Brick Zoners OK Use Variance For Herbertsville Road Homes Project

BRICK, NJ — The Brick Township Board of Adjustment approved the request Wednesday night for a use variance to permit a developer to build single-family homes on a Herbertsville Road parcel that is zoned for multifamily housing.

The proposal by 561 Herbertsville Road LLC for the site of the Olde Riverside Farm School and Day Camp was split into two pieces, with the zoning board first asked to consider the request for the use variance for the site.

The 5-acre property is zoned RM, residential multifamily, but the property does not meet the requirements needed for multifamily housing, said Bill Stevens, the engineer for the project. Brick Township's zoning rules require 25 acres for a multifamily project, he said.

Rather than seek a variance for multifamily homes, the developer decided to seek the use variance instead.

The property would be divided into 15 lots, with 14 single-family homes and one lot dedicated to a stormwater runoff basin on a cul-de-sac. The homes would be two stories with basements and attics. The basements would not have separate access to the outside, Stevens said. The attics would not be usable except for storage, he said.

One resident asked about the potential for the developer to build a house of worship on the site, or for changing the layout that was presented as part of the use variance request.

A house of worship requires 2 acres of land under Brick's zoning ordinances. Township Planner Tara Paxton said if the developer wanted to completely change what they were proposing to build on the site, the entire matter would have to go back before the zoning board for approval.

"They can't just get a building permit (and build what they want)," zoning board chairman David Chadwick said. "They have to follow this plan to a T. If they want to change it they have to come back to the zoning board."

The hearing gave preliminary details about the design of the homes, which will be about 2,700 square feet and sit on about a quarter-acre each. The site will get sidewalks and curbing and access to the cul-de-sac will be off Winding River Road.

With the use variance approved, the board will move on to hearing the full proposal for the development. The date for that hearing was not announced Wednesday night.

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