RED BANK — The Borough Zoning Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a scaled-back application for the expansion of the Community YMCA at its Dec. 2 meeting, settling the current litigation.
Earlier this year, the YMCA sued the borough after the Zoning Board and Borough Council both denied the original application for a 44,000-square-foot addition to the current 55,000-square-foot facility on Maple Avenue.
YMCA attorney Martin McGann said that the applicant had reduced the expansion plan by nearly 10,000 square feet.
“This application involves a modification of the previous plan. The original plan was for an addition for a total of 95,898 square feet. We have reduced that plan to 86,049 square feet,” he said.
He added that more than 11,000 square feet was basement area.
McGann said that the expansion application included plans for 324 total parking spaces, but the applicant only intended to build to 260 spaces and land bank 64 spaces. The site currently has 153 spaces.
YMCA engineer and planner Jeremy Lang said that the parking lot was designed to encourage its use and discourage street parking.
“I think this will help encourage people to use the parking lot, as well. I know there were concerns raised by the public last time regarding parking in the surrounding area,” Lang said.
The application would add a right-turnonly exit onto Maple Avenue.
Lang said that a new traffic forecast analysis had not been done for the smaller expansion, but based on previous data, he estimated the changes would result in about 50 additional trips during peak hours.
According to Lang, most of the expansion would not be visible from Maple Avenue.
“You’ll see that the bulk of the addition is hidden behind the existing building, and to the extent that the building is not covering it, then the trees and shrubs along Maple Avenue are screening that façade,” he said.
The Y also dropped plans to develop lot 135 into a driveway and parking area.
The current hockey rink and basketball court would be replaced with parking, which Lang said would reduce the intensity of the lighting on the site.
According to YMCA architect Ned Gaunt, the building’s façade would be mostly brick, a change that pleased Zoning Board member Rosemary Minear.
“The concern was that the building was not as attractive as you would like. … I think this definitely makes it more attractive, which then hopefully leads to better compatibility [with the area],” Gaunt said.
Community YMCA President and CEO Lisa Christian said that the Y opted not to relocate the gym, and trimmed down lobby space and cut the square footage of the wellness center to reduce the size of the addition.
“This plan, which lost square footage, eliminated square footage that was comfortable but not as needed. We trimmed down all across the building rather than any one particular program space,” Christian said.
Christian said that the addition would allow the YMCA to consolidate the wellness center, which is currently spread across three floors, and expand aquatics.
The only major objection to the plan came from Congregation Beth Shalom, located next door to the YMCA site, regarding the new exit onto Maple Avenue.
An attorney for Beth Shalom voiced concerns that the new egress would increase activity closer to the sanctuary building.
“Inherent in Jewish prayer is lots of meditation, introspection and silent contemplation,” said Rabbi Dobid Harrison, of Congregation Beth Shalom.
Harrison said that the increased volume and proximity of activity would interfere with the temple’s proceedings.
During his testimony, however, the Y’s Lang said that the changes to the Maple Avenue driveway would not significantly increase noise.
The applicant, Zoning Board members and Beth Shalom negotiated an agreement that would increase the distance between the sanctuary building and the Maple Avenue driveway and block that exit during the Sabbath and specified Jewish holidays.
Zoning Board Vice Chairman Thomas Williams said that he thought the right turn onto Maple Avenue was one of the most important parts of the plan.
Overall, Zoning Board members expressed satisfaction with the revised plan.
“I think it’s a much better plan than what was presented the last time, and I favor it,” Minear said before moving the vote, which the board unanimously approved.