Brick Township’s zoning board this week heard an application by a local home builder to redesign a property he owns on Mantoloking Road into a mixed-use parcel that will include his company’s office and three apartment units.
The plan proposed by Lombardi Residential, located at 406 Mantoloking Road, at the corner of North Raleigh Road, would modify the existing on-site parking area and construct a new building containing three, 2-story, 3-bedroom townhouse units. The existing contractor’s office and warehouse is to remain.
The application is facing a single objector, a North Raleigh Road resident, who is concerned about additional water intrusion onto the flood-prone street if more development exists on the corner as well as overflow parking. Her attorney, however, implied that the objection could be dropped depending on what considerations are made in the application.
“The applicant never intended to have any parking on North Raleigh Road,” said Robert Burdick, the engineer representing Lombardi. “The residential units are provided with parking. Any overflow we would expect would be on the weekends or evenings, when the commercial portion of the property will not be in use.”
Matthew Lombardi, owner of the company, said he plans to provide permission for residents to use the commercial parking lot for overflow parking.
“My clients have agreed to put up No Parking signs there, and will even ask the governing body to considering doing it by law,” said attorney John Jackson, who is also representing Lombardi.
Burdick, referring to the drainage issue, said the plan for the site will actually reduce the amount of pavement, so “by definition, stormwater will be less under post-development conditions than under pre-development conditions.”
Plans also call for the site to have an underground recharge system. That system will discharge to two bubbler inlets, one along the northwest side of North Raleigh Drive and the other along Mantoloking Road.
“For a 10 year storm, you will get a little ponding where it currently goes, but it will be less than pre-development levels,” said Burdick, saying the system will should make drainage conditions much better during two-year storms, for instance.
“I believe it is an appropriate use of the property and provides several advantages,” Burdick went on to say. “It provides a good transition between the single family homes north of the site and the commercial uses along Mantoloking Road.”
The new development will also come with landscaping, trees and greenery which will beautify the site compared to the Spartan look it current exhibits.
Testimony on the case was not completed at this week’s zoning board meeting. Township Planner Tara Paxton said the board intends to take the matter up again at its first meeting in October. The public comment portion of the case is expected to be held at that meeting.