U.F. nursery to sprout 51 new houses
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD - The Planning Board approved the construction of 51 new single-family dwellings last week.

The Hidden Lakes I and Hidden Lakes II subdivisions both received final approval at the board's March 8 meeting.

Hidden Lakes I consists of nine lots on 76 acres off Meirs Road. Hidden Lakes II is a 42-unit development on 193 acres off Davis Station and Emley's Hill roads. Applicant Robert Schaumloeffel currently runs a nursery on both properties.

Charles Witte, the applicant's engineer, asked for two waivers for Hidden Lakes I. The waivers were for detailed architectural data and drawings for each building as asked for per the Planning Board's application checklist.

"The architecturals are not prepared at this time," Witte said.

Joseph Rizzo, an engineer in training with Witte, said that the applicant plans to have custom-built homes on each lot, so the architectural plan is more conceptual than detailed.

Township Engineer Glenn Gerken noted that the subdivision received preliminary approval more than two years ago. Since preliminary approval, the ordinances regarding the maintenance of detention basins have changed.

Rizzo said his client does not want to form a homeowners association, which is one way to have the detention basins maintained. He said the original plan was to have individual homeowners in each development maintain the detention basins, with the township performing any corrective work. The homeowners would be responsible for mowing the grass and doing basic upkeep of the basin, Rizzo said.

Township Attorney Frank Armenante said the applicant has the right to keep to the original maintenance plan, which is protected under preliminary approval even though the law changed. The homeowners on the properties with the basins will have to maintain them.

Rizzo said that part of the bottom of the basin in Hidden Lakes I would be excavated and replaced with sand. The homeowner in that development would be required to mow the side slopes and berm around that basin.

The preliminary application for the Hidden Lakes II project was amended, according to Rizzo. He said a proposed detention basin on one lot had to double in size due to new state stormwater regulations, which came into effect after the applicant received preliminary approval. Rizzo also said a proposed house on the detention basin lot had to be eliminated, but that another oversized lot was split into two so the development would still have the same number of lots.