December 11, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Minutes - WEHI

Klein: N Mayor McCartney: Y *The application was denied at the December 11, 2025, Planning Board special meeting. * PB-24-16 Essex County Country Club Block: 156 Lot: 1 Zone: R-2 350 Mount Pleasant Avenue The applicant, Essex County Country Club proposes a number of improvements to an existing pool house building on the subject site. The improvements include the expansion of a covered walkway, construction of an open-air covered bar area with a grill area, expansion of existing patio, and construction of pergola with seating underneath. PRESENTATION The attorney for the applicant, Lisa John-Basta, stated the site measures approx. 176 acres in size. It is the oldest country club in the state of New Jersey and has been located at this site in West Orange since 1917. The property has been built with a golf course and a club house and other structures including a pool house and a pool patio area since 1978. The application is to do some renovations to the existing pool house and some improvements within the pool house area. The bar that is being proposed is not the primary use and it is also open to the public. In the permitted use schedule, there is a clear column that says permitted principle uses, golf course and golf clubhouse. There’s another column that says permitted accessory uses which states customary accessory building or structure related to the principal use. The applicant submits the pool house is an accessory use to the principal use of the golf course and golf clubhouse. The purpose of notice is to identify the nature of the application to be considered, not if you are going to get a liquor license. The attorney also introduced Exhibit Al Amendment Application Filed 4/09/24 and Exhibit A2 Filing Application Amendment 10/10/24 that were marked during the meeting. The notice the applicant submitted states the pavilion is being constructed for a bar seated area. They also included they are continuing to sell alcohol from the premises. The golf course itself is licensed to sell alcohol. Both structures, the club house and pool house, are also licensed. BOARD QUESTIONS PROFESSIONALS QUESTIONS PUBLIC QUESTIONS GENERAL DISCUSSION PUBLIC COMMENT

¢ Micaela Bennet at 33 Old Indian Road stated a bar is not a permissible use in a R2 zone. According to the board’s ordinance, you can only have one use in an R2 zone. ¢ Ms. Bennet states the ordinance permits as a use a golf course, it permits as a use a golf club house, and it accepts a golf club. e Ms. Bennet said a bar being built on a golf course is not a use the board should be considering. She states this application belongs before the zoning board. ¢ She shared that swimming pools are permitted accessory uses as well as recreational facilities but if you look it up in the ordinance it talks about swimming pools in residency, it does not talk about them on a golf course. ¢ She suggests that a bar is a use not permitted in this zone. She is not suggesting that they can’t eventually get permission to do this, she is saying that they are in front of the wrong venue in order to make their argument for why they should be permitted to do so. e Ms. Bennet provided the board with a copy of the applicant’s liquor license that has a sketch of where they are permitted to sell alcohol. She states Ms. John-Basta mistakenly advised the board they can sell alcohol anywhere from the 177 acres. Ms. Bennet said that is not factually accurate, they are allowed to sell alcohol from the location that is sketched within the liquor license. That sketch is within the club house. ¢ She states the rules require the applicant to be very specific, especially when the sale of alcohol is something that’the public should know about. ¢ She is asking that if the board decides to move forward, that the applicant is required to re notice the public. ¢ She states the language in the applicant’s notice is not specific enough that it leaves without any doubt for the public what they intend to do in that structure. ¢ She said the board must consider the sale of alcohol when you consider the intended use, otherwise why would it be required by the courts that the applicant must specifically state the intent to sell alcohol. e Ms. Bennet says the sale of alcohol should be stated. ut further n Meeting adjourned at 10:37 PM. ADOPTED: 3lizlzs ite, Board Secretary Planning Board Secretary