HOLMDEL – The members of the Holmdel Environmental Commission have reviewed a developer’s plan to construct an apartment building on Palmer Avenue and did not express significant concerns with the proposal.
Commission members met via Zoom on the evening of Nov. 19 to consider an application for Barclay Square at Holmdel, which is planned to be constructed on Palmer Avenue between Route 35 and MiddleRoad/MainStreet.
The developer is scheduled to appear before the Holmdel Planning Board on Dec. 1 to seek preliminary and final major site plan approval for the residential development.
According to a description of Barclay Square at Holmdel, the plan proposes the construction of a three-story apartment building over one story of structured parking. The building will contain 60 apartments with additional surface parking, storm water management measures and utility facilities.
Members of the environmental commission said 12 of the building’s 60 apartments will be designated as affordable housing in compliance with Holmdel’s current plan to provide affordable housing in the township.
Affordable housing is defined as housing that is sold or rented at below market rates to individuals and/or families whose income meets certain guidelines.
According to the description of the project, the site will provide 116 parking spaces. Water and sanitary sewer service for the apartment building will connect to existing public facilities.
The storm water management basin that is proposed to serve the building is sized to accommodate flows from the developed area during the two-, 10- and 100-year storms.
Although the total site contains 6.74 acres, the proposed disturbance for the project is 2.25 acres. The area of the proposed building is 0.57 acres, with an additional 0.53 acres of new impervious area. The total area of new impervious surface is 1.10 acres.
The commission members noted that the property to be developed on Palmer Avenue is on two lots (17 and 18) in block 52 on Holmdel’s tax map. They passed a resolution and forwarded it to the Planning Board for consideration when the applicant is before the board.
The commission members noted that a conservation easement has been created on wetlands on lot 17 and that no intrusion is planned on those wetlands.
There is no proposal for a conservation easement on wetlands on lot 18. First, the commission members recommended that a conservation easement be created on the wetlands on lot 18. Second, the commission members recommended that the conservation easement on lot 18 be appropriately marked with signs.