The proposed development for Drum Point Road and Sky Manor Boulevard, Sept. 2024. (Courtesy: John Jackson)
Brick Township’s zoning board has approved a plan to construct a mixed use complex containing two commercial spaces and 18 residential apartments to be built at the site of a former welding yard that has been functionally abandoned and filled with debris.
The board adopted its formal approval of the vote on the development of 205 Drum Point Road at its Dec. 18 meeting, the site of the former HG Welding company.
The owner of the property, Joanne LaConti, proposed the revised complex on the site after being turned down by the board in 2023 despite a majority voting in favor of the application. The vote, however, required a “supermajority” of five members voting in favor of the project, while the plan only garnered a 4-3 majority. That plan would have seen the same concept split into separate buildings with more commercial space. The extra commercial space drew a legal objection from the owner of the nearby Baywood Plaza strip mall who opposed it on technical grounds. The new complex would have competed with his business.
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The building will be constructed on a 1.59-acre lot on Drum Point Road at the western corner of Sky Manor Boulevard. Board approval was required since the project area is located in the “Village Zone, which encourages mixed-use development along the township’s main thoroughfares, but contemplates smaller lot sizes that are generally present along those roads. In this case, the concept was being applied to a 1.59-acre parcel with the number of allowed units likewise extrapolated, which necessitated a hearing.
The new building – fitted out to cover the 1.59 acres versus the standard 7,500 square foot lots contemplate in the Village Zone – still largely complied with the ordinance’s provisions, with the developer proposing setbacks that exceeded minimums and building coverage of 18.4 percent, well below the 30 percent normally permitted. The 18 apartments will be split between the first, second and third floors – four on the first floor and the remainder on the upper floors – with elevators and decks provided for residents, with storage. The apartments will consist of four two-bedroom units and 14 three-bedroom units, with six of the units being designated for affordable housing. Under the township’s land use ordinance, three affordable units would normally be required.
The proposed development for Drum Point Road and Sky Manor Boulevard, Sept. 2024. (Courtesy: John Jackson)
The proposed development for Drum Point Road and Sky Manor Boulevard, Sept. 2024. (Courtesy: John Jackson)
The properties at 305/307 Drum Point Road, proposed for development. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
The properties at 305/307 Drum Point Road, proposed for development. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
The project is also inclusive of two commercial units on the first floor, which were described as “contractors’ shops” consistent with the Village Zone, which seeks to provide small businesses in the building trades space for storage and administrative functions. There will be 2,360 square feet of commercial space. The building was proposed with a Craftsman style architectural approach, a stone veneer and Board & Baton siding to provide a sophisticated coastal appearance.
The building will include two egress points and parking on four sides, with space set aside for recreational facilities and other amenities for tenants. The developer also proposed a stormwater management system, berming on the property to enhance buffers and privacy, “sight lighting” that will be directed downward as to avoid disturbing any neighboring properties, as well as a trash management system.
The proposed development for Drum Point Road and Sky Manor Boulevard, Sept. 2024. (Planning Document)
With a memorializing resolution now in hand, the property owner can begin work on the project immediately, if desired.
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