May 7, 2025, Planning Board Regular Meeting Minutes

PROFESSIONAL QUESTIONS FOR OBJECTOR Mr. Haizel asked isn't the third floor within the existing envelope, or are they taking it off and building one over it. Mr. Buckley said his understanding is the existing masonry structure is for the first two floors, and its wood framed on the third floor. Naturally, the envelope is larger. But even so, at the second floor, it is calculating 3,045 square feet. So, either way, the numbers are over 3,000 square feet of existing. GENERAL DISCUSSION PUBLIC COMMENT Jaime C. at 11 Edgehill Road said he appreciates the conditions that have been made. He wanted to speak against this variance being granted on a notion of fairness to the property behind them. There was some talk about in the beginning on the part of Mr. Cox that Llewellyn Park has all this space, but Mr. C. can guarantee that Mr. Cox has more property around town than the people who live directly behind him. It seems like the mode to push for the third floor is to enhance the value of his investment. Mr. C. thinks that's unfair to do that at the expense of somebody else's home investment, which is a very big investment for the people who live directly behind this, but Mr. C. doesn't think that's fair and doesn’t think a variance should be granted. Rita DiMatteo at 11 Rocky Way also objects to this variance. She feels that the building with the third story on it will cast a shadow and it will have an overbearing presence that crowds the neighborhood. Llewelyn Park, which is directly behind it, is a historic neighborhood that is listed on the national register and state register of historic place. The building is only seven feet away from this residential district. They don't know whether there was a variance granted when it was built or not. However, building a third story on it at this point, in Ms. DiMatteo’s opinion is a violation and creates an intrusion. It should not be approved by the board. West Orange tries to be sensitive to the historic character of West Orange and particularly the Llewelyn park, which is part of the Main Street corridor, and they would not like to see an intrusion like this. Anne Hersh at 12 Edgehill Road said she is behind what is being proposed and as Rita was saying, the looming presence is a little bit different from when they first moved into Llewellyn park. They were told, for instance, they can't have a fence because that

being proposed and as Rita was saying, the looming presence is a little bit different from when they first moved into Llewellyn park. They were told, for instance, they can't have a fence because that wasn't part of the romantic period. In good faith, they've been following a certain plan to keep the historical nature. There was an offer of planting shrubs but they cannot plant shrubs. Ms. Hersh states that their property taxes have gone up an amazing amount so why are they not being protected? The houses that are around this area had been originally grandfathered in. These are smaller homes with, with little backyards that deserve to be protected. Gerald Sweeny at 24 Oak Bend said approving this does not provide any of the real benefits they wanted. To provide the residents, the second floor and third floor, people will have to walk 126 feet. You have to walk unless the elevator is installed. There’s going to be burdens. It will exclude people with young children and elderly people. Second, it would not help the downtown because the downtown standards are set forth in the guidelines for the downtown, which values aesthetics. The sample of what's been done lately in downtown is the Edison loft, that's beautiful. By contrast, this will make permanent, an ugly long parking lot upfront with a massive building in the back that is nonconforming. As to the variances and the detriment, no variances should be granted for either the setback or the height. Those are intended to protect light, air, and open space; Here huge shadows will be cast in back of it. That's an important element of one of the