Zoning board approves three‑story medical office at 106 James Street with strict operating limits

The Edison Township Zoning Board of Adjustment unanimously approved an application to replace an existing converted house at 106 James Street with a three‑story medical office for pulmonary and sleep medicine.

Attorney Lisa John Bossa, speaking for the applicant, said the design and variances respond to modern infection‑control and ventilation needs and the practice’s proximity to JFK Hospital. "The additional space is needed for the health, safety, and welfare of the patients to properly segregate patients that may have contagious diseases and properly ventilate the exam rooms in between patients," she told the board.

Why it matters: the project requests several bulk variances — including a floor‑area‑ratio (FAR) increase, a modest height exceedance and a reduction in parking — for a use the board found to serve a local clinical need. The board framed its vote around mitigations proposed by the applicant and conditions the board required.

Key details: the plans call for 10 exam rooms (five per floor on floors 1 and 2), a third‑floor area limited to sleep studies operating selected nights, and operational protocols that include 30‑minute ventilation intervals between some patients. The submission shows required parking of 45 spaces vs. 20 proposed; the applicant’s traffic assessment argued that peak demand would be much lower than the ordinance standard. To reduce neighborhood impacts, Bossa said the applicant will provide an enhanced landscape buffer, 177 evergreen trees, an 8‑foot board‑on‑board fence, exterior security cameras and lower site lighting after 10:30 p.m. "As a condition of any approval, the 3rd Floor would be limited to just sleep studies only," Bossa said.

Public comment included support from a nearby resident who said the clinic would improve local access to specialty care. Hanan Arshad, who said she knows the doctor, told the board: "Having this building would be very, very efficient for those patients." The board also pressed counsel and the applicant to make the conditions explicit; counsel confirmed the lighting, cameras and third‑floor restriction would be conditions of approval.

Board action and next steps: after a motion to approve and a roll call, the board voted unanimously to grant the variances and approve the application subject to the conditions discussed. The applicant must comply with staff review letters and the board’s conditions before permits are issued.