OK sought to turn house into pool supply business
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Jackson

JACKSON - The Planning Board is being asked to approve the conversion of a one-story home into a commercial pool supply business. In question is the safety of the chlorine chemical which will be stored in small quantities at the business throughout the spring, summer and early fall.

The board heard the application in December and carried the hearing to March 5.

The property in question is about 1 acre in size and is on the north side of West Veterans Highway, about 300 feet east of Forked Road.

Planning Board engineer Douglas F. Klee said variances for side yard setback and parking lot setback are being requested by the applicant. He said the project will be served by a septic system. Klee noted there will be discussion regarding the chemicals that will be kept on site.

The application will need approval from Ocean County because it is on a county road (Route 528).

"The applicant is not proposing curbing or a sidewalk," Klee said. "The applicant is also requesting design wavers for driveway and parking area surfaces where concrete is required and gravel is proposed, as well as driveway and parking area perimeter curbing. Concrete curbing is required and the applicant is proposing gravel."

Klee said the application is deficient in that there are 19 parking stalls required and 17 parking stalls are provided.

Planning Board planner Mark W. Muraczewski said the site is in a Neighborhood Commercial zone and a pool supply company is a permitted use in the zone. He said about 3,700 square feet of floor space is proposed.

Project engineer Chet DeLorenzo said he was not certain if the building was actually a dwelling, since it appears there was no kitchen area. The existing building is about 1,800 square feet and all of the additions, if they were put together, would total 3,700 square feet.

"We wish to have a gravel parking area instead of concrete," he said. "There are 101 trees on the property. They occupy the rear of the property and we are looking to maintain all of those trees."

Testimony indicated that the company services swimming pools and all chemicals on the site would be of the stabilized variety.

"They are 25- to 40-pound resale packages which are stored on the shelves," DeLorenzo said. "Everything we have is on the retail floor. There is no hidden warehouse in this building."

He said there are no curbs or sidewalks in the vicinity of the property, but said the applicant would put in curbs and a sidewalk if the board requires that as a condition of approval.

Company owner Mark Peterman said he is a member of a pool supply trade organization and has been in business for 15 years. He said if there is an issue with the chemicals a telephone number can be called and assistance will be given. Peterman said there has never been a problem to date in his other location.

Board Chairman Kenneth Bressi asked that the fire department be provided with an inventory of the business so that firefighters would know what was in the building should they ever have to respond to an emergency situation.

Testimony indicated that chemicals in excess of 40 pounds would be sold out of the firm's store in Old Bridge, Middlesex County.

Board member George McKay asked if winter decorations and holiday items would be sold at the store during the winter months. He was told there will not be any such items sold at this location.

During the public portion of the meeting, resident Michael Houdanish, who lives on a 10-acre farm across the street from the parcel, objected to the storage of chlorine and other chemicals. He said he was concerned about the possible interaction of chemicals. He noted there are no commercial properties along this stretch of West Veterans Highway.

"This is not being done in accordance with the master plan, even limited use," Houdanish said.

He asked if the applicant's reports that had been submitted to the board were written for a property in Monmouth County. Houdanish noted there were sentences in the reports which referred to Monmouth County instead of Ocean County. Several other differences were noted in the applicant's reports.

"You mean to tell me this report was copied?" board member Joseph Riccardi asked.

DeLorenzo said the format had been used on a different property.

"Unfortunately the word Monmouth was not cut out and replaced with Ocean," the engineer said.

Attorney Denis P. Kelly, representing the applicant, said a new report would be submitted.

Planning Board attorney Gregory P. McGuckin said he wanted to see the amended report.

Houdanish also said he believes there are endangered species on the subject property and Bressi said he also wanted to see a revised edition with comments from the environmental commission.

Board member Robert Hudak wanted to know where, in the event of a fire, the water that was used to fight the fire would drain to.

Houdanish questioned where storm water runoff would go and indicated that it could go into his driveway, his septic system and his well. He expressed concern that the runoff could contain contaminants that could affect his well water.

At that point the board tabled the application. The applicant is expected to return to provide additional testimony on March 5.