November 29, 2023 Planning Board Special Meeting Minutes

PRESENTATION Ms. Lisa John-Basta entered on the record on behalf of the applicant. The applicant is looking for site plan approval for minor modifications and improvements to the existing golf course The Essex County Club is one of the oldest in the country dating back to 1887. The golf course has been before this board on multiple occasions for various upgrades to the facility. The application is a fully conforming site plan application with no variances. Essex County Country Club Representative John Delmauro entered on the record and he was sworn under oath. The golf club has a healthy membership with over 300 members in different classes. The applicant is proposing a few renovations of the golf course itself and one of the renovations is that they had requested is a soil moving permit. The reason for the soil removal is that from the 2nd hole through the 18th hole it's very traditional upgrading of Tees and bunkers that has to be done every 10 to 15 years, since sand washes away which is why they have to improve and redo those and they hired a golf course architect to help them make those improvements. On the Ist hole where they are changing the whole bit and creating two different fairways and restructuring the green a bit. They are also proposing to demolish the existing pro shop and golf cart barn. They would like to install a comfort station which would include two restrooms and a small kind of grab and go snack bar, no seating, quickly grab and go and move on and the other big piece of this is that there's no cover on the backside of the golf course. So, anytime we get weather there's really nowhere for anyone to go, so to serve as a safety precaution they have an overhang that if they do get lightning, people can stand there and get covered until they can go get them and bring them back to the club. The snack bar area itself is approximately 105 square feet. The snacks will be pre-package, no kitchen on site. The proposed location for the comfort station was chosen because it's out of the line of sight of anybody hitting a golf ball. It'll be open up during golfing hours when golfers are on the golf course. NO BOARD QUESTIONS PROFESSIONAL QUESTIONS Mr. Hess asked if the applicant could consider moving the comfort station to another location. Mr. Delmauro said that it's really a safety concern they have looked at other various locations on the golf

. Hess asked if the applicant could consider moving the comfort station to another location. Mr. Delmauro said that it's really a safety concern they have looked at other various locations on the golf course and they're to be honest just in the line of sight of golf balls getting hit. PUBLIC QUESTION Micaela Bennet at 33-35 Old Indian Road asked if Mr. Delmauro had safety concerns for anyone but the golfers. Mr. Delmauro said that they have concerns for their employees and anybody that uses the amenities. Kevin Malanga at Ridge Road asked what type of beverages will be served at the comfort station. Mr. Delmauro said that the same that would be in the cart, like soft drinks, water, beer and alcoholic beverages.