7 2 25 WO PB Draft Minutes

13 PUBLIC COMMENT ● Jonathan Barton said he invited Mr. Cox to the property, but nobody reached out to him. Eventually, he was visited. He had a long conversation in expressing his concerns with Mr. Cox, and his experience was not what was stated. The point of the meeting was to find some sort of amicable resolution. It was expressed that anything that had to do with Mr. Barton’s property in terms of landscaping and trees, was not anybody else's responsibility and it was upsetting to Mr. Barton the way that that interaction went. Mr. Barton is not coming into this with any sort of assumptions about character and is not trying to cast aspersions. He went in with good faith to have this meeting and felt that the applicant did not seem to have any sort of concern for his concerns. ● Anne Hirsch at 12 Edge Hill said she does not understand why the thought of the variance of lifting one whole story above their heads is not important that it is close. The closeness is the only thing that should be talked about. Ms Hirsch says that it should put it near Main Street and then raise it a story. Ms. Hirsch appreciates her neighbors on Main Street who have spoken and rightfully want a thriving Main Street, they are all for that. Ms. Hirsch thinks they might be equally as happy if the building were closer to Main Street and then lifted that story. She doesn't think it should be in her neighbor's backyard. ● Stan Shapiro said at the last meeting there was a problem of the density, that this doesn't comport with the zoning requirements. It's trying to suggest that because it's a mixed use, it doesn't have to comply with the density requirements of either a commercial use or residential or the current zoning. Mr. Shapiro believes it makes no sense at all. Mr. Shapiro states that the board doesn't have the authority to grant a variance as the density, so how can the board approve a building that wants to add 7 residential units in a 4 residential unit zone by calling it a mixed use? Mr. Shapiro says that by that reason alone, this application should be and must be denied. The actual plan here is to build this box and move it up a foot and have it approached way in the back off the street, not in relation to any of the surrounding properties. It's an undeserving variance as to the height and it's an undeserving variance as to the density. Mr. Shapiro believes the applicant is

he street, not in relation to any of the surrounding properties. It's an undeserving variance as to the height and it's an undeserving variance as to the density. Mr. Shapiro believes the applicant is trying to evade the health and safety requirements for having an elevator by having a hold measurement. Mr. Shapiro states that don’t deserve a variance; they're cutting corners. Mr. Shapiro believes this board should be representing the public. This building is out of character to the surrounding buildings and the community and the neighborhood and it encroaches on the properties in the back. Mr. Shapiro hopes the board rejects it. ● Eric Buckley at Edge Hill Court and is a resident that abuts the property in the back. He wanted to ask what does the town gain with this building? Getting an additional story outside of a facelift of a lot and minimally of a building. Mr. Buckley believes this building can exist as two stories with three residential units. He asks what does the extra four units do for the town, it doesn't add anything. Even for the affordable units, it's one for the whole building. Mr. Buckley states that it seems like there's a lot of statements saying “we're requesting this variance because we're making this such a better building”, but in Mr. Buckley’s opinion, it's not. This is what Mr. Buckley wants the board to consider, what does this extra story do for the town as a whole? How does it benefit the residents? ● Eric seconds what Chairman Bagoff was saying in regards to how Mr. Cox does have a history of having different buildings in West Orange. Eric thinks that history does matter and based on all his buildings, he would see that he hasn't had any issues in terms of safety or any regulations that he didn't follow for the building to be safe. Eric states that the board should take that into consideration. ● Christine Persaud owns the medical practice True Ally at 105 Main Street and it would be her practice moving into the first floor. One of the reasons why her practice is in West