993 Pleasant Valley Way West Orange SPRAB Report 11 12 2024

105 Grove Street, Suite 3 Montclair, NJ 07042 973.954.2677 www.NishuaneGroup.com MEMORANDUM TO: Township of West Orange Planning Board CC: Jamilet Baquerizo Vite, Board Secretary Geniece Gary-Adams, Director of Planning & Development FR: Gerard M. Haizel, PP, AICP, Principal & Consulting Planner RE: PB-24-13 – 993 Pleasant Valley Way (Block 172.02, Lot 6) Site Plan Review Advisory Board Report DT: November 12, 2024 Attendance: Derek Orth, Esq. – Attorney for the Applicant William Gentile, RA - Applicant’s Architect Dr. Elion Krok - Applicant/Owner Representative Mike Dannemiller - Zoning Board Member Michale A. Fonzino, Director of Health & Welfare Captain Joe Matullo, Fire Department Zayibeth Carbello, Director of Engineering/Municipal Engineer Geniece Gary-Adams, Director of Planning & Development/Zoning Official Phil Scott, PE, CME - Matrix New World Engineering, Board Engineer Gerard M. Haizel, PP, AICP - Nishuane Group, Board Planner Jamilet Baquerizo Vite, Board Secretary The Township of West Orange Site Plan Review Advisory Board (SPRAB) held a meeting on November 12, 2024. At this meeting, the SPRAB reviewed the above referenced application with the applicant’s attorney and architect. The applicant was also present and provided information about the proposed development on the site. The applicant proposes a 2nd story addition to an existing 1-story commercial building. The applicant proposes to convert the property to a mixed-use building, with the addition of a one-bedroom dwelling unit and a business office in the new 2nd floor addition, with the existing medical office on the 1st floor to remain as is.

November 12, 2024 Page 2 of 3 Site Plan Review Board Report 993 Pleasant Valley Way (PB-24-13) Block 172.02, Lot 6 105 Grove Street, Suite 3, Montclair, NJ 07042 ∙ Phone: (973) 954-2677 ∙ www.NishuaneGroup.com The proposed development on the site will require the granting of two (2) variances, for the following conditions: § Exceeding the Maximum Permitted Lot Coverage § Insufficient On-site Parking The following site plan and design issues were discussed at the SPRAB meeting: Þ Parking o The Applicant stated that they believed that the parking calculation for the proposed office space on the 2nd floor should not be calculated at the same rate as the existing medical office space on the 1st floor. While the 2nd floor office space would be associated with the medical office use on the 1st floor, the Applicant held that the office would be purely administrative and would not be directly tied to the day-to-day operation of the medical office downstairs. Additionally, the Applicant maintained that the office on the 2nd floor was being developed to function independently as a separate unit, with its own access from the exterior. I, as the Board Planner, agreed with this assessment. Based on this rationale, the required parking attributable to the proposed 864-SF office on the 2nd floor would be based on 1-space for every 250-SF of office space, which would require 4-parking spaces as opposed to the 6-spaces if assessed at the medical office parking ratio. o The Applicant proposes the use of shared parking arrangement between the two proposed uses on the site, pursuant to West Orange Zoning Ordinance §25-12.2a3, which states that, “…when housing is included in mixed-use development, a shared parking approach to the provision of parking shall be permitted.” This will reduce the required parking for the proposed development. o The Applicant stated that they plan to repave and stripe the entire parking area once construction is completed on the site. o The Applicant was advised that they will need to provide sight lines from both ingress/egress points on the site. There was some discussion as to what agency(s) had oversight of the roadways on which the site fronted. The Township Engineer advised the Applicant that while Pleasant Valley Way is a County road, Mt. Pleasant Avenue is under the jurisdiction of the NJ Department of Transportation. The applicant stated that

Township Engineer advised the Applicant that while Pleasant Valley Way is a County road, Mt. Pleasant Avenue is under the jurisdiction of the NJ Department of Transportation. The applicant stated that they had received a “Letter of No Interest” from the County for their last application before the Board. o The applicant raised an issue that they have been experiencing with vehicles cutting through their parking area to avoid the traffic signal at the intersection. This has primarily been done with vehicles entering from Pleasant Valley Way and exiting on to Mt.

November 12, 2024 Page 3 of 3 Site Plan Review Board Report 993 Pleasant Valley Way (PB-24-13) Block 172.02, Lot 6 105 Grove Street, Suite 3, Montclair, NJ 07042 ∙ Phone: (973) 954-2677 ∙ www.NishuaneGroup.com Pleasant Avenue. The Applicant is considering measures to address this concern, including the possible use of speed bumps on the driveway. o The Fire Department inquired whether there was any place on the site where an ambulance could safely stop/park in the event one was needed to transportation a patient. Dr. Krok responded that this and other aspects of the operation of the medical office had been disclosed and reviewed as part of their original approval to establish the office on the site. Notwithstanding this, the Applicant identified a space adjacent to the office entry, where emergency vehicles would park when on site. Þ Previous Conditions of Approval o The Applicant was asked if all conditions of previous approvals had been satisfied. The Applicant was advised that they should be prepared to address any outstanding conditions that have not been satisfied, to the Board at the hearing. The Applicant’s professional team will make modifications to their submission, based on the input and discussions with the Township and Board Professionals and will work towards meeting the notice requirement for the Planning Board’s December 4, 2024 hearing date.