Red Bank Planning Board approves Bank of America site plan at 170 Broad Street with open-space variance

The Red Bank Planning Board voted unanimously on Jan. 28 to approve a site plan for Bank of America’s branch at 170 Broad Street, granting a single open-space variance and setting conditions on engineering, landscaping and circulation features.

Tasia Namedia, attorney for the applicant, told the board the submission was a resubmission of plans last revised Jan. 16, 2026, and said the proposal would “reconstruct the existing parking lot with a new configuration, install drainage improvements, upgrade lighting and add a new refuse enclosure.” She marked engineering plans and survey exhibits for the record and said the bank has previously made similar property improvements.

Jackie, the board’s reviewing engineer, testified that most review comments had been addressed in the revised submission and highlighted outstanding items for resolution. Jackie said the plan increases pervious planting area but still does not meet the borough’s open-space calculation rules because small plantings under the ordinance’s 325-square-foot threshold are not counted, creating the need for a variance on one lot. “We are increasing like the grass area,” Jackie said, adding the project improves, rather than worsens, existing conditions.

On parking, testimony showed the existing lot currently has 36 spaces; the revised layout provides 33 after reconfiguration. Board discussion reflected confusion about whether 33 or 34 spaces are required by ordinance, but members and staff confirmed no parking variance was being requested and that the only variance was related to open space. The applicant explained the 33 spaces meet the site’s operational needs and argued removing additional spaces to reach open-space targets would undermine the bank’s function.

The engineer also confirmed stormwater would not increase to the municipal system and that the proposed trench drain will improve existing ponding at an inlet in the site’s lower corner: “Everything on site flows to…there’s basically one inlet,” Jackie said, adding the new trench drain will reduce ponding and slippery conditions. The board accepted this testimony subject to final engineering details.

Operational and site-design items discussed and conditioned included: demonstration that a front-loading trash truck and a typical fire apparatus can safely circulate around the proposed refuse enclosure (applicant provided maneuvering exhibits), two parallel parking stalls proposed at 8-by-20 feet to be designated and signed as employee-only spaces, a bike rack to be provided with its location to be approved by the engineer, and clarification of proposed landscape species.

The board also reviewed lighting and environmental comments. Applicant-submitted light studies showed minimum illumination levels would be met and the plan will largely match existing fixtures; security lighting at the ATM will remain on for safety. The applicant agreed to contribute $2,000 to the borough’s tree fund to account for two required street trees and to revise landscaping plans to specify species and island plantings.

With no members of the public offering comment, a board member moved to approve the plan with stipulations to be finalized with the engineer. The board carried the motion by roll call, with the following recorded votes: Shauna Ebangs, yes; Christina Bonitagus, yes; Lou Deanto, yes; Barbara Boz, yes; Megan Massie, yes; Wilson (BBE), yes; Frederick Stone, yes; and Brian Carnegan, yes. Conditions attached to the approval include final engineering responses, employee-space signage, bike-rack placement approval by the board engineer, and the landscaping/species clarifications.

The board noted the application will be finalized through required engineering and landscaping conditions and there were no public objections at the hearing. The board moved on to other administrative business after the vote.