MARLBORO – The Planning Board has granted preliminary approval to an application filed by a developer who plans to build 15 homes on Buckley Road.
Board members heard testimony from representatives of Stillwell Road Holdings, LLC, on Nov. 4.
Attorney Salvatore Alfieri represented Stillwell Holdings and presented testimony from Terry Sherman, a principal of the company, and Mark Zelina, a senior associate with Maser Consulting, Red Bank.
Testimony indicated that the 38-acre property on Buckley Road will contain 17 lots, with 15 lots to be used for homes, one open space lot with a storm water management basin, and one reconfigured lot which will contain an existing dwelling.
Each lot will be a minimum of 60,000 square feet (about 1.5 acres) and each home is estimated to be between 3,500 and 4,000 square feet, according to the testimony.
Plans call for Buckley Road to be widened and for a sidewalk to be provided on the side of the road where the homes are constructed. Two cul-de-sacs will provide access to the residential lots, according to the testimony.
Sherman said the property had a previous application approved in 2007 for 19 single family lots. He said the plans have been redesigned in accordance with Marlboro’s current municipal code.
Mayor Jonathan Hornik, who sits on the board, asked what the project’s affordable housing obligation will be.
Sherman said 1 percent of the sale price of each home will be paid into Marlboro’s affordable housing trust fund. For example, if a home is sold by the builder for $600,000, then $6,000 will be paid into the affordable housing fund.
No affordable housing units will be built on the Buckley Road development site.
Board members voted 6-2 to grant preliminary approval to the application. Chairman Larry Josephs, Township Councilwoman Carol Mazzola, Neil Bettoff, Andrew Pargament and Christopher Cherbini voted yes.
Hornik and Michael Messinger voted no.
Asked why he voted no, Hornik said, “I voted no because I believe Marlboro has been overdeveloped for years and I would like to see less residential development and more open space. This plan’s prior approval happened before my administration and I believe it could have been planned and situated better than it was.”