Zoning Board Makes Approvals for Historic Site

The Madison Zoning Board voted twice on a piece of property located at 13 Madison Ave., approving both the use variances and the site plan at different times during the meeting.

The application was put in by 13 Madison Avenue LLC, which was represented by attorney Brian Burns of Burns & Schaffer of Florham Park at the meeting held on Thursday night.

John McManus, president of McManus Builders and McManus Design Group runs the company with his brother, Joe.

The request before the board was to take the historical building on the property – which is located in a professional zone – and while preserving it, turn it into an office and residential mixed-use structure. A two-bedroom apartment would be located above the business offices.

There would also be a detached garage and storage building constructed on the property which is located directly to the left of James Park and in front of the Madison Electric Company's substation. There would be a proposed eight surface parking spaces in the property's lot.

The office use would be for the McManus businesses and the two-bedrooom apartment would be for Joe McManus and his wife.

Lengthy testimony was given by engineer Fred Meola, owner of F C Meola, LLC, and planner John McDonough, who is also a licensed landscape architect.

"Were this building fully occupied by a commercial use, we would not be here for a variance," McDonough said. "Were it for a residential use, we would not be here for a variance. We are here for the combination of the two into one structure."

Testimony was also given by architect Richard Japko and by John McManus.

The testimony was broken into two parts, as two of the board's members – Nancy Northrup and John Ciulla – needed to leave before the end of the session. The first part was presented for the use variance application.

McDonough said he looked at three master plans, ones from 1992, '99 and '04, and that the proposal was consistent with them. He cited the historic nature of the property as a main reason why.

"Each plan has a goal that says to encourage preservation of historic buildings in the downtown district," McDonough said.

The use variance application passed unanimously after a 7-0 vote.

"It definitely fits in with the neighborhood," Joseph Glade said prior to that vote. "The mixed use is preferable to just strict commercial use. So I'm in favor of the use."

Testimony then began around 10:10 p.m. for the site plan, after Ciulla and Northrup left the room. Though there were a few issues that the board identified and made conditions of its approval, it seemed to agree with the testimony given by those representing the project.

There were a number of conditions amended to the site plan before it was approved by a 5-0 vote from the remaining members of the board. The biggest sticking point was concerning the parking spaces.

As it stands now, the site plan has eight surface spaces and two in the garage. There is  a possibility the zoning officer may require two additional spaces. If that occurs, 13 Madison Avenue LLC would have to come before the board again to implement those spaces.

The other option had been to designate the property for low-intensity parking use, which would limit the type of business that could theoretically purchase the property if the owners ever chose to sell.

Burns said that things like the parking issue tend to be self regulating, and someone like an orthopedic surgeon wouldn't purchase the property, regardless.

"I know we all like to control things to the greatest degree that we can, but I just ask you to consider that in some cases, it's better to back off and let the marketplace do what it has to, and make us put in the parking if it's determined we have to," Burns said.