Large development earns big approval
Pohat Land Use Board gives preliminary OK to Toll Brothers plan for hundreds of homes.


Tuesday, February 27, 2007


By SARA K. SATULLO
The Express-Times
  
POHATCONG TWP. | The township's land use board gave the preliminary nod Monday
night to a developer's plans for 308 age-restricted homes on High Street.
  
Board Chairman Marc Metzger thanked Toll Brothers Inc. for its cooperation and
hard work.
  
"You probably feel it's been a painful and excruciating process for you,"
Metzger said. "You've done an awful lot to make this a much better project for
everyone than it was a year ago."
  
The company first filed an application for Regency at Pohatcong in 2004 and has
come before the board numerous times to address environmental, traffic and
stormwater management concerns.
  
On Monday night, the board and its consultants were satisfied with plans to
handle potential water spillage into neighboring Alpha Borough and Interstate
78. Toll Brothers engineer Mark Mayhew designed the site to control water in
drainage areas and detention basins with swales.
 
The board and Toll Brothers representatives agreed to draft a protocol for the
water retention basins that may require further testing to determine runoff impacts.
  
The development of 141 single-family homes and 167 townhouses will be built on
88 acres. Sale prices for the houses will likely start around $350,000 depending
on the construction start date, said Jim Majewski of Toll Brothers. It could be
another year before ground is broken, he said.
  
The proposed development is in the Highlands Act planning area so the wastewater
management plans will be dictated by the state. The project's lawyer, Carl
Bisgaier, said the state requires preliminary approval before discussing the
options.
  
The plan includes open space throughout the development, a clubhouse, a pool and
tennis courts.
  
Reporter Sara K. Satullo can be reached at 908-475-2174 or by e-mail at
ssatullo@express-times.com.
  
   © 2007 The Express Times