NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ - After three long and arduous meetings regarding the potential construction of a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) by Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM) in New Providence, the New Providence Board of Adjustment had hoped to vote to approve or reject Lutheran Social Ministries’ application at Wednesday night’s meeting.  However, before the Board could move on to discussing the CCRC project, the Board had to hear minor applications for New Providence residents’ homes, and therefore had to postpone voting on the CCRC project until March 1st.

First, Joseph and Diane Tadio presented an expansion of their home that would infringe upon the town variance of requiring a minimum 40-foot setback of the home from the rear of the property line. The Tadios’ new plan would move the home only 21 feet from the rear setback. After a few questions and realization that the expansion would only be one floor and that, currently, there is sufficient shrubbery and tree buffer blocking the expansion from the view of the Tadios’ neighbors, the Board unanimously approved the request.

Next on the agenda was the application of Chris and Debora Farley. Currently their deck is 29 feet from the rear setback and they wanted to simply expand the deck 6 feet to the left and about 4 feet to the right with no backward expansion. Before the Board approved this request, they required that Mr. and Mrs. Farley would have to provide some form of shrubbery or wooden lattice to prevent passer-bys from seeing any "junk" under the deck. 

During the next Board of Adjustment meeting the Tadios and Farleys will receive written resolutions allowing them to start and complete their renovations.

The Board then began discussing the main issue of the night:  the CCRC.

The CCRC is planned to be located at the intersection of South Street and Mountain Avenue. A laboratory occupies the current plot of land, but LSM is willing to purchase that land and begin the construction of its project. However, the reason LSM was forced to come to the Board of Adjustment was because its plan to build on the property does not comply with several of the Borough’s ordinances.  Therefore, LSM needs the Board of Adjustment to approve variances for them to proceed. 

The CCRC complex is currently proposed to include two buildings that exceed the Borough’s height ordinance. The proposed buildings would be five and four stories tall, while the Borough only permits three story buildings.

Another ordinance that the CCRC does not comply with is the limit of parking spaces in front of a building. Currently, the maximum spots that should be provided in front of a building are 12 car spots. The CCRC is planning to have 43 spots allocated in the front of the complex for easy visitor and member access.

In addition, New Providence only allows 23 living spaces in a multi-family housing complex. However, the proposed CCRC would have over 120 living spaces of multi-family living spaces.

The final ordinance in contention is a parking variance. New Providence requires that a parking lot may not be used for both residential and non-residential users. The CCRC plan currently proposes to allow both non-residential and residential personnel to park in the same lot.

The CCRC developers and supporters provided a myriad of reasons why the construction would benefit the surrounding area. First, they explained that 50% of New Jersey was occupied by heavy or industrial complexes. If New Providence does not allow LSM to build on the property, CCRC said that it would probably be put to use for another industrial complex. Also, the CCRC group argued that the new complex would fit right in with the, "industrial corridor of Mountain Avenue."

In addition, with the space being used as a living facility, almost all of the New Providence companies would benefit from the influx of people, CCRC advocates said. Also, they said that the complex would not be detrimental to the aesthetics of Mountain Avenue because LSM would do everything it could to place ponds, trees, bushes and other shrubbery close to Mountain Avenue to conceal the facility.

The CCRC group said that the whole project would be paid for in cash so as to prevent any way that LSM could back out of the project or have other financial matters conflict with the project. The group also said that New Providence would be able to obtain more tax revenue -- an estimated $1.9 million.

This complex would also raise New Providence’s "total assessment" in New Jersey, the CCRC group said. The increase in "total assessment" would allow more money to flow into the municipality. Overall, the CCRC supporters and developers said that if the project is built, it would have a, "significant positive impact on the municipality, school district."

However, some of the members of the Board of Adjustment were skeptical. Mr. Van Shoick said that the new complex would bring in more families and would therefore increase the burden of on the school district. Also, Mr. Pennisi stated that the costs of a laboratory or other complex would be much less burdensome on the town than the CCRC building. Specifically, Mr. Pennisi was worried that there would be more frequent 911 calls and necessary EMS support if the CCRC is built.

At the next meeting, LSM will present its plan, in detail, and the Board of Adjustment members will discuss it.  Should time permit, the Board will then vote whether to grant the variances that LSM is requesting. 

After the CCRC testimony was completed, the Board of Adjustment opened the floor to anyone in the public to speak either on behalf or against the proposal. Seven people spoke on behalf of the project. The public members present said that they believed it was a very beneficial project and would enhance the reputation of New Providence.

As the meeting came to a close the Board of Adjustment decided to wait until the March 1st meeting to discuss and vote on the project because of, "the lateness of the hour."

To find out more about the CCRC project in New Providence, visit the municipality website and read the minutes from the February 17, 2010 meeting at: http://www.newprov.org/agendaminutes/