Pompton Lakes planning board finds downtown redevelopment amendment consistent, urges larger studio units

The Pompton Lakes Planning Board on Feb. 18, 2025 recommended that Borough Council adopt Ordinance 25-11, an amendment to the downtown redevelopment plan affecting Block 7000, Lot 4 (the former gas station at 61 Of Q Avenue). The board found the ordinance “consistent with the borough’s master plan” and added a comment asking the governing body to consider a minimum size of 625 square feet for the smallest residential units.

Planner Kristen, who presented the draft amendments, told the board the changes would allow ground-floor residential uses where the redevelopment zoning currently requires ground-floor commercial, set a maximum height of four stories (50 feet), permit front-yard parking on the unique lot, and adjust unit-size minimums to allow studio/efficiency units of about 500 square feet, one-bedroom units at 625 square feet and two-bedroom units at about 940 square feet. Kristen said the applicant and the redevelopment agency jointly drafted the bulk and dimensional changes and that the planning board’s role at this stage is to determine whether the ordinance is consistent with the borough master plan rather than to approve site plans or variances.

The board’s discussion focused on three main concerns: (1) the removal of the requirement for first-floor commercial space on a street the master plan aims to revitalize; (2) the inclusion of small “studio” units the board worried might not support the master plan’s vision of an active downtown; and (3) the project’s reliance on off-site parking arrangements with the county. Board members and Mayor Sarah noted the property is constrained by the Wanaque River and adjacent parcels, making it a difficult lot to develop in a typical downtown pattern.

Board member Bill Penderkster proposed, and the board adopted as part of its recommendation to council, language asking the governing body to “consider the square footage of the smallest unit to be no smaller than 625 square feet.” Planning board member Brian O. made the initial motion finding the ordinance consistent with the master plan; Paul Bovey seconded. The board then approved a resolution stating the planning board’s finding of consistency and appending the comment on unit size for the council’s consideration. The final roll-call vote on the formal resolution was recorded in the minutes and carried by a majority.

Planner Kristen and several board members reiterated the limits of the planning board’s statutory role under state redevelopment law. As read aloud during the meeting, NJSA 40:A:12A-7(e) requires the planning board to transmit a report to the governing body within 45 days describing whether a proposed redevelopment plan or amendment is inconsistent with the master plan and recommending any changes; the board’s recommendation is advisory and the council may accept or reject it.

Board members discussed other implementation details that will be addressed later if the council adopts the ordinance and the developer files a formal site plan. Those details include: screening and indoor storage for refuse; a short-term loading standard to avoid circulation conflicts; a parking standard proposed at one space per studio/one-bedroom and two spaces per two-bedroom unit; and a potential off-site parking agreement with the county that the redevelopment agency has discussed (the redevelopment agency reportedly anticipated an arrangement of roughly 17–21 county spaces, subject to county agreement and final engineering).

No members of the public spoke on the matter during the public-comment portion recorded in the minutes. The planning board closed its review and sent the resolution and explanatory comments to Borough Council for further action. If Council adopts the ordinance, the developer will still need to return to the planning board with a formal site-plan application for review of layout, circulation, landscaping and other site-level details.

Votes at a glance: The planning board approved a motion finding Ordinance 25-11 consistent with the Pompton Lakes master plan and separately approved inclusion of the board’s recommended comment asking the borough to consider minimum studio size of 625 square feet. The resolution carried by recorded roll call; the minutes record the resolution passing with a majority of board members voting in favor.