drainage,” Mr. Schatzman said as the audience members clapped their hands in approval. “We could make the detention basin more naturalistic (in appearance).”
