FREEHOLD — The Freehold Borough Land Use Board has approved a developer’s application to construct eight duplex homes on Orchard Street.
The eight duplex homes will provide 16 residential units, and the units will not be age-restricted. The board granted approval at its meeting on July 9.
The plan will complement the other homes on Orchard Street, according to the applicant, Roger Passarella of Del Ray Holdings, and improve an undeveloped area of the street.
The plan for Orchard Place at Freehold was presented to the board by attorney Gerald Sonnenblick, who represents Passarella.
Testifying on behalf of the applicant was engineer John A. Buletza of Nelson Engineering Associates Inc., Wanamassa.
Since 2007, several options for the project have been presented to the board, including a plan to build a three-story building with 30 age-restricted units on the 5.14- acre parcel.
The plan that was presented to the board on July 9 (eight duplex homes, 16 units, no age restrictions) is the result of a settlement agreement between Freehold Borough and Del Ray Holdings.
A previous applicant for the project was Bay Dock Holdings, which at one point filed litigation against Freehold Borough in connection with the property.
The most recent agreement gives Freehold Borough the option to have three affordable housing units built.
The affordable housing units would be offered to individuals whose income meets guidelines established by the state Council on Affordable Housing.
In a 6-1 vote, board members authorized board attorney Francis Accisano to prepare a positive resolution for the project.
The resolution will have multiple conditions, including items such as the installation of pavers down the middle of the shared driveway of the duplex homes; the exact location of the buildings, which will be based on state Department of Environmental Protection requirements; and the municipality’s acceptance of responsibility for the maintenance of the storm water drainage system.
Voting to approve the preparation of a positive resolution were board Chairwoman Danielle Sims, Borough Councilman George Schnurr and board members Adam Reich, William Barricelli, Marjorie Goetz and Annette Jordan.
Board member Garry Jackson voted “no” on the motion to prepare a positive resolution for the application.
Sonnenblick said the plan for housing without any age restrictions is more in keeping with the neighborhood than age-restricted housing would be.
The homes will have a driveway and one exterior parking space. A basement will be optional.
During the board’s discussion of the application, Sims expressed concern about the shared driveway each duplex will have and she asked to have a definitive designation to distinguish the two parking spaces.
It was agreed that pavers will be installed in the middle of each driveway to designate the parking space for each of the two units in a duplex home.
Schnurr said he believed the current plan for eight duplex homes and 16 residential units was a much better option than a threestory building with 30 residential units and a parking lot.
Jackson said he did not like the idea of duplex homes.
Members of the public had the chance to comment on the application.
Erin Garlock of Orchard Street said she would prefer to see single-family homes constructed at the site.
Garlock said she was concerned about the possibility that people who purchase the units in the duplex homes will not live in them. She said single-family homes would be more in line with existing homes on the street.
Tara Crenshaw of Orchard Street said she, too, would prefer to see single-family homes constructed.
“We can’t choose who we sell to, but we can choose what we build and this will determine who we sell to,” Crenshaw said.
Greg Hauke of Orchard Street said he liked the plan as presented and said he hoped the board members would vote to approve it. He said he liked the fact that the plan would allow for more green space on the property.
Hauke told the board, “I hope you don’t miss this opportunity.”
Passarella said he felt very good about the board’s vote to have the attorney draft a positive resolution for the application.