PB-16-12/Baptist Home Society of NJ-Cliffs at Eagle Rock

ili. Statement of Reason for relief; iv. Checklist; v. Order for Judgment in the matter of Baptist Home Society of New Jersey v. Township of West Orange Board of Adjustment and the Township of West Orange dated September 21, 2000. Gordon Meyer, Esq., appeared on behalf of the Applicant and introduced the application saying that it involved an existing assisted living facility completed in 2005 on Eagle Rock Avenue. The Applicant has functioned well for twelve (12) years but now finds it needs additional room for its exercise and rehabilitation functions. The Application involves building on a small addition to add space for these functions. Gordon Meyer, Esq., was also sworn in to give testimony as the Chief Operating Officer of the Applicant. He testified that the addition will be built into a court yard so as to not block the existing views the building has of the cliff and waterfall areas. The addition will have a wall full of windows which will provide natural light to the new room. In response to questioning from West Orange Public Advocate Harvey Grossman, Esq., Mr. Meyer responded that the addition would not change the number of persons that this assisted living facility is licensed to accommodate, which is 85, and no increase in parking is necessary. Member of the public Mary Bowling of 2 Cliff Street, whose property is immediately west of the property asked about the height of the addition and how same will look from her property. Applicant called David Danton, a licensed professional architect in the State of New Jersey who was sworn and qualified as an expert in the field of architecture. He testified that the proposed addition will be 16 ft. x 22 ft. in area, on the west side of the existing building, with no change in setbacks, there will be a slight increase of impervious coverage, which is still below the allowable percentage, the addition will be one story with 11 ft. to 12 ft. roof eaves, the roof will slope to meet the existing building at the window sill line, the addition will have the same exterior finishes, that the Applicant already has approval from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and that construction will take three to four months.