Planning Board Formalizes Pensak Railing Reversal, Adopts Fair Share Housing Plan, Approves 110-Unit Baldwin Street Apartment Building

The Board adopted a memorializing resolution formally granting Michael and Julia Pensak's appeal over their 134 Ridgewood Avenue porch railings (Chair Mason, Vice Chair Mehrotra, and Ms. Robinson abstaining), reversing the Historic Preservation Commission's earlier denial and finding the installed balusters fall within an acceptable range of "creative diversity" for the historic streetscape.

Planner Jeffrey Janota then presented the borough's draft Housing Element & Fair Share Plan, covering the background of the builder's-remedy lawsuit, a vacant-land analysis, and the rehabilitation obligation; with no public comment, the Board unanimously adopted the plan.

Attorney Robert Kasuba presented Glen Ridge Redevelopers, LLC's application for a 110-unit apartment building with 188 parking spaces on the Baldwin Street Redevelopment site; architect Jerry Simon described the units, an open-air parking garage, and exterior finishes still subject to further Historic Preservation Commission review. Michael Rubin, an attorney representing the owner of 93 and 95 Bay Street, asked about headlight glare and HVAC noise from the parking decks and requested a vegetative buffer and an 8-foot fence; Hillary Leonard of 83 Bay Street raised concerns about stormwater runoff. The Board approved the application unanimously with nine conditions, including a 7-foot solid white vinyl fence along the rear property line, a pre-construction acoustical engineer's report confirming HVAC noise compliance, and coordination with the Borough Forester and the adjoining owner on supplemental landscaping.

The Board also approved amended grading and a taller retaining wall for the previously approved One Bay Urban Renewal medical office building at 311 Bay Avenue.