Hekemian Addresses Revisions to Site Plan; Board Members Sworn In

During Tuesday's Zoning Board meeting, the applicant's attorney, Antimo "Andy" DelVecchio, informed the Board that the removal of 197 housing units from the site plan of the United Water property was done to satisfy their concerns regarding the high density of the residential portion of the project.

The residential component of the original site plan included 221 multi-family units with a four-story parking garage that included 428 parking spaces. The revised plans call for 24 fair market housing units and 54 perimeter parking spaces.

According to DelVecchio, and the two Hekemian experts that testified at Tuesday's meeting--architect Christian Lessard and engineer Michael Dipple-- these 24 units will satisfy New Milford's COAH obligation.

Board member Joseph Binetti noted that the area where the 197 units were removed is the same location where the original field was proposed by Hekemian during their April 2011 presentation at New Milford High School.

DelVecchio also said that with the changes in the residential component comes the removal of two variances:

• Maximum building coverage: 18 percent permitted/13.75 percent proposed.
• Maximum total impervious coverage: 58 percent permitted/56.21 percent proposed.

Variances being sought are:

• Land use variance (change from residential to mixed-use).
• Maximum building height: 2.5 stories or 30 ft. permitted/3 stories or 37.17 ft. proposed. 
• Maximum number of families: 1 family single residence permitted/24 multi-unit residences proposed.

Parking variances being sought:

• Parking for supermarket, bank and residential units: 547 spaces required/438 proposed. Variance needed for 109 spaces.

During the meeting, Karl Schaffenberger and Eileen DeBari were reappointed and sworn in by Board Attorney, Scott Sproviero. Schaffenberger was re-elected as Chairman. Newly appointed alternate member, Gerard Ix, was sworn in and is replacing Frank Appice. Ix had previously served on the Zoning Board.

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