EDISON — A previously contentious Planning Board application for the expansion of a business to accommodate a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine again went before the board on Aug. 10, and again, did not result in a vote.
At the June 15 Planning Board meeting, Dr. Suresh Mody, a radiologist, sought variances that would enable him to build a second story and install an MRI machine at Prime Radiology, 1036 Amboy Ave.
Neighbors spoke of their concerns, however, about what could go wrong with an MRI machine, and the impact that it could have on residents. Others said the variances were excessive.
The board postponed a vote on the project until Aug. 10 to give Mody time to develop a revised plan and obtain a required new survey.
This time around, Mody was met with much less pushback than at the previous meeting.
“Based upon some of the comments of the public and of the comments of the board, we have made alterations to the plan to reduce some of the violations,” said attorney Bernard Shihar of Edison-based Convery Convery & Shihar.
Angelo Valetutto, an engineer and planner speaking on Mody’s behalf, addressed many concerns voiced by the board and residents, including one of the biggest — the lack of a required 5-foot setback from Amboy Avenue.
“We heard loud and clear what the board and members of the public indicated about our frontyard setback or lack thereof,” he said.
The plan was also modified to reduce impervious coverage and to adjust for a survey inaccuracy.
Resident Kathleen Moulton, who works at the nearby MediCenter of Edison, voiced support for the application, saying she has worked with Mody in coordinating patient care.
“I felt it was really important to come out tonight,” she said. “I’ve never worked with anybody as professional or compassionate as Dr. Mody.”
Moulton added that there have been times when she wished she could have sent patients to Mody for an MRI, and that not being able to do so caused delays.
“It would make my life much better, and our patients’ lives much better, if you would grant this variance,” she said.
While the public portion was not as contentious as the previous hearing, Nilam Patel, who owns the Subway sandwich shop on Amboy Avenue, said she was concerned about how the building would impact the visibility of her store.
“I think it will block my restaurant,” she said. “I don’t know how it will look after he extends his building.”
Resident Esther Nemitz, who was initially opposed to the plan, spoke to the importance of Mody’s addressing the 5-foot setback, adding that she now supports the effort.
“Five feet is not a lot to ask, but it is important for ambience on the street and for the sense of what we are trying to do on Amboy Avenue through our Master Plan,” she said. “I wish the Modys well. It sounds like they are going to continue to be the good neighbors that they have been, and we’ll look forward to their success.”