Road trip: Morristown zoning board prepares for ‘Turtle Tour’

Artist's drawing of proposed Turtle Road Commons apartments. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Artist's drawing of proposed Turtle Road Commons apartments. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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Artist's drawing of proposed Turtle Road Commons apartments. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Artist’s drawing of proposed Turtle Road Commons apartments. A two-level underground garage with 86 spaces is planned. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

By Kevin Coughlin

Morristown zoning board members, accustomed to late nights poring over stacks of arcane architectural drawings, have about as much chance of getting sunburn as Count Dracula.

But next month, they may need some sun block.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, the board is making a road trip.  A Turtle Road trip.

Or, as town planning consultant Phil Abramson has dubbed it, the “Turtle Tour.”

At 9 am, a quorum plans to visit a 1.44-acre parking lot to envision how a three-story, 46-apartment building might look.

A resident questions developers of proposed Turtle Road apartments. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
A resident questions developers of proposed Turtle Road apartments. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

The Silverman Group, prospective developers of Turtle Road Commons, will mark the imaginary structure’s footprint with stakes, and its height with balloons, planner Michael Tobia told the board on Wednesday night.

“I think it’s a great idea, to get some visuals,” said board Chairman Cary Lloyd, expressing hopes that a vote on Silverman’s variance requests–pending since April— will follow at the board’s Oct. 7 meeting.

A key permission required is a zoning variance to exceed, by 10 feet, a 35-foot height restriction in the residential zone.

Lloyd and other board members voiced concerns on Wednesday about whether trees will adequately screen the apartments from view by the neighboring Village at Convent Station and Convent Mews condos.

The density of the project and textured design of the building, presented by architect David Minno, also raised issues for some members.

“This looks like a building that should be closer to the town center,” said Scott Wild. “If this was a block off the Green, it would be perfect.”

Wild also suggested the proposed apartments would interfere with children’s play routines. “Neighbors should not have to worry about how their kids walk to the schoolyard to play,” he said.

Board member Larry Cohen questioned the proposed 10-by-11-foot size of master bedrooms. He also noted that more than 200 new apartment units already have town approvals.

Planner Michael Tobia fields a resident's question about proposed Turtle Road apartments. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Planner Michael Tobia fields a resident’s question about proposed Turtle Road apartments. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

“Have you done a market study?  Does the town need 46 more apartments?” Cohen inquired.

“This is what the market is demanding,” replied Tobia, pledging to supply a report.

The board already knows this parcel more intimately than most.  After extensive hearings, members last year rejected a daycare center  proposed for the site. Traffic issues doomed that project.

Neighbors flocked to those meetings to register their opposition. They were represented by attorney Harvey Gilbert, who has been hired once again. Gilbert told the board he intends to introduce at least one expert witness, planner Ken Nelson.

As for the Turtle Tour, there is one thing Chairman Lloyd does not want to see.

“Let’s hope we don’t find any turtles,” he quipped, hinting at endangered species.

 

 

 

 

 

4 COMMENTS

  1. Developer continue to create huge monsters in beautiful Morristown again and again. Lining their pockets while destroying the charm of the community. When will it stop????? If the building is that fantastic put it next o your house not mine…. The lot is zoned for 7 townhomes that’s what should go there. SEVEN.

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