The Maplewood Planning Board approved an “as-of-right” application for the subdivision of a Ridgewood Road property on June 9 — but there was one dissenting vote.
“We can’t keep having developers come and chop up these properties because they have the right to do that, … So I’m going to vote no because I just can’t agree to this process,” said Mayor Vic De Luca regarding the subdivision of 641 Ridgewood Road by owner/developer 21 Sterling LLC, doing business as Lefko Brothers.
21 Sterling LLC also has another subdivision pending for 588 Valley Street. That application for a “two-lot subdivision with variances for lot width and lot area” was carried to the July 14 Planning Board meeting. See other subdivision applications/resolutions in the attached Planning Board minutes at the end of this story.
On its website, Lefko Brothers lists numerous Maplewood homes (as well as homes in South Orange, West Orange and other nearby towns), including on Burnett St, Oakview Avenue, Berkeley Road, Union Avenue, Collinwood Road (a subdivision yielding two homes), Lancaster Avenue, Highland Avenue, Harvard Avenue, Washington Park, and more. Many of the projects are demolition/rebuilds, some are renovations, and some are subdivisions.
Lefko is not the only entity seeking and being granted subdivisions in Maplewood. On the June 9 Planning Board agenda, for example, The Property Maintenance Group LLC was seeking an extension for its approved subdivision of 62 Pierson Road.
Beyond De Luca’s comment and vote, it’s not clear what powers the Planning Board or township have to limit subdivisions. The Maplewood Historic Preservation Commission is working to designate the Ridgewood Road neighborhood, but that process is in early stages. The Historic Preservation Commission is meeting on Monday, June 22, at 7:30 pm at The Woodland, for a community workshop “focused on preserving character and managing change in the Ridgewood Road neighborhood.” Topics for the meeting include: “what potential historic designation means for Ridgewood property owners; what is reviewed, expedited, or exempt under HPC review; and what happens next, including the designation process and public input.” The HPC notes that the meeting will be “an info-driven, listen-and-learn session—no decisions are being made.” (The meeting will also be streamed live via Zoom: tinyurl.com/MaplewoodHPC and a recording will be available at www.historicmaplewood.com.)
Other Planning Board members noted that, no matter how they felt about the proliferation of subdivisions, they had no choice but to vote “yes” for this application.
“I’d like to offer a counterpoint. I agree with a lot of what the mayor said,” said Planning Board member Tim Fryatt. “I love this building, an 1835 Greek Revival home with a two-story barn. …, but I don’t believe we have a lot of latitude jurisdictionally. There is no way for us to make a judgment call. The municipal land use law is clear in this instance.”
De Luca also expressed concern about protection for trees on the property, ultimately resulting in an amendment to the application.
“If I vote yes, that means I vote to remove those two specimen trees …. And I just don’t want to do that. I don’t have any information that they really need to be removed,” said De Luca.
The developer later agreed to amend the application to preserve one of those trees.
Lefko Brothers clearcut dozens of trees on the Squier House property in South Orange in 2021. In a statement at that time, South Orange Village officials wrote, “Unfortunately, in a swift and unexpected action, trees were removed by the developer without warning, without tree removal permits, and without adherence to the planning board’s conditions of approval.”
Before clearcutting the trees, Lefkowitz had won praise from neighbors and the Village officials when he collaborated with local preservationists to save the historic portion of the existing Squier House while subdividing the property to include two new homes.
Regarding the Ridgewood Road property, Lefkowitz defended his application.
“I don’t want my good deeds to go just by just completely unnoticed,” Lefkowitz told the Planning Board on June 9. “After hearing the board’s concerns two months ago, we went ahead and eliminated the attached garage, although it was side loading, which according to the realtors, it was a decrease in value. We went ahead and did it anyway.” Lefkowitz noted other changes that had been made, and also said that he had been meeting with neighbors and the HPC.
“We feel like we’ve done our part to give, to let go,” said Lefkowitz. “And we hope that the board appreciates it and values it.”
HPC member Temitayo Shajuyigbe urged Lefkowitz to continue working with those who are interested in relocating the property’s barn: “I think it’s very important to consider, as Mr. Lefkowitz mentioned, those parties that may be interested in taking the barn and relocating it and preserving it, if he is unable to keep it on site for his new development. So as you’ve heard, he has spoken to a few families that are interested.”
She also asked that, in removing the side portion of the existing house, Lefkowitz consider saving and reusing some of the materials for the new house on the subdivided lot.
“I just urge the owner to honor some of these historic materials that were used in the primary structure, such as the windows and the siding, and not to just throw them away,” said Shajuyigbe.
In explaining her vote, Planning Board Chair Karen Pisciotta said, “This subdivision is as of right. … I very much appreciate Mr. Lefkowitz’s willingness to make changes even at this 11th hour with respect to this application in order to meet the desires or to protect specimen trees, to maintain the beauty of the property, provide shade, increase cooling, etc. So I’m in favor of this application at this time with that contingency and the contingency of the 37-inch caliper tree that is on [the nextdoor neighbor’s] property.”
