The city of Red Bank continues to field requests from property owners wishing to divide large lots into smaller lots that will accommodate multiple homes.
The latest instance is for a 0.48-acre vacant lot at 217 W. Ridgewood Ave. The property owner has requested a change from its R1 residential zoning to RT/Z residential townhouse/zero lot line zone to allow for two houses.
A related hearing was originally scheduled for Nov. 7, but had to be rescheduled since the owner wasn't present. Nathan Heffner, who said he is the owner's grandson and has power of attorney, was asked to bring proof of his power of attorney before he'd be allowed to serve as the owner's representative.
Heffner is requesting the rezoning because the road frontage of the divided parcels is a little shy of the 60 feet required in the R1 zone, but meets the minimum frontage requirement for RT/Z, which is 10 feet. He said he plans for the homes to measure between 1,500 and 1,700 square feet each.
City Manager Randall Smith said there was concern about the lot widths when the proposal went before the city's planning commission. That board recommended approving the rezoning with conditions, including providing a screen between the property on the side that abuts a single-family home, located at 215 Ridgeway Ave. The property on the other side of the lot contains townhomes.
Shannon Kelly, who lives at 215 Ridgeway Ave., said she is a stormwater engineer and is concerned about the runoff from the lot onto her property. Before the board rezones the property, she wants assurance that it will contain the condition that only single-family homes could be built there, as the new zoning would otherwise allow for townhomes.
Kelly said she currently has flooding issues in her basement and doesn't want to spend the money to fix them until she knows about the neighboring property's plan.
The ordinance to rezone the property was tabled until Nov. 21.