Zoning Board Approves Several Applications During Busy Meeting

At their meeting on Monday night, the Howell Zoning Board of Adjustment had several applications on the agenda regarding a variety of requests. From cell towers to the construction of a deck to the relocation of an ambulance company there was plenty to keep them busy during the three hour meeting.

One item that was on the agenda but was not discussed was a proposed cell on the site of the Christ Church property on Oak Glen Road. The application has come before the board twice before, but a scheduling conflict with the attorneys forced it to be moved to a later date. It is now scheduled to be heard on Oct. 17. 

One cell phone related application that was approved was from Metro PCS which was seeking to add six antennas to a tower already erected on Route 9. Since they were adding to a tower already constructed, the argument was made that very little changes were needed on the site except for the addition of their antennas and four equipment cabinets to be built near the tower.

Also on Monday night the owners of the company came in front of the board hoping to make a new permanent home on Route 9. The company is already located in the township but was looking to move to the new location.  The company provides non emergency transportation for people to medical appointments and could expand to as many as 12 vehicles in the future.

After discussing the status of the building they would be moving into and the size of their company now and in the future, the board only had a few stipulations that the company needed to abide by. 

With a handful of their vehicles being diesel powered, the board asked that if the ambulances and other vehicles are going to be plugged in during the cold weather that they be located in a place where the power cords would not have to run across the parking lot. There were also questions raised about how many of the vehicles would be running at one time and how long they would be in the parking lot. 

There were also questions about a dentists office located on the property and the potential of a third company coming into the complex and how that would impact parking in the lot. 

In the end after agreeing to the stipulations set by the board the application was unanimously approved by the board members at the dais. 

The board also approved the construction of a deck as applied for by a resident on Snowberry Lane. 

Howell Patch will have more on these stories over the course of the week. The zoning board is scheduled to meet again on Sept. 26 at 8 p.m.