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Hopatcong board grants use variance for mixed-use expansion at River Street, with affordable-unit condition
Summary
The Hopatcong Land Use Board granted a conditional use variance to KNP Realty to expand a restaurant site to add three one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom unit at 430 River St/430 River Sticks Rd; approval is subject to a new survey, site-plan review, and designation of one unit as deed-restricted affordable housing.
The Hopatcong Land Use Board voted to grant a conditional use variance to KNP Realty for a mixed-use expansion at 430 River St (also referenced as 430 River Sticks Road), allowing an existing restaurant to remain and adding three one-bedroom rental units plus one two-bedroom unit, with the owner occupying the larger unit.
Ronald, representing KNP Realty RE LLC, presented the application and introduced the property owner and the project team. “This is an existing restaurant for 12 years,” Ronald told the board and described the request to add three one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom unit in the B-1 zone. Architect Mr. Benguis described the proposal as retaining the restaurant footprint while improving the parking area and the building’s street-facing appearance.
Board members identified the variances required — front-yard, side-yard and rear-yard setbacks, lot coverage (rising from roughly 65% to 67%), and parking — and focused discussion on parking counts, ADA access and the need for a current survey. The applicant said the current plan shows 17 standard spaces plus two handicap spaces; the board asked for a new survey and a site plan showing parking arrangements and ADA routes before final sign-off.
The board also discussed municipal affordable-housing credit. The applicant and board agreed that designating one of the units as deed-restricted affordable housing and preparing appropriate deed-restriction language would allow the borough to claim affordable-housing credit. The owner said rents for existing one-bedroom units vary between about $900 and $1,200; the owner expressed openness to limiting one unit as deed-restricted to meet local requirements.
Board members and staff noted a borough moratorium on new water hookups that could affect the project’s timing; the chair advised the applicant that water-service constraints currently in place may delay final building connections even if land-use approvals proceed.
The board moved to approve the use-variance components tonight while retaining jurisdiction on site-plan details. The motion included conditions: the applicant must produce a new survey, submit a site plan showing parking and ADA-compliant access and prepare deed-restriction language for the affordable unit; final coverage calculations and any required adjustments will be re-evaluated at site-plan review. The motion passed on roll call.
