Basin, Parking Talk of YMCA Expansion Hearing

Representatives for the Madison Area YMCA continued to testify in front of the Zoning Board in regard to its variance proposal for a new addition which would house an eight-lane, 25-yard pool at a special hearing held on Thursday.

More details were given about the height and construction specifics, as well as brand new testimony from the YMCA's landscape architect and traffic expert, both new witnesses.

Attorney Michael Rubin, on behalf of 47 Keep Street owner Ann Julie Mele, only cross-examined one of YMCA attorney Tom Malman's four witnesses on Thursday. Rubin cross-examined all witnesses at the first special hearing on March 16.

Rubin's questions were given to site engineer Paul Fox, much in regard to the retention basin the YMCA would be legally required to build if the expansion were approved. Rubin asked if Fox would consider the basin an accessory structure and if the basin would be permissible under zoning law. Fox said no zoning officer had told him otherwise, and Borough Engineering Consultant Frank Russo said that he has never seen it ruled otherwise.

Brian Dwyer of 42 Keep Street, who also asked questions at the previous meeting, had concerns as well about the basin. He wondered if there were any possibility the basin could back up from too much storm water, causing more standing water near or on his property. He also said he was concerned that in a large storm, like the borough saw in mid-March, that the basin may not be able to handle the load.

Fox said, though he didn't think it would need to use it, the basin has an emergency bypass. He and Russo also said even in such a storm the YMCA's water drainage system should be able to handle the water fairly easily.

Fox said that the basin will actually collect some of the runoff on Keep Street that would have traveled to Dwyer's house.

Dwyer asked if the basin could be moved, though Fox said it would make the most sense at the spot it was at near Keep Street because it is would be a low point for water to flow to. However, at did appear as though Fox could look into moving the basin from the roadway.

Also testifying for the second straight meeting was site architect Stephen Aluotto. Aluotto offered more specifics on the proposed structure. He said the roof of the new construction would taper down as it stretched east from the current structure, which was consistent with his previous testimony. He also said that the highest point of the new construction would be equal to that of the current one.

Aluotto also showed examples of the windows, which will be tinted and have solar screens on the south side facing Keep Street.

"I would describe them as something like Venetian blinds," Aluotto said.

Other examples of materials Aluotto presented were the brick facade–which will closely match that of the current structure–and the metal which will construct the curved roof.

New to the proceedings was landscape architect Victoria Maroldi, who was actually appearing before a board for the first time. Maroldi detailed the trees and other landscape aspects that would be used both for aesthetics and screening for the residents on Keep Street.

Also new to the YMCA hearing, but not new to 320 Bayley-Ellard, was traffic expert Gary Dean. Dean was the expert brought before the planning board for the property at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Main Street.

Dean presented results of his traffic study at the YMCA site, showing the peak morning hour during the week was from 8:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m., when the total traffic was 600 vehicles on Kings Road and 68 on Keep Street. During that time, he said 225 vehicles were coming to the YMCA, and 84 were departing.

He said that though there was more traffic during the peak afternoon hour, it was more of a balance of those coming and leaving the YMCA. During that hour, 725 vehicles were on Kings Road and 110 were on Keep Street. In that time, 210 vehicles were entering the YMCA and 220 were leaving.

Consistent with those numbers were those Dean said he collected from parking, which showed the lot almost completely full during the peak day time hour, but with plenty of extra spaces during the afternoon peak. Dean also studied the area on Saturday and found very similar numbers.

Based on those numbers, Dean said he felt the proposed expansion actually helps alleviate parking issues slightly despite creating a new place for people to exercise. He said that the competitive pool has a very specific clientele, and his opinion was that the eight-lane pool would at most create 16 extra cars–two for every lane. The plan has a net gain in parking of 31 spaces.

Dean also said that with alternate parking options on Keep Street, at two borough lots nearby, and at the NJ Transit lot, parking during times when those four lots are available to the public would not be an issue for the YMCA.

Two points board members made in response to Dean's testimony were that competitive swim meats were not taken into account during the week, and maybe parking shouldn't be encouraged–or allowed at all–on Keep Street.

Toni DeRosa was the most vocal about the later.

"When the YMCA came in and the library came in to Keep Street, it lost a lot of its residential integrity," DeRosa said. "When we have a major application like the one we have now, if we can bring a little back and honor the application by meeting its needs, I think this is the time to do it."

Zoning Board Chairman Russell Stern urged the YMCA to discuss parking issues and possibilities with the Borough Council before the next time they met, referencing Vice President of Operations Robert Conley's seat as a councilman. Conley, as he has in the past, would need to recuse himself from any discussion or vote that directly impacts or is impacted by the YMCA.

As for the competitive swimming, Dean said his study did not take into account any possible high school meets, which YMCA CEO Barry Kroll did reference as a possibility during the first hearing. Dean did, however, say that times after school and on weekends, when such meets take place, offer the most parking based on both YMCA lot availability–at high levels after school–and alternative lot availability–high after school and on weekends.

Rubin reserved his cross-examining of Dean, as both he and Malman said there was the possibility of a framework for a plan revision that could satisfy Rubin's client. That will be discussed by both parties before the next meeting.

The next possible hearing for the application would be the May 13 Zoning Board meeting, though it is possible that the YMCA could need more time and would need to be heard at a later date.