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Board voices skepticism on wetlands concept for 10 East Allendale Avenue; raises safety and DEP concerns
Summary
At a conceptual hearing, the Allendale Land Use Board expressed concerns about a wetlands-impacted 52,000-sq-ft lot at 10 East Allendale Avenue, citing access/turnaround, DEP review, drainage and soil issues; the board offered informal feedback but gave no written endorsement.
The Allendale Land Use Board hosted a conceptual review for a wetlands-impacted property at 10 East Allendale Avenue (file 2024-20) and provided preliminary, informal feedback to counsel and engineers representing property owner Cesar Baldy.
Attorney Jeff Trappanyse introduced the conceptual application and said the lot is roughly 52,000 square feet and has been owned by the client for decades. He explained prior approvals and noted an active DEP wetlands engagement. Engineer Tibor Lasanczyk described site constraints tied to wetland areas and said DEP pushback on the building envelope could trigger a variance. Trappanyse told the board the owner was exploring options including dedicating the rear portion of the lot to conservation or seeking variances to move the envelope toward East Allendale Avenue.
Board members and neighbors raised practical and environmental concerns: whether required turnaround space and safe vehicle access could be achieved without unacceptable impacts; the lack of soil borings or geotechnical data for proposed foundations; the wetlands and overflow characteristics of the site; and the capacity of any on-site drainage solution. One board member noted safety problems if vehicles had to back onto the street because a hammerhead turn was eliminated.
The board made clear it could not provide a written endorsement of the concept, but staff suggested the applicant could seek a consultant review focused on turning radii, soil suitability, and DEP coordination to identify whether a feasible buildable envelope exists. A borough official also noted that conceptual feedback from the board cannot be reduced to an official written statement and suggested a consultant report might be the most useful pre-application step to present to DEP.
What happens next: The applicant may pursue soil testing, a consultant engineering review and further discussions with DEP; the board reiterated the conceptual nature of the hearing and that no final action was taken. The meeting concluded with no formal vote on the conceptual presentation.
