Plans To Expand Bridgewater's Cafe Emilia Presented To Zoning Board

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Longtime and well-known Italian restaurant Cafe Emilia, off Route 202, presented its plans to expand but was met with questions over lot coverage.

Attorney Donna Jennings, who is representing Cafe Emilia, presented the application before the Bridgewater Zoning Board of Adjustment at the July 22 meeting.

The restaurant, established in 1999 at 705 Route 202, is proposing to demolish a church on a neighboring property and combine the lots. Then add a 100-seat banquet hall, a 30-seat bar, and a courtyard area, creating a two-story 16,773 square foot building.

The restaurant and building will comprise of around 16,749 square feet, and the lots will be consolidated to around 38,952 square feet, according to Jennings.

Zoning Board Chairman Jeffrey Foose questioned Jennings on how the restaurant got to be 94.6 percent in lot coverage when the township code only allows 40 percent.

Jennings said that it's been like that for 26 years.

"In the last 26 years, this board has certainly not granted a pretty wild impervious coverage ratio like that," said Foose.

"OK, but it's been there, and that’s just a fact that we’re presenting, that’s an existing site condition," said Jennings.

It was noted that 72 of the seats outdoors were created during COVID. The Board said they would look into whether this was still permissible on the property.

Thomas Donohue, the Engineer for the project, also spoke during the meeting, outlining the specifications.

The new addition would be 16,773 square feet with a maximum height of 20 feet. The existing restaurant is 25 feet in height with 144 seats.

Currently, there are 72 seats inside and 72 outdoor seats.

The proposed banquet hall would have 100 seats, the restaurant would have 50 seats, and the bar area would have 30 seats.

Currently, the restaurant is open Monday to Friday from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday from 3:30 to 11 p.m,. and Sunday from 3:30 to 9 p.m.

Cafe Emilia is proposing new hours of Monday to Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. for the restaurant. Hours for the rooftop bar would be Monday to Wednesday, noon to 11 p.m., Thursday to Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.

The public was unable to comment or question Donahue during the meeting since Foose cut the hearing at 10 p.m. It will be carried to the Oct. 14 meeting, where Donahue will return for residents to ask questions.

"This restaurant is a victim of its own success. This is a wonderful place to have a meal. I was there tonight and I was flabbergasted how busy it was. And to [restaurant owner Joseph Natale's] credit it's an amazing restaurant," said Foose. "There’s some fundamental problems I think need to be addressed. Always safety comes first when it comes to this board."

The applicant requires a D(1) variance because the proposed development will expand the restaurant onto the existing church parcel, which is not a permitted use in the R-20 zone (a single-family residential zone).

Additionally, the applicant requires a D(4) variance for the floor area ratio variance because a ratio of 0.16 is permitted, whereas 0.43 is proposed.

The applicant is also seeking several other variances for:

• Minimum frontyard setback from Route 202 - 200 feet required / 28.90 feet proposed
• Minimum parking setback from Route 202 - 10 feet required / 8 feet proposed
• Maximum improved coverage - 25 percent permitted / 89.9 percent proposed
• Minimum parking stall size - 9.5 x 18 feet required / 9 x 18 proposed
• Minimum loading spaces - 2 required / 1 proposed
• Minimum loading space size - 12 x 50 feet required / 11 x 24 feet proposed

The application is scheduled to be heard at the Zoning Board meeting on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. Click here to view the full application.

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