BY LARRY RAMER
Staff Writer
MARLBORO — The 120 age-restricted apartments that an applicant is seeking to build at the intersection of Route 9 north and Clayton Road would generate less traffic than a hypothetical shopping center, the applicant’s traffic engineer told the zoning board on May 19.
Families with at least one person over the age of 55 may live in age-restricted housing. Children under 18 are not permitted to live in age-restricted developments, according to the testimony.
Builder Steve Meiterman is applying to the zoning board for permission to build the apartment complex, known as Brownstone Commons, on the 7.5-acre site. The parcel is zoned for commercial use and Meiterman needs a variance that would permit a residential use on that tract.
The applicant’s traffic engineer, Jay Troutman, told the board that Brownstone Com-mons would generate 10 times less traffic than a shopping center consisting of a fast food restaurant with drive-up service and a 10,000-square-foot retail establishment with an office building above it.
All of the establishments in the shopping center would conform to existing ordinances except the office space, board planner Richard Cramer said.
Bernard Meiterman, the applicant’s attorney and brother, noted that the office space would generate the least traffic in the shopping center.
"The [shopping center] would generate 200 to 300 peak hour trips, whereas the proposed [residential] use would generate 20 to 30 peak hour trips," Troutman testified.
In general, the traffic impact of Brownstone Commons would be less than that of any commercial use, said Troutman, adding that Brownstone Commons would not significantly increase traffic on Route 9 or other roads in Marlboro.
Two board members asked Troutman whether different types of commercial establishments would generate less traffic than the hypothetical shopping center that the traffic engineer examined.
"The fast food restaurant seems to account for the difference" between the hypothetical shopping center and Brownstone Commons, zoning board member Steven Wexler said.
Wexler then asked Troutman whether three buildings that combined retail uses and office space would generate less traffic than Brownstone Commons.
"I can only speak to the concept that I looked at," Troutman answered. "It’s a viable plan that’s had a zoning analysis done on it. I don’t consider taking different uses and doing a simple plan zoning analysis such as you’re doing a valid way to judge this application," Troutman added.
Board member Steven Sukel asked Troutman whether a high-end car dealership would generate less intense traffic than the hypothetical shopping center presented by the applicant.
"I don’t know if that’s really a valid [question]," Troutman answered.
After further questioning and prodding by Sukel, Troutman conceded, "In general, I would say the trip generation [by the car dealership] would be lower" than the shopping center.
Asked by Bernard Meiterman whether a high-end car dealership would generate more intensive traffic than Brownstone Commons, Troutman answered, "The car dealership would probably be a little more intense."
Meiterman told the board that the hypothetical shopping center mentioned during the testimony was a realistic alternative to Brownstone Commons. He said there are already several office buildings with vacant space in the area, showing that there is no demand for office space. However, the applicant could, in theory, easily build 27,000 square feet of office space on the property which would generate two to three times more traffic than Brownstone Commons, he said.
Board members also expressed concern about whether the future residents of the age-restricted Brownstone Commons development could safely enter Route 9 north from Clayton Road. There is currently a stop sign — but no traffic light — at the Clayton Road and Route 9 intersection.
"It’s more difficult for people [over 55] to react to oncoming traffic," board member Eric Menaker said.
Meiterman said a traffic light just south of Clayton Road (near Covered Bridge in Manalapan) stops traffic coming north on Route 9 for a sufficient amount of time for any driver to safely enter the highway.
"Fifty-five is not a death sentence. People still drive and if they can’t drive then they shouldn’t be driving," Meiterman added. "It’s not just Clayton Road It’s all of Route 9 and all of New Jersey. If you can’t drive safely then you shouldn’t be driving."
The next hearing on the Brownstone Commons application is scheduled to be held on July 21 at 8 p.m. in Town Hall.