Planning Board Formalizes Cummings Subdivision Approval, Notes Applicant Declined to Seek Historic Approval First; Sets Redevelopment Study Public Session for March 31

The Planning Board's March 18, 2015 meeting memorialized its approval of Michael Cummings' subdivision of 437 Ridgewood Avenue into two fully conforming lots. The formal resolution records that the board suggested Cummings obtain Historic Preservation Commission approval for demolishing the existing house before receiving subdivision approval, but that he declined to do so and instead insisted the board decide within its statutory time limit -- the board granted approval anyway, conditioned on the applicant later obtaining the required Historic Preservation sign-off. The resolution was adopted with Vice Chair Siegel and Member Murphy abstaining.

Engineer Rohal updated the board on the ongoing H2M-led study of whether the former School of Nursing site on Bay Avenue (near Mountainside Hospital) qualifies as an area in need of redevelopment: a joint public information session with the Township of Montclair will be held at the Mountainside Hospital auditorium on March 31, 2015, with H2M's consultant report expected by late April and a joint public hearing in May. Separately, Secretary Zichelli presented a spreadsheet and map analyzing average lot sizes by block in the R-1 zone, floating the idea of splitting the zone into sub-zones matched to existing neighborhood lot-size patterns; the board agreed to continue studying the data. Lynn Kulik of 436 Ridgewood Avenue asked the board to also weigh building scale, not just lot size, in any new subdivision ordinance.