HOWELL TOWNSHIP DISCUSSES POSSIBLE RESTRICTIONS ON SHULS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS

Anyone else? There's no one else here, Mr. Crook. >> All right, >> make it quick. >> Make it quick. Press on. >> All right, >> come on. We got to laugh a little bit. It was a rough 48 hours, right? >> Yeah, we do have to laugh because otherwise you're going to cry. Um, I was here last week. I can't remember what day it was to file my Oprah request for uh two pieces of property I I uh have concern about. 37 Sammy Drive is one of them and the other one is the one I've been complaining about across the street from my own house. Seven Sammy Drive. Um 37 Sammy Drive I find very interesting even though it's down the block and not visible from my home. Uh they demoed the garage. I'm kind of filling you in on on it. Susan has been monitoring this and actually came to my house uh after viewing it to discuss what's going on there. And um she said to me, "I'm appalled at at what's going on there because it's obvious that it's it's something more than you would think it is from from the street." And I know uh because I asked about the plans and it is uh a twostory edition. However, there's no framing members at the second floor. So, it's a big cavernous building that has a 17t high ceiling in it from the front to the rear of the addition. So I don't know of a lot of places that have 17 foot ceilings over here in how maybe in Rumpson or Navas over there because I worked in that area but um I kind of think it might be something used to assemble people in and uh I questioned John Aguilera whether or not when they reviewed the zoning application for this I don't know who did maybe somebody who no longer works for the town. Uh if they put clouded notes on there after looking at it because I did that for 30 years. If I look at something that doesn't seem to fit the description for a living room and dining room from front to rear, uh I would say to be used as a living room and dining room and not to be used for the assembly or gathering of people. There's not even a religious remark being made there. It's just saying that you applied to the town for building promise to construct a twostory atrium style living room and dining room and that's all you can use it as. And so uh he first said to me, "We didn't make any remarks on there." Then he said, "Oh yeah, uh maybe we did. I'm sure we put something down." At which point I said, "Well, I'm going to Oprah request the plants." And and that's it's very uh elaborate my description of what I'm looking for. And uh I told Susan and she said, "Thank you for looking into that." I also noticed that the footings detail on the on this uh thing could never support a second floor. So even if they got slapped and said, "Hold on a second. You're not you're not going to use this thing as a meeting room or gathering place. They wouldn't even be able to add a second floor because they put an 8 inch block instead of 12in block. So, I find that a little funny. These are these guys are amateur builders here. I was a project manager on the Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City. This gentleman knows about that. Okay. He's the largest building in in the state. It was over a billion dollars in construction. So for me to look at a house and and ascertain what's going on, it's a joke. Um, so she called it a monstrosity, I think, was Susan's ex exact uh words. Um, she also mentioned to me about the poleborn uh over in the candlewood section. So because I'm curious, I went over there and looked at that and she asked me for my comments on that. And I said, "Well, I I don't have the plans for that. I didn't ask for them, but seems like you have a lot coverage issue over there. Um, it would be interesting to know who approved the these things. Who is it? Somebody that no longer works for the town. Can I ask that question? Maybe you can address it in the in the uh answer uh portion." But if that's the case, you know, there's a big problem there. And uh Susan and I shared the sentiment that we were looking at into the Manchester decision because that's very interesting. I I don't know if you know parallels a lot of the things that we have going on and the town was able to uh uphold their uh stance that it can't be used for the public and so I'm sure they'll contest it and take it to the zoning board >> in five minutes. >> Yeah. Approval. So that that's my take on what's going on. All right. >> Thank you, Richard. Thank you. Bye bye. >> Anyone else on the public? >> I'm seeing none. Make a motion to close public. >> Motion to close. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Responses. Mr. Mr. uh >> Yeah. I I I'll just say that I don't know the answer to the question of of uh uh who who approved that uh or approved a any particular application. Um the documentation will revolve that I will say that we have had some turnover in the department. So that is another particular reason I can't tell you who did it. So but it is certainly when the Oprah request is is completed that information will be there. Nelson Keel. >> Um, as far as pole barns, I don't believe we have any restrictions in our code right now that regulates on how large those um accessory units can be to the the main property. Um, but that's something that we can discuss with uh zoning and possibly update the code to uh look at tighter restrictions moving forward. Yeah, I I'll just add that um uh that I have been looking at that issue specifically along with some other zoning issues and have begun to meet with individually uh with members of the council and hope to put together um some suggested amendments to help address uh areas that that are um zoning may be deficient or or not appropriate at this time. So, Can I make one quick? >> Can you wait till after? Thank you. >> No, fine. Thank you. >> You're fine. >> I'm good. >> I just want to echo the mayor's statement from before. Uh few tough snowstorms this year so far and DPW is really handling it well. Uh I drove to multiple areas across town today. uh was able to get around with no issues. They're out there working long hours doing [clears throat] the work in these tough conditions and all emergency personnel that are out there as well. So, thank everyone that was involved uh on the streets during the storms. >> Good way. Nelson, thank you for coming up here. appreciate you uh being you know get coming up here on a [snorts] after the snowstorm and uh out coming out in the cold and addressing us. Um as far as the parking is concerned when that does get implemented there will be no fee to the residents. That's the that that's the plan. We don't plan on doing second party, third party, any of that kind of stuff. We're not Jersey City obviously. Not yet. Maybe in like 50 years or so. Um, [clears throat] as far as any of us up here taking orders or being uh pushed probably pushed around by anyone else, I can tell you I answer only to the residents of How Township and I do not answer to any special interest groups or any any kind of shenanigans like that. Sir, I'm saying it on the record. I work I work for the Howell Township residents and I will not be told how to vote. I will not be told how to uh push an agenda through. Make that very clear. >> So, thank you. Okay. >> No, thank you, >> Mr. Kug. We're aware of what's going on, sir. Okay. >> I love you guys. >> And Mr. Gross and Caitlyn, like you said, we're working on some some things as far as law coverage and setbacks and all that stuff. Things that we never had to address in the past, but maybe needs to be looked at. And um through our legal team, what we could do, we we will do. Okay. And we we're going to leave it leave it there for now. What is your question to Mr. Or you want to do it at the end? >> Do it at the end >> real fast. Yeah. Okay. >> It it it falls in with zoning. Okay. That particular building over there, I'm going to use that as an example. They they called it a pole barn. However, a pole barn um would you would expect garage doors on it or a barn door, okay? Because uh a pole barn would fall into like a type four construction, heavy beam timber and possibly metal sheathing because I believe that's that's what's on that. However, what's in insistent here is there are no garage doors. There are only man doors on this building and a lot of windows in the front portion of the building. So when you get a plan like that in for a proposed pole bond, again these water watermark notes or clouded notes that the zoning department puts on there are critical because it says to be used as a pole barn. It's an accessory structure to a home. Okay? It can't be an entity into itself to be used in some type of assembly use. >> Well, Mr. Kug, >> yeah, >> like I said, we're addressing numerous things in this particular case. There were notes added to the application. >> Okay. This is this has been a hot topic for the past week. Okay. >> Yeah. >> And I'm just I'm going to leave it at that. Our professionals are on it >> and moving forward with our zoning department. We, like I said, we're >> we're dealing with some with some things without getting too deep in the woods. All right. >> Got it. >> Thank you. >> Next, we