MANALAPAN – There will not be any changes in the membership of the Manalapan Planning Board or in the professionals who assist the board during 2021.
The Planning Board held its 2021 reorganization meeting in a virtual manner on Jan. 14 during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Three individuals who served on the board during 2020 were sworn in to begin serving new terms: Todd Brown, Richard Hogan and Daria D’Agostino. The oath of office was administered to Brown, Hogan and D’Agostino by Manalapan Mayor Jack McNaboe.
In addition to Brown, Hogan and D’Agostino, the other returning members of the board are McNaboe, Township Committeeman Barry Jacobson, Kathryn Kwaak, Alan Ginsberg, Barry Fisher, Brian Shorr, Steven Kastell and John Castronovo.
Kwaak was nominated by Hogan to serve as the board’s chairwoman for 2021 and was elected in a unanimous vote. Kwaak also held the position in 2020.
Brown was nominated by D’Agostino to serve as the board’s vice chairman for 2021 and was elected in a unanimous vote. Brown also held the position in 2020.
D’Agostino was unanimously elected to retain her position as the board’s secretary.
The board members appointed Ron Cucchiaro of the Weiner Law Group to serve as the board’s attorney, Brian Boccanfuso of CME Associates to serve as the board’s engineer, and Jennifer Beahm of Leon S. Avakian to serve as the board’s planner.
The board meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. The agenda for each meeting which lists the development applications that will be heard on a given night are posted on the municipal website prior to the meeting.
“The board has a lot of stability. It looks like this is going to be a busy year. We hope we can be back in our meeting room (at the municipal building) sometime during 2021,” McNaboe said.
Board meetings have been conducted in a virtual manner since the coronavirus pandemic arrived in New Jersey in March 2020.
Planning Board members are appointed by the Township Committee and serve without compensation.
During the reorganization meeting, Cucchiaro announced that testimony regarding the proposed Pinebrook Crossing residential development is expected to begin during the board’s 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28 meeting.
The meeting will be conducted in a virtual manner. Instructions that describe how to attend and participate in the meeting will be posted on the township’s website.
According to a legal notice published by attorney Salvatore Alfieri, of the firm Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs LLC, Matawan, Pinebrook Crossing is being proposed by K. Hovnanian at Manalapan V., LLC.
The property where K. Hovnanian proposes to construct the residential development is at Wilson Avenue (Route 527) and Sobechko Road in Manalapan’s Affordable Housing Overlay zone. The property that is proposed to be developed is in the vicinity of the Englishtown Auction Sales.