HOWELL— The developer of a Route 9 property will ask the Howell Planning Board for a time extension to pursue a minor subdivision related to the location.
The time extension sought by AST Sunnyside Road LLC was scheduled for discussion at the board’s Sept. 15 meeting. The firm’s representative asked that the discussion be postponed until Oct. 6, and the board approved that request.
AST Sunnyside Road has approval to build 220 rental apartments on a tract of land that fronts Route 9 north, just north of the Sunnyside Road jughandle. The rear of the property borders White Street.
Attorney Todd Cohen, representing the applicant, said the time extension is needed to file for a minor subdivision between the residential and commercial components of the site.
He said the subdivision is minor and technical in nature and is not for the overall project.
According to the developer, there is no start date for construction of the apartment complex, which received Planning Board approval in November 2009.
The project is expected to have 160 apartments that will be rented at prevailing market rates and 60 apartments that will be rented in accordance with New Jersey’s affordable housing guidelines.
Also at the Sept. 15 Planning Board meeting, a time extension was approved for Cranberry Estates.
The board approved the extension by a 7-1 vote, with board member Evelyn O’Donnell voting no.
The applicant was seeking a time extension for the 16-acre property on Cranberry Road due to financial issues and outstanding agency approvals. In 2008, the board gave the applicant preliminary approval to build seven homes at the site.
Peter Klouser, attorney for the applicant, said the difficult economy has impacted the “feasibility of [obtaining] these approvals.”
Although the applicant has already received approvals for the project from various state and local agencies, the applicant is still seeking final approval for water and other utilities, Klouser said.
O’Donnell said she voted against the extension for fear the board was setting a bad precedent.
“We would be sending a message that applications could actually get extensions based on their profit margin, which is not my concern as a board member,” she said.
Board member Paul Schneider said he supported the measure and believed granting the applicant additional time to seek final approvals was appropriate.
“This development is a suitable application for the particular area,” Schneider said. “So I’m in favor of the time extension.”