Tuesday, December 21, 2010

BY LAURA D'ONOFRIO

The Item of Millburn and Short Hills

The Millburn Zoning Board of Adjustment heard from two experts regarding Rabbi Mendel Bogomilsky's ongoing case to knock down two single family homes at 1 and 7 Jefferson Avenue and build a 16,350 total square foot orthodox synagogue.

On behalf of the Chai Center, lighting engineer Laurance Appel and site planner Paul Gleitz testified to the revised lighting plan and site variance requests respectively.

Gleitz testified that the Chai Center application is seeking variances related to conditional use, which requires three acres of land, building height, parking spaces in the buffer. The applicant, says Gleitz, is also seeking design waivers related to buffer requirements, landscaping patterns and land surfacing.

Gleitz went on to testify that there are a number of houses of worship in the township operating on lots less than three acres. He mentioned Mt. Zion AME, Covenant Presbyterian, First Baptist Church and St. Steven's Episcopal Church.

"There are eight houses of worship that are non-conforming to one or more of the township zoning requirements," said Gleitz. "These don't create an unnecessary impact on surrounding communities and they are positive to the fabric of the community."

Gleitz added that the gross floor area (which he defined as the total area of the first and second floor - not including the basement or other storage areas) for the proposed synagogue is 12 percent.

"The average GFA for homes within a quarter mile radius of the property is 12.8 percent," said Gleitz.

Lighting engineer Laurance Appel testified before the board on the revised lighting plan. He said that the average luminance for the property's lighting plan is .99 where previously it was just over 1.

The other change, says Appel, is including house side shield (HSS) fixtures to be used on the Old Short Hills Road side of the property.

"This will prevent glare from hitting the road," said Appel. "The other shields will be used on the north portion of the property."

Appel confirmed before the board that within the revised lighting plan there is not lighting spillage over the property lines.

"This doesn't even take into account trees or other obstacles to block light," said Appel.

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